Declining since 2000, #13,208 for girls today.
Popularity of Irish since 1924
Babies named Irish per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1960, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Irish's real moment was 1969.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 32 | 5 |
| 1930s | 64 | 0 |
| 1940s | 109 | 5 |
| 1950s | 243 | 20 |
| 1960s | 283 | 19 |
| 1970s | 163 | 0 |
| 1980s | 155 | 0 |
| 1990s | 121 | 5 |
| 2000s | 146 | 38 |
| 2010s | 101 | 39 |
| 2020s | 36 | 24 |
Meaning & origin
Irish is a rare given name that first appeared on U.S. birth records in 1924. It is a direct borrowing of the term for the people, language, and culture of Ireland. The name saw its highest usage in 1969, when it peaked in popularity, but has never broken into widespread use. Over the last several decades it has become less common, with a trajectory of steady decline since 2000. In the most recent year of data, 2025, it ranked 13,208th, a position that reflects its status as an uncommon choice. Because the name is not tied to any particular meaning through etymology, it functions primarily as an ethnic or national reference. Parents choosing Irish may be signaling a connection to Irish heritage, even though the name itself has no prior history as a personal name. The name remains an outlier, chosen by only a handful of parents each year.
The name Irish is a direct adoption of the word for the people and language of Ireland. As a given name, it first appeared in the United States in the early 20th century, possibly reflecting ethnic pride or a fashion for place and nationality names. It remains rare and unconventional.
Sibling names for Irish
Names that share Irish's style, for a brother or sister.
