40 Unusual Irish Girl Names With Meanings

Irish names carry rich history, folklore, and tradition, each with its own unique charm and significance. While some classic Irish girl names have gained international popularity, there’s a big list of lesser-known – and beautiful – Irish girl names waiting to be discovered. 

These names not only reflect the cultural heritage of Ireland but also offer a sense of individuality. Let’s take a closer look at the top unique Irish girl names that will set your little one apart, along with their meanings and pronunciations.

Unusual Irish Girl Names
  • Meaning: Gentle or beautiful

Caoime is pronounced ‘KEE-VUH’. It means ‘gentle’ and ‘beautiful’.

  • Meaning: Grain

Eithne is a beautiful unusual Irish name that means grain. It’s pronounced ‘ETH-NUH’.

  • Meaning: Wild or untamed

Pronounced ‘FEE-UH’, this unusual Irish name isn’t so unusual in Ireland. In fact, it was the most popular name for girls back in 2021 in Ireland!

Read Next: 20 Unforgettable and Unique Irish Boy Names with Deep Meaning

  • Meaning: Beautiful or radiant

Aoibheann is pronounced ‘EE-VEN’. It means ‘beautiful’ and ‘radiant’, the perfect sentiments to pass on to a little one.

a newborn sleeping in a woven basket
  • Meaning: Freedom or liberty

Pronounced ‘SER-SHA’, this unusual Irish girl name means ‘freedom’ or ‘liberty’. It encapsulates the spirit of the Emerald Isle!

The actress Saoirse Ronan brought the name to prominence in the US, causing a spike in popularity in the country. Back in 2013, fewer than 50 babies per million were given the name Saoirse in the US. But its popularity peaked in 2020, where over 230 babies per million were given the name. It’s still a highly unusual name in the US, though.

  • Meaning: Brightness or radiance

Niamh means brightness – apt for a brand new bundle of joy in the family! This unusual Irish name is pronounced ‘NEEV’.

Read Next: 30 Baby Names That Mean ‘Light’: Illuminating Choices for Your Little One

  • Meaning: Golden princess

Pronounced ‘OR-LAH’, Orlaith means ‘golden princess’. 

a little girl dresses as a princes
  • Meaning: Brightness or radiance

Aoife – pronounced ‘EE-FA’ – is an increasingly popular Irish name, yet it remains pretty uncommon in the US. In fact, only around 70 babies per million were given the name in America in 2022. It means ‘beautiful’.

  • Meaning: Dream or vision

Aisling is pronounced ‘ASH-LING’ and means ‘dream’ or ‘vision’. 

a little girl sitting among clovers
  • Meaning: Grain or kernel

Grainne is an unusual Irish name for little girls that means ‘grain’. It’s pronounced ‘GRON-YUH’.

  • Meaning: Sprite or elf

Pronounced ‘SHEE-FRA’, this unusual Irish name means ‘sprite’ or ‘elf’, reflecting the rich history and folklore associated with the Emerald Isle. 

A fairy girl is sitting on a trunk tree in a forest
  • Meaning: Sweet or goodness

Pronounced like ‘SAVE’, Sadhbh means ‘sweet’ or ‘goodness’ – perfect for a brand new baby girl.

  • Meaning: the River Clodagh in Ireland

The name Clodagh comes from the river Clodagh in Ireland. It’s pronounced ‘CLO-DAH’.

A baby girl sleeping peacefully in a basket in a filed of clovers
  • Meaning: Sorrow

Bronagh means ‘sorrow’, but don’t let the meaning put you off! This unusual Irish name is actually very popular in Ireland. It’s pronounced ‘BRO-NAH’.

  • Meaning: White or bright

Pronounced ‘AL-VUH’, Ailbhe means ‘white’ or ‘bright’. 

Read Next: Life in Color: Most Vibrant Baby Names Inspired by Colors

  • Meaning: Fair-shouldered one

This unusual Irish name is pronounced ‘FIN-OO-LAH’. It means ‘fair-shouldered one’.

  • Meaning: Sea, fair

Muireann is derived from the Irish words ‘muir’ (meaning ‘sea’) and ‘fionn’ (meaning ‘fair’). It’s pronounced ‘MWIR-IN’.

Read Next: Captivating Baby Names Inspired by the Ocean (with meanings)

  • Meaning: Little rose

This unusual Irish girl name means ‘little rose’. It’s pronounced ‘RO-SHEEN’.

a small girl in a rose garden
  • Meaning: Grey lady or poet

Pronounced ‘LEE-UH-DAN’, this uncommon Irish girl name means ‘grey lady’ or ‘poet’, speaking to Irish folklore.

  • Meaning: Intoxicating

Meadbh means ‘intoxicating’ and is pronounced ‘MAVE’.

