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JACK HAS MAINTAINED its strangehold on being the most popular name for newborn boys in the country, with Emily regaining its crown as the top name for girls.
The CSO has released its baby name stats for 2022, with Emily rising from 3rd place in 2021 to take the top spot it held previously in 2019.
Jack has held the top spot for boys’ names for every year since 2007, except for 2016, when James was the most popular.
In total, there were 4,016 different names used for boys last year and 4,966 used for girls.
Compared to 50 years ago in 1972 when John and Mary were the most popular names, only James remains from the top 10 for either boys or girls.
The all-important top five for 2022 is as follows:
Boys
Girls
As well as providing the names that top the charts, the CSO also looks at different trends including new entrants in the Top 100 and the ‘fastest rising’ names.
For girls, there are four new entrants into the top 100, they are: Hailey (75th), Phoebe (78th), Ayda (84th), Éala (91st).
For boys, there are two new entrants into the top 100, they are: Blake (94th), (97th).
In terms of the fastest risers for 2022, on the boys’ side there is Tomás, up 42 places to 77th place. On the girls’ side Éala, up 86 places to 91st place.
Jack retains top spot as the most popular boys' name in Ireland in 2022 while it's Emily for girlshttps://t.co/coEygMDI8l#CSOIreland #Ireland #VitalStatistics #VitalStats #Births #IrishBabiesNames #BoysNames #GirlsNames #BabyNames pic.twitter.com/cLUxSH86dS
— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) February 24, 2023
Some of the less frequently used girls’ names registered in 2022 and not included in the top 100 names were Matilda, Zoey, Tessa, Margot, Daria, Amira, Everleigh and Ariyah.
Some of the less popular boys’ names registered in 2022 were Cían, Nicholas, Ciarán, Art, Mustafa and Romeo.
For boys of non-Irish nationals, Oliver was the most popular choice with parents of UK nationality, while parents from the western EU member states (excluding Ireland) made Leonardo and Liam the joint most popular.
David was the boy’s name chosen most often by parents from newer EU member states.
For girls, Emma ranked first with parents from older EU members while Mia took to the top spot among EU member states who joined post 2004.
County-by-county
The CSO also provides a regional breakdown to show the variation of popular baby names across the country.
Jack was the most popular name for baby boys in all provinces in 2022.
Noah was the top or joint top boys’ name in 10 locations, including areas such as Donegal and Cork City.
While Muhammad was ranked 86th nationally in 2022 with a total of 72 births registered, in Galway City it was the most favoured boys name.
Emily was the most chosen girls’ name in five areas; South Dublin, Dublin City, Westmeath, Cork County, and Donegal. Mia and Millie were joint first choice in Sligo while they ranked 8th and 19th nationally.
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It’s honestly a shame to not see more Irish names on the list. Like I know you’re screwed if you decide to travel in later life but the Irish language has some of the most beautiful names.
Yes, I love Irish names. I’m remembering that all my aunts on my mother’s side were given official ‘English names’ because they’d most likely have to emigrate. They were known by their Irish names, of course.
Jack once again… its like people dont bother to think outside the box and go with the heard mentality without any thought… the list of boys names is more of what youd expect to come out of the UK or Australia. Some of the most beautiful sounding names are our own irish ones and the meaning behind many of them just as amazing.
@Billy Davies: Says Billy Davies
@JedBartlett: He didn’t name himself.
@Billy Davies: Think inside the box? Jack in the box.
@Jen Mc: 100%
@Ciarán O’ Donoghue: I like it.
@Jen Mc: Absolutely..All staunch English names with very few Irish ones.
Some incredibly unimaginative people around.
@Marcus: it would be more original these days to give a kid a relatively standard name when you see some of the ones knocking around these days. Or even worse, a relatively common name with a mad new spelling the parents went rogue with.
@A$AP ETH: “…a relatively common name with a new new spelling the parents went rogue with.” – I once had to email a woman called Jennipher, who had used her first name in her email address – I wonder how many emails she (doesn’t) get?
Lol, Galway.
I have to say I don’t like any American names, give me a good oul Irish name any day
@Colm Molloy: Two names on list are Irish. Thanks for showing all of us what a dumb prejudiced yob you are.
@Don Hogan: Why is he a prejudiced yob?
@Don Hogan: A bit harsh there Don.
@Don Hogan: I don’t mind Americans at all.
In the context of this article I was expressing why give an American name to an Irish child.
It is an opinion , nothing to get upset about
@Colm Molloy: What American name is in the list?
@Stephen Byrne: Maybe
I should have said names influenced by American culture, I don’t know what names in the list are American
@Don Hogan: throwing out personal insults to someone expressing a subjective opinion about names is rather hypocritical and yobbish…and yobbish. You’ve been hoisted by your own petard mate.
@Don Hogan: have you ever heard of sarcasm!!!!
@UK Hurling Bloke: you’d wonder who is the “yob”
For some reason I feel for the lads whose parents called them ‘Romeo’, or any other grandiose name that they’ll be expected to live up to.
Goodbye Galway..You were some spot for the craic back in the day.
@Redseat92: woah fella back up what’s that supposed to mean
Uugh, We’re finished as a culture aren’t we.
How has Mohammad become the most popular name in Galway City?! Hardly that many Muslims there?!
You want your child to have a rare name, not one that is common. Trust me, I know.
We will need all the Noah’s we can get if the global warming and sea level increase estimates are correct!
Articles like this must be a relief for the primary school teachers being reassured they won’t have too many mad names to be dealing with
@Jake Kelly: Just five Emily’s and four Jack’s in every class.
@Honeybee: it’ll be down to the surnames, hopefully none with the same starting letter
As a registrar I see a lot of traditional names still being used as middle names…Bridget, Margaret, Maureen etc.
Muhammad?!? How Ireland has changed
The lack of Irish names is sad to read.
Cool to think that the most popular name for a newborn girl in Ireland in 2022 derives from one of the most powerful aristocratic families/clans in ancient Rome, the gens Aemilia. The Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, with capital Bologna, also got the first part of its name from this gens. The story and etymology of names and surnames is always fascinating.
Practically every girls name ends in a vowel. Coincidence? I think not.
@Bert Carolan: Only two of the top five do. What coincidence?
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