Cooper
Say it: KOO-per/ˈkuːpə(ɹ)/
BoyMeans barrel maker6 letters2 syllables
#198
in Ireland (2025)
#199 with spellings combined
24
babies in 2025
#142
best rank (2018)
430
babies since 2008
Down 9
10-year rank change
Cooper through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | #199 |
| 2024 | 33 | #151 |
| 2023 | 29 | #176 |
| 2022 | 35 | #162 |
| 2021 | 33 | #167 |
| 2020 | 20 | #237 |
| 2019 | 37 | #158 |
| 2018 | 43 | #142 |
| 2017 | 34 | #175 |
| 2016 | 31 | #184 |
| 2015 | 30 | #190 |
| 2014 | 21 | #252 |
| 2013 | 19 | #265 |
| 2012 | 24 | #233 |
| 2011 | 4 | #623 |
| 2010 | 4 | #611 |
| 2009 | 5