Ireland Reveals Most Popular Baby Names of 2025 with Surprising Choices

Ireland has unveiled its most popular baby names for 2025, with Rían and Lily taking the top spots. This marks a notable shift, as Rían has reached the number one position for the first time since the Central Statistics Office (CSO) began tracking baby names in 1964. Alongside Rían, the top five boys’ names include Jack, Noah, James, and Oisín. For girls, Éabha, Fiadh, Grace, and Sadie complete the top rankings.

In a statement, Seán O’Connor, Statistician in the Vital Statistics Section of the CSO, noted the significance of Rían’s rise: “Rían was the most popular baby boys’ name in Ireland in 2025 and reached the top spot for the first time since our series began in 1964. It has been increasing in popularity since 2018 and entered the top five in 2021.”

The year 2025 also saw a notable change in the boys’ rankings, as Jack did not hold the number one position for the first time since 2007, with the exception of 2016. For girls, Lily replaced the previous year’s top name, Sophie, which now shares the sixth position with Emily.

Seán O’Connor highlighted Lily’s ascent, saying, “Lily claimed the number one position as the most popular girls’ name in Ireland for the first time since our series began in 1964. Lily first started to gain popularity in 1997 when 15 girls were given the name, and it has been steadily climbing up the ranks since then.” The name entered the top 10 in 2011 and has consistently gained traction over the years.

In terms of new entries, the name Raya saw the most significant jump, climbing from 213th place in 2024 to 99th in 2025. For boys, Naoise also made an impressive leap, rising 74 places to become the 88th most popular name last year. The top 100 list welcomed several newcomers, including Levi, Dáire, Naoise, Conall, Elijah, and Teidí for boys, while girls saw Ríadh, Gracie, Mabel, Arabella, Nancy, and Raya entering the rankings.

The most common surname for babies born in Ireland in 2025 was Murphy, followed by Kelly and O’Brien. These statistics not only reflect changing preferences among new parents but also highlight cultural trends influencing naming practices in Ireland.