Eireann
An Anglicized form of the Irish name Éirinn meaning "abundant, fertile land".
Name Census estimates that about 32 living Americans carry the first name Eireann. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Eireann today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Eireann births was 1999 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Eireann. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Eireann with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Eireann. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
32
~ 1 in 10,711,073 Americans
Peak year
1999
6 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2009 SSA rank
#15,803
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Eireann: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Eireann from the 1990s through to the 2000s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 22 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Eireann by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Eireann during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Eireann
The given name Eireann is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Éire," which means "Ireland." It is a feminine name that has its roots in the ancient Celtic culture of Ireland. The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 5th century AD, when it appeared in various Irish myths and legends.
In Irish mythology, Éire was the name of a goddess who was believed to be the matron of Ireland. According to legend, she was one of the queens of the ancient Irish people, and her name was later adopted as the name for the island itself. The name Eireann is a variant spelling of this ancient name, reflecting the evolution of the Irish language over time.
One of the earliest historical figures known to have been named Eireann was Eireann Baráin, a 6th-century Irish princess who was the daughter of Muiredach Muinderg, the High King of Ireland. Another notable figure was Eireann Inghen Diarmada, a 10th-century Irish noblewoman who was the wife of the King of Leinster.
In more recent history, Eireann has been used as a given name by several prominent Irish individuals. One example is Eireann Ní Chuilleanáin, an Irish poet and academic who was born in 1942 and is known for her works exploring themes of Irish identity and culture.
Another notable figure was Eireann Ní Mhaoilriada, an Irish language activist and author who was born in 1920 and played a significant role in the promotion and preservation of the Irish language throughout her life.
Eireann Inghinidhe Rógánaigh, born in 1935, was an Irish historian and academic who made significant contributions to the study of early Irish history and literature.
Eireann Aschuill, born in 1949, is an Irish singer and musician who has been an important figure in the preservation and promotion of traditional Irish music for several decades.
Throughout history, the name Eireann has been closely associated with Irish culture, heritage, and national identity. Its ancient roots and mythological significance have made it a popular choice for Irish parents seeking to celebrate their cultural heritage through their child's name.
People
Eireann + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Eireann as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Eireann: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Eireann?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 32 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Eireann going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 10,711,073 US residents.
Is Eireann a common name?
We classify Eireann as "Very Rare". It ranks above 47.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 33 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Eireann most popular?
The single biggest year for Eireann was 1999, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Eireann is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Eireann in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Eireann a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Eireann in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Eireann still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Eireann in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Eireann can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Eireann?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.