Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Shutterstock

Ireland's most popular baby names: Miley and Angel, your time has come*

*But you’re not in the top 100 just yet.

JACK AND EMILY remain the most popular babies’ names registered in Ireland in 2014, new figures released by the CSO show.

Jack has been the number one choice for boys since 2007, and Emily has been the most popular girl’s name since 2011.

The top five boys’ names (Jack, James, Daniel, Conor and Sean) have been the top five since 2007 – with the order changing slightly from 2012, when Conor – shockingly – finished in fourth place, ahead of Sean.

Four of the top five boys’ names (Jack, Sean, Conor and James) have been in the top five since 1998.

top ten boys CSO CSO

boys top 5 CSO CSO

This is the fourth consecutive year that Emily has been the most popular name chosen for girls. Sophie, Emma, Grace and Ava were the next most frequently chosen names in 2014.

There were four first-time entries to the top 100 for boys: Henry, Hugo, Ollie and Luca.

The highest new entry – at number 87 – was Ollie, rising from 113th place in 2013. It was also the name rising most in popularity, up 26 places from 2013.

There were two first-time entrants to the top 100 for girls: Annie and Isla. The highest new entry at 75th place was Annie, rising from 106th place in 2013. The name rising in popularity most was Evie – up 43 places from 110th place in 2013.

top 10 girls CSO CSO

girls top 5 CSO CSO

As in previous years, girls are given a wider variety of names than boys with 4,586 girls’ names registered compared to 3,486 boys’ names – despite a greater number of male births.

In most areas of the country one of the top five boys’ names took the number one spot.

Only seven areas favoured names outside of the top five for boys.

In Cavan, Adam was the most popular boys’ name in 2014. Michael was the most popular boy’s name registered in 2014 in Longford and the name also shared the top spot with Daniel in Limerick County. Patrick and Liam, along with Daniel and James, were the most popular in Galway city.

Oisin and James were most favoured in Donegal, while Thomas shared the top position with Jack in South Tipperary. Noah, Sean and Jack proved to be the most popular name for baby boys registered in Carlow.

Shutterstock-84619873 Shutterstock Shutterstock

For girls, there was a wider range of names outside the top five that were county and city favourites. These included Amelia, Anna, Aoife, Caoimhe, Ella, Katie, Lily, Lucy, Mia and Sophia.

Some of the less common girls’ names registered in 2014 and not included in the top 100 names were Skylar, Angel, Meadow, Miley, Destiny, Raven and Halle.

Some of the less popular boys’ names registered in 2014 were Troy, Avery, Deacon, Braxton, Dexter, Cooper and Ariel.

Parents from other countries

Where both parents were stated as being Irish nationals, Jack was the top ranked name for boys. Charlie, Daniel, Finn, Jack, Leo, Noah and Thomas were the most popular choice with parents of UK nationality, while Liam was the most popular boy’s name chosen by parents from the EU15* excluding Ireland and the UK.

David and Jakub were the boys’ names chosen most often by parents from all EU member states excluding EU15 countries. Parents from nations outside the EU made Muhammed the highest ranked name of baby boys registered in Ireland in 2014.

Emily was the most popular name where parents were Irish or English. Emma ranked first with parents of the EU15 (excluding Ireland and the UK) and Julia took the top spot with parents of the all EU member states excluding EU15 countries. Sarah was most popular with parents from outside the EU.

For the first time, the CEO data includes the top ten most popular surnames of babies’ registered in 2014:

surnames CSO CSO

There were 67,462 live births registered in 2014. Of these, there were 22,090 unique surnames, including some double barrelled surnames e.g. O’Brien-Murphy.

The top 10 most popular surnames account for over 7.4% (or 5,000) of overall births. Murphy accounts for over 1.1%, while Kelly accounts for just over 0.9% (633 births).

50 years ago

An analysis found that John and Mary were the most popular baby names in 1964.

There were 3,696 boys registered under John that year. The name ranked number 25 in popularity in 2014 (293 babies).

The top five boys’ names in 1964 were: John, Patrick, Michael, Paul and James. Of these, only James was in the top five last year.

1964 names CSO CSO

For girls, Mary was the name of choice for 3,471 parents for their newborn daughters in 1964. It now ranks at number 77 (88 babies).

The top five girls’ names in 1964 were Mary, Catherine, Margaret, Ann and Anne. None of these names featured in the top five names registered for baby girls in 2014. Apart from Mary, none of the other four names featured in the top 100 names last year.

None of the top 10 most popular names for girls’ in 2014 appeared anywhere in the top 100 girls’ names in 1964.

Shutterstock-129717818 Shutterstock Shutterstock

As in 2014, the data for 1964 shows that girls were given a wider variety of names than boys. However, the range of names for both boys and girls were not as varied 50 years earlier. There were 1,103 girls’ names registered in 1964 (versus 4,586 in 2014) and 614 boys’ names (compared to 3,486 in 2014).

*EU15: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

15 Irish surnames that are now actually popular baby names in America

18 old Irish baby names that need to make a comeback

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
68 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lisa Saputo
    Favourite Lisa Saputo
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 10:16 AM

    Cool article. The Brits are hilarious.

