Top Irish baby names in America

"Ryan" is the most popular Irish-inspired boy's name in the U.S.


What do they all have in common? These top names in the U.S. all have Irish roots!

For example, the trendy name "Aidan" is the Anglicization of the Gaelic word Aodhán, meaning "little fire," while "Kayla" is a modern creation inspired by the Irish man’s name Cadhla, meaning "slender."

If you're an expectant parent looking for an Irish name, or you just want to figure out what your own means, you've come to the right place.


  1. Ryan: Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Ríain, meaning "descendent of the little king"

  2. Brandon: Anglicization of Breanainn, which possibly means "sword.” Also an English surname meaning “hill top”

  3. Logan: From the Irish surname O’Loughan, which is often mistranslated to mean “duck,” which is actually from the Gaelic word “lacha”

  4. Austin: Anglicization of the name Aghaistín, the Irish form of Augustine, a Latin name meaning “great” or “magnificent”

  5. Kevin: Anglicization of the Irish name Caoimhín, meaning “beautiful birth”

  6. Connor: Modern form of the Irish name Conchobhar, meaning “dog lover.” Usually spelled Conor in Ireland

  7. Kyle: Anglicization of the Irish word “coil” meaning “woods.” More commonly used in Scotland, where it is from a place name meaning "narrow.”

  8. Aidan: Anglicization of Aodhán, meaning “little fire”

  9. Brian: Anglicization of the Irish name Brion, meaning “noble”

  10. Sean: Irish form of John, which means “gift from God”

  11. Owen: Usually a Welsh name. It can be an Anglicization of the Irish names Eoin (form of John) and Eoghan, meaning “born of the yew”

  12. Cody: Anglicization of the Irish surname of Norman origin, Mac Óda, meaning “descendent of Otto”

  13. Patrick: Ireland’s patron saint’s name which is Latin for “noble.” Padric is the Irish variant

  14. Brayden: Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Bradaoin, meaning “salmon”

  15. Tristan: Celtic name whose meaning has been debated, but possibly means “tumult,” or “uproar”

  16. Colin: Can be either an Anglicization of Coilean, an Irish name meaning “whelp,” or Cóilín, an Irish short form of Nicholas.

  17. Riley: Riley is an English surname meaning “rye field” or an Anglicization of the Irish surname O’Reilly, or Ó Raghaillaigh, meaning from “descendent of Raghaillaigh,” an Irish chieftan

  18. Liam: Shortened form of Uilliam, the Irish form of William, a Germanic name made of two words meaning “desire” and “protection”

  19. Caden: Anglicization of the Irish surname MacAodháin, or possibly a name from the Irish name Cathán, meaning "battle"

  20. Oscar: Anglicization of Osgar, meaning “deer lover”

  21. Brady: A name meaning “spirited,” and an Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Bradaigh

  22. Alan: Anglicization of the Irish name Ailín, meaning “handsome”