These traditional Irish baby names are fading fast while others soar

If you've spent any time scrolling through baby name lists lately (guilty as charged), you'll have noticed something interesting happening with traditional Irish names. Some are having a proper moment, while others… well, they're quietly slipping into the 'do people still call babies that?' category.

With St. Patrick's Day on the horizon, the team at My Nametags decided to dig into the CSO database and find out which Irish names are climbing the charts and which are at risk of disappearing altogether. And honestly? Some of the findings surprised me.

The names making a serious comeback

Let's start with the good news. If you're considering a traditional Irish name for your little one, you're definitely not alone.

Éabha has absolutely skyrocketed. Meaning 'life', this gorgeous name sat at 375th place just five years ago in 2020. Fast forward to 2024 and 2025, and it's climbed all the way to 2nd place on the baby girl charts. Second! That's the kind of jump that makes you do a double-take. It'll be fascinating to see if it takes the top spot in 2026.

Sadhbh (meaning 'sweet' or 'goodness') has been on a steady climb since 2000 when it ranked at 101st. It now sits at 32nd in 2025. For those of us who grew up with maybe one Sadhbh in our entire school, seeing multiple little Sadhbhs at the playground feels like a shift.

Tadhg is another one to watch. Meaning poet or storyteller, this name ranked at a lowly 184th spot back in 1980. In 2025? It's sitting pretty at 8th place. That's quite the glow-up.

And Patrick? Our patron saint's namesake has had an interesting journey. It moved up to 16th spot in 2024 (from 22nd in 2020), though it's slipped back slightly to 25th in 2025. Still very much in the game though.

The names we're losing

Here's where it gets a bit bittersweet. Some names that felt like absolute staples of Irish life are fading fast.

Sinéad was the 4th most popular name for baby girls in 1990. The 4th! In 2025, fewer than three babies were given the name. That's… actually quite sad when you think about it. An entire generation of Sinéads, and now the name has essentially vanished from maternity wards.

Siobhán tells a similar story. It ranked at 32nd in 1990 but has completely fallen off the charts, sitting at 885th in 2025 with fewer than three babies given the name in both 2020 and 2024. Meaning 'God's gracious gift', it seems the gift is no longer being passed on.

Seamus, the Irish for James, ranked at 70th in 1990. In 2025, it's dropped to 402nd place. At this rate, it could be genuinely extinct within a few years.

Brigid has also taken a tumble. From 134th in 1980 to 544th in 2025. Given that Brigid is one of Ireland's patron saints, that's quite the fall from grace.

Enda (meaning 'bird-like') has been on a steady decline too. It sat at 72nd in 1980, dropped to 146th by 2000, and now languishes at 557th in 2025.

The rollercoaster ride of Cian

Cian deserves its own mention because this name has been on a wild journey. It ranked at 103rd in 1980, shot all the way up to 6th place in 2000 (peak Cian energy), and has since dropped back down to 33rd in 2025. Not extinct by any means, but definitely not the powerhouse it once was. If you were in school in the early 2000s, you probably had at least three Cians in your class. Now? Maybe one.

What's driving these trends? It's hard to say exactly. Names go in cycles, influenced by everything from popular culture to family traditions to what just sounds 'right' for a particular era. Some parents want something traditional but not too common. Others want something their grannies will be able to pronounce without help.

"At My Nametags we really notice what names are increasing in popularity each year, so we were interested to see what the trend is for Irish baby names in Ireland for 2026," says Lars B. Andersen, Founder and Managing Director of My Nametags. "Based on the research we look forward to seeing orders increasing for Tadhg, Sadhbh and Éabhas from all across the country over the coming few years!"

If you've got a little one with an Irish name (rising or falling), you can check out personalised name labels at www.mynametags.ie. Because nothing says 'this lunchbox belongs to my child' quite like a label that the teacher might need a pronunciation guide for.

So, will 2026 be the year of the Éabha? Will Sinéad make a comeback? Only time (and the CSO database) will tell. In the meantime, if you know a Siobhán or a Seamus, give them a little extra appreciation!