Crunching the numbers for babies born in December 2024, the CSO said there were seven more babies born on Christmas Day 2024 than on the same day in 2023, and revealed a breakdown of the top baby names by gender and by county.
Fiadh – meaning ‘wild, untamed, or deer’, derived from Gaelic and symbolising strength, freedom, and nature – is among the most popular names chosen for baby girls nationally in December 2024, followed by Sophie, Éabha and Emily.
It was the most popular girl’s name in Wicklow in 2024 and in 2023.
When it comes to the most popular names chosen for baby boys born throughout December 2024, ‘Little King’ Rían reigned, followed by Noah (38), and Jack (34). Although there was a drop in the number of Noahs since December 2023, the name held its popularity and second place ranking for another year.
Noah – often chosen as ‘gender neutral’ name and of Hebrew origin – was the most popular boy’s name in Wicklow in 2024, knocking Jack off the top from 2023.
Commenting on the changes, the CSO’s Seán O’Connor, said: “In December 2024, the most popular names for boys were Rían, and then Noah, while for girls it was Robyn and Fiadh in joint first, followed by Sophie.
“While we saw a lot of movement in the names chosen for baby girls in December 2024, it was interesting to see Holly move off top spot and down the list to fifth in the rankings with Robyn and Fiadh moving up.
When it comes to boys, the all-year round trend shifted with Jack making way for Rían in December 2024 while Noah held his second-place position for the second year in a row.”
The CSO data shows how baby names in Ireland have changed over time.
John was the most popular boys’ name in 1974, but occupied the 29th position in 2024. For girls, Mary was the most popular name 50 years ago, whereas in 2024 it ranked joint 105th alongside Laura and Zoey.
The most popular Irish Baby Names report for 2025 is due to be published in February 2026.