Eileen first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Eileen has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Eileen

A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly derived from the Greek word "aidios" meaning "eternal".

Popularity of Eileen by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Eileen is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Eileen being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 444 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Eileen.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 0 444
2022 0 475
2021 0 440
2020 0 400
2019 0 413
2018 0 439
2017 0 421
2016 0 390
2015 0 408
2014 0 391
2013 0 359
2012 0 324
2011 0 369
2010 0 321
2009 0 347
2008 0 386
2007 0 396
2006 0 355
2005 0 381
2004 0 358
2003 0 388
2002 0 380
2001 0 407
2000 0 401
1999 0 414
1998 0 450
1997 0 377
1996 0 373
1995 0 372
1994 0 368
1993 0 401
1992 0 403
1991 0 422
1990 0 529
1989 7 524
1988 0 515
1987 0 471
1986 0 534
1985 0 560
1984 0 614
1983 0 689
1982 0 584
1981 0 585
1980 0 613
1979 5 571
1978 0 631
1977 5 633
1976 0 564
1975 0 662
1974 0 759

The history of the first name Eileen

The name Eileen is derived from the Irish Gaelic name Eibhlín, which in turn is a diminutive form of the name Aoibheall. The name Aoibheall is composed of two elements: the first part "aoibh" means "pleasant" or "beautiful", while the second part "fhall" or "vall" means "beauty" or "dignity". Together, the full name Aoibheall can be translated to mean "beautiful maiden" or "beautiful princess".

The name Eileen emerged as an anglicized form of the Irish Eibhlín during the Middle Ages when many Irish names were adapted to English spelling and pronunciation. The earliest known written record of the name Eileen dates back to the 13th century in Ireland.

In Irish mythology, one of the most notable figures associated with the name Eileen is the character of Aoibheall, who was a beautiful princess and the daughter of the legendary Irish king Éochaid Iarlaith. She was renowned for her exceptional beauty and was pursued by many suitors.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Eileen was Eileen O'Brien, an Irish noblewoman who lived in the 14th century. She was the wife of Rory O'Conor, the last High King of Ireland.

In the 16th century, Saint Eileen (or Eilien) was a Scottish Catholic martyr who was executed for her faith during the Scottish Reformation in 1594.

Another notable figure with the name Eileen was Eileen O'Connell (1838-1921), an Irish writer and activist who played a significant role in the Irish literary revival movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Eileen Gray (1878-1976) was a renowned Irish architect and furniture designer who is considered a pioneer of the modern movement in architecture and design.

Eileen Agar (1899-1991) was an influential British painter and collage artist who was a prominent figure in the Surrealist movement in the early 20th century.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Eileen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Eileen, please contact us.

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Eileen first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 8, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/eileen-meaning-and-history/.

"Eileen first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/eileen-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 8 November, 2024

Eileen first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/eileen-meaning-and-history/.

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