An Irish girl in a traditional Irish dress in a field
  • Meaning: Pledged to God

Eilís is pronounced ‘AY-LISH’ and is the Irish form of Elizabeth. It means ‘pledged to God’ – the perfect sentiment for a brand new baby girl in a religious family.

  • Meaning: God is gracious

Siobhán is pronounced ‘SHI-VAWN’. It’s a popular name in Ireland but uncommon in the US. The name is derived from the Hebrew Yohanan, which means ‘God is gracious’ and it actually peaked in popularity in America way back in 1979!

Read More: 80 Beautiful Baby Names Meaning ‘Blessing from God’ and Their Origins

  • Meaning: Pure

Oonagh is an unusual Irish name for little girls that means ‘pure’. It’s pronounced ‘Oo-nah’.

  • Meaning: Radiant and bright

Pronounced ‘Sur-kah’, this uncommon Irish name means ‘radiant’ or ‘bright’, capturing the essence of Irish charm!

  • Meaning: Heavenly or celestial

Derived from the Latin ‘Caelia’, Síle means ‘celestial’ or ‘heavenly’. So it’s not just a great Irish name, but a great angelic baby name too! It’s pronounced ‘Shee-la’.

  • Meaning: Goodness and virtue

Pronounced ‘Ay-deen’, this unique Irish girl name means ‘goodness’ and ‘virtue’.

  • Meaning: Slender or fair-haired

You’d be forgiven for not knowing how Caoilfhionn is pronounced! Despite the complex spelling, the pronunciation is pretty straightforward: ‘Kee-lin’. This highly unusual Irish name means ‘slender’ or ‘fair-haired’.

  • Meaning: Life

This beautiful name is the Irish form of Eva or Eve and is pronounced in a very similar way – ‘Ay-va’. It means ‘life’, a lovely meaning for a brand new baby girl in the family.

Read Next: Baby Names That Mean Soul: Discovering Deeply Meaningful Names for Your Child

A little Irish baby girl playing with a clover leaf
  • Meaning: Noble

Pronounced ‘AY-LISH’, Ailis is a beautiful Irish name that means ‘noble’. 

  • Meaning: Tempestuous

Doireann is pronounced ‘DORR-EN’ and means tempestuous.

  • Meaning: Longed-for child or radiant beauty

Pronounced ‘AYV-LIN’, this uncommon Irish name means ‘longed-for child’ and ‘radiant beauty’ – two beautiful meanings to pass on to your little one!

  • Meaning: Broken-hearted

Deirdre has a sombre meaning – ‘broken-hearted’ – but don’t let that put you off this unusual and beautiful name. Pronounced ‘DEER-DRA’, it’s a wonderful addition to this list.

  • Meaning: Grain

Eithne is pronounced ‘ETH-NUH’, this unusual Irish girl name means ‘grain’, like a few other unusual Irish names on this list!

Read Next: 20 Unforgettable and Unique Irish Boy Names with Deep Meaning

  • Meaning: Blue princess

Gormlaith is pronounced ‘GORM-LAH’ and means ‘blue princess’. 

  • Meaning: Radiant

Pronounced ‘LEE-SHA’, this unusual Irish name means ‘radiant’ – just like a brand new baby girl in the family!

a toddler girl wearing a floral headband surrounded by flowers
  • Meaning: Intoxicating

Maeve is an Irish baby girl name that’s skyrocketed in popularity in the US recently. It means ‘intoxicating’ and is pronounced ‘MAYVE’. Back in 2011, fewer than 280 babies per million were given the name Maeve in the US. But in 2022, this number had grown to over 1600 babies per million.

Read Next: 40 Classic Irish Girl Names: Meanings, Origins, and Endless Charm

  • Meaning: Honor and brightness

Pronounced ‘NOH-REEN’, this beautiful Irish girl name means ‘honor’ and ‘brightness’.

  • Meaning: Royal

Meaning ‘royal’, Ríona is an uncommon Irish name for baby girls that’s pronounced ‘REE-UH-NAH’.

A newborn baby sleeping in green clovers.
  • Meaning: God is gracious

Síne comes from the Irish form of Jane and means ‘God is gracious’, so it’s perfect for a new baby girl in a religious family. The name is pronounced ‘SHEE-NAH’.

  • Meaning: Harvester

Treasa is derived from the Latin name ‘Theresa’. The Irish version of the name is pronounced ‘TRAY-SA’ and means ‘harvester’.

Conclusion

Whether you have links to the Emerald Isle through ancestry or simply admire the beauty of Celtic names, these unique baby girl names embrace tradition while celebrating uniqueness. 

We’re sure you’ll find the right unusual Irish girl name for your little one. But if you’re still looking for inspiration, be sure to check out our list of the most enchanting tree names for girls, baby girl names from around the world and the best angelic names for your little one.

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