Irland
From the Old Norse name Ir(a)land meaning "land of the Irish people".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Irland. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Irland today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Irland births was 1921 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Irland. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Irland. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1921
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1921 SSA rank
#4,085
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Irland: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Irland 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 Irland during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Irland
The name Irland is derived from the Old English word "Īraland," which means "land of the Irish." This name has its origins in the medieval period, when the island of Ireland was referred to by this term. The name was initially used to refer to the island itself, but later became a personal name for individuals with a connection to Ireland.
In the early medieval period, the name Irland was sometimes used in reference to Irish monks and scholars who traveled to other parts of Europe, spreading their knowledge and Christianity. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Irland of Ratisbon, a 9th-century Irish monk and scholar who lived in present-day Germany.
The name Irland also appeared in various medieval chronicles and historical records, often in reference to individuals from Ireland or those who had visited or lived there. For example, the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle compiled in the 15th century, mentions an individual named Irland mac Muiredhaigh, who was a prominent figure in the 12th century.
During the Middle Ages, the name Irland was associated with several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Irland of Lindisfarne, an Irish monk and bishop who lived in the 7th century. He is renowned for his missionary work in Northumbria, England, and for his role in establishing the monastery on Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island.
Another notable figure was Irland of Gaul, a 6th-century Irish monk and missionary who traveled to Gaul (present-day France) and established several monasteries there. He is credited with spreading Christianity in the region and is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.
In the 12th century, there was Irland of Cashel, an Irish priest and scholar who served as the Bishop of Cashel in Ireland. He was known for his learning and his involvement in church affairs during a turbulent period in Irish history.
Throughout history, the name Irland has been borne by various individuals with connections to Ireland or Irish heritage. While it may not be as commonly used today as it was in medieval times, it remains a name with a rich historical legacy and a strong association with the island of Ireland and its people.
People
Irland + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Irland as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Irland: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Irland?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Irland 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 - US residents.
Is Irland a common name?
We classify Irland as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Irland most popular?
The single biggest year for Irland was 1921, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Irland is about 0 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 Irland in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Irland a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Irland in the SSA data are male. 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 Irland still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Irland 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 Irland 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 common is the name Irland?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.