    181
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eugene Walsh
    Favourite Eugene Walsh
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 11:28 AM

    @Lisa Saputo: and they make your corps wait wks till burial . We just prefer a 3 day bender

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute European Bob
    Favourite European Bob
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 10:18 AM

    Another tradition is one hundred years old this week, the tradition of Irish Republicans refusing to swear allegiance to the British queen and refusing to take their seats. Surely it’s time FG and FF put their money where their mouth is, run candidates in the north and take their seats in Westminster? Surely if they believe SF should take their seats then they would do the same? Surely they would win seats in the north after all they’ve done for Northern Nationalists? Surely!!

    118
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Big Red
    Favourite Big Red
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 10:33 AM

    @European Bob: that tradition is not 100 years old. The tradition died out in 1921 when Ireland got its independence, but was started again in the 70s by a splinter faction of the Workers Party calling itself Sinn Fein.

    84
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Keelan O'neill
    Favourite Keelan O'neill
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 10:34 AM

    @European Bob: calm down Shirley.

    32
    See 8 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Marko
    Favourite Marko
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 10:49 AM

    @European Bob: surely you can’t be serious?!

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tyrone Williams
    Favourite Tyrone Williams
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 11:15 AM

    @Big Red: Actually the Workers Party came from Sinn Fein not the other way.
    Sinn Fein split into Provisional and Official, the Officials became “Sinn Fein the workers party” then just “The workers Party” from which Democratic Left split, who then merged with (took over) Labour. I think The Workers Party is still around, but I believe that Thomas McGiolla was the last to be elected to any major position.

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Greg Blake
    Favourite Greg Blake
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 11:42 AM

    @European Bob: slight lack of understanding what a republic is, there Bob. A office holder of a republic cannot swear alligeance to any royal of any origin or to any other power that does not eminate for the people of that republic. FF, FG or anyone considering that would have to form an external party, taking note that any crossing of the party whip (over serving office holders) would be illegal and treasonous to that republic. I dont know, but I suspect it’s similar for the house of commons over there.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Greg Blake
    Favourite Greg Blake
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 11:46 AM

    @Greg Blake: I’d imagine taking up the oath in the UK, would negate any right of SF MPs to direct or influence the voting of any SF TDs.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas Maher
    Favourite Thomas Maher
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 11:50 AM

    @Big Red: You might want to recheck your facts there. They are a little bit on the alternative side.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute European Bob
    Favourite European Bob
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 1:42 PM

    @Big Red: Note to Red, Ireland didn’t get its independence in 1921. 6 counties still occupied.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Hosford
    Favourite Mark Hosford
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 2:52 PM

    @European Bob: its a pity it can’t just become another British parliament tradition, where they symbolically deny sinn fein mps entry a few times, and then just let them take their seats…

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute dublincomments
    Favourite dublincomments
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 11:08 PM

    @Big Red: partial independence

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Barry
    Favourite Kevin Barry
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 10:40 AM

    Maintaining all the fuss and feathers of empire is the root cause of the British sense of self importance.

    76
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robin Pickering
    Favourite Robin Pickering
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 11:39 AM

    @Kevin Barry: like wearing a shamrock to commemorate a 1,500 year dead kidnap victim Welsh “saint” who drove the non-existent snakes out of Ireland?

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Greg Blake
    Favourite Greg Blake
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 11:50 AM

    @Robin Pickering: you have us on that one. ;-), All countries have their quaint customs, it’s what makes the world interesting. As long as they are harmless, then let them at it.

    39
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robin Pickering
    Favourite Robin Pickering
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 5:04 PM

    @Greg Blake: true. Life would be boring if we were all the same.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciarān
    Favourite Ciarān
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 10:14 AM

    A total bunch of clowns the lot of them

    74
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robin Pickering
    Favourite Robin Pickering
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 11:39 AM

    @Ciarān: word

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute jo mixon
    Favourite jo mixon
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 12:13 PM

    @Ciarān: Why are they a bunch of clowns?

    14
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciarān
    Favourite Ciarān
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 9:18 PM

    @jo mixon: Do i need to explain or have you not been following the news for the the last 2 years?!

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Noel J. Barry
    Favourite Noel J. Barry
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 12:16 PM

    I knew a village bycicle who loved the black rod

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Ringer
    Favourite Dave Ringer
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 2:34 PM

    “Right honourable” means a member of the privy council. Nothing to do with ministerial office

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Diaspora'd
    Favourite Diaspora'd
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 4:48 PM

    @Dave Ringer: that’s correct. Jeffrey Donaldson from the DUP gets referred to as “the right honourable” just because he is on the queen’s privy council. He is not a minister.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P Block Loftus road
    Favourite P Block Loftus road
    Report
    Dec 16th 2018, 10:20 AM

    I find this very offensive to Blacks & Rods

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Korhomme
    Favourite Korhomme
    Report
    Dec 17th 2018, 12:15 AM

    MPs are traditionally called ‘honourable’, or ‘hon’ for short. They aren’t referred to by name by other members, but by the constituency they represent. The Speaker calls them by name.

    A ‘friend’ is an MP in the same party; referring to others, they are just a ‘member’.

    ‘Right hon’ means the member is a member of the Privy Council; the get the letters PC after their name.

    ‘Hon and learned’ means the member is a QC, the equivalent of a SC.

    ‘Hon and gallant’ means the member is a Sir, a knight.

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds