Adrian
Say it: AY-dree-an/ˈeɪ.dɹiː.ən/
BoyMeans from Hadria, an old Italian town6 letters3 syllables
#348
in Ireland (2025)
#336 with spellings combined
11
babies in 2025
#41
best rank (1975)
5,502
babies since 1964
Down 163
10-year rank change
Adrian through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | #336 |
| 2024 | 24 | #197 |
| 2023 | 16 | #262 |
| 2022 | 22 | #221 |
| 2021 | 18 | #249 |
| 2020 | 23 | #208 |
| 2019 | 27 | #198 |
| 2018 | 31 | #181 |
| 2017 | 35 | #169 |
| 2016 | 40 | #156 |
| 2015 | 35 | #173 |
| 2014 | 50 | #129 |
| 2013 | 40 | #161 |
| 2012 | 57 | #127 |
| 2011 | 58 | #125 |
| 2010 | 67 | #110 |
| 2009 | 67 | #114 |
| 2008 | 50 | #141 |
| 2007 | 34 | #163 |
| 2006 | 34 | #153 |
| 2005 | 19 | #196 |
| 2004 | 23 | #167 |
| 2003 | 20 | #177 |
| 2002 | 27 | #146 |
| 2001 | 21 | #156 |
| 2000 | 20 | #164 |
| 1999 | 25 | #136 |
| 1998 | 26 | #133 |
| 1997 | 47 | #106 |
| 1996 | 63 | #91 |
| 1995 | 59 | #93 |
| 1994 | 75 | #81 |
| 1993 | 81 | #78 |
| 1992 | 86 | #76 |
| 1991 | 83 | #73 |
| 1990 | 105 | #67 |
| 1989 | 88 | #74 |
| 1988 | 99 | #68 |
| 1987 | 122 | #61 |
| 1986 | 141 | #53 |
| 1985 | 136 | #53 |
| 1984 | 147 | #57 |
| 1983 | 154 | #56 |
| 1982 | 174 | #53 |
| 1981 | 151 | #62 |
| 1980 | 169 | #60 |
| 1979 | 205 | #51 |
| 1978 | 227 | #43 |
| 1977 | 219 | #49 |
| 1976 | 222 | #46 |
| 1975 | 237 | #41 |
| 1974 | 219 | #46 |
| 1973 | 229 | #43 |
| 1972 | 184 | #50 |
| 1971 | 169 | #52 |
| 1970 | 143 | #52 |
| 1969 | 135 | #48 |
| 1968 | 103 | #59 |
| 1967 | 90 | #65 |
| 1966 | 63 | #80 |
| 1965 | 82 | #62 |
| 1964 | 75 | #65 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Adrian mean?
From Hadria, an old Italian town
Latin, from Hadrianus (a man from Hadria).
Say it right
AYdreean
The story of Adrian
Adrian comes from the Latin Hadrianus, meaning a man from Hadria, an old town in Italy near the Adriatic Sea. The place name itself may go back to an old word for sea or water, though that is not certain.
The Roman emperor Hadrian, who built the wall across northern England, made the name famous, and several early saints and popes carried it. Even so, it was rare among English speakers until the second half of the twentieth century.
In Ireland Adrian was a popular choice in the 1970s. Its best year was 1975, with 237 boys and a rank of number 41. It has become much less common since, and 11 boys were named Adrian in 2025. It has never been as popular in Northern Ireland, where its best rank was number 153 in 1997.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Adrian (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Adrian
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Ade
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Adrian | 11 | 5,502 |
In Northern Ireland
#314 in 2025 with 5 babies. Best rank #153 (1997); 182 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.