The Central Statistics Office has revealed which baby names were the most popular in 2022, and Jack was the most popular male name in Ireland for the 15th year in a row!
The most popular names given by Irish parents to their kids in 2022 have been revealed, and one male name has remained the most popular for the 15th year in a row.
Jack is the most popular name for the 15th year running, a name that never falters in popularity on the Emerald Isle.
Let’s take a look at some more statistics revealed by the Central Statistics Office.
Most popular male name in Ireland for the 15th year in a row – Jack
Jack is a given name that seemingly derives from the French ‘Jacques’. It’s a primarily male name of English origin that means ‘God is gracious’.
It’s a name that is popular all over the world, with a few variations, and for the 15th year in a row, it’s the most popular male name in Ireland.
The name first became popular in the Middle Ages, and ever since, it has gone on to be one of the most popular names around the world.
In 2013, it was the most common name given to boys in Australia, and now currently sits at number six. It’s also an extremely popular name in the UK, while less popular in the States.
The most popular female name of 2022 – Emily
When it comes to female names, the most popular name given to baby girls in 2022 was Emily, which jumped up from third place in 2021.
Emily is a name primarily given to females that is of Latin origin. It derives from the Roman namesake, ‘Aemilia’, and has several meanings, including ‘rival’, ‘laborious’, and ‘eager’.
Much like Jack, it is a popular name around the world. Perhaps the name has seen a recent surge thanks to Emily in Paris?
It is not uncommon for baby names to be influenced by popular culture. Just look how many Hermiones there are in the world now, thanks to Harry Potter!
Emily replaced Fiadh as the most popular name for baby girls in Ireland. In turn, Fiadh took Emily’s previous spot in third place.
Popular names in Ireland – the top ten for boys and girls
As for the rest of the most popular names in Ireland in 2022, the top ten boys’ names are as follows – Jack, Noah, James, RÃan, Charlie, OisÃn, Tadgh, Liam, Cillian, and Daniel.
100 years ago, the most popular boys’ names were John, Patrick, James, Michael, Thomas, William, Joseph, Edward, Daniel, and Peter.
As you can see, some names have remained, while others now exist further down the popularity ladder.
For girls, the top ten are Emily, Grace, Fiadh, Sophie, Lily, Éabha, Ava, Mia, Ellie, and Olivia.
100 years ago, the most popular names for girls were Mary, Bridget, Margaret, Ellen, Catherine, Kate, Annie, Anne, Elizabeth, and Maggie, all of which are no longer in the top ten.
You can check out the popularity of names in Ireland at the Central Statistics Office website here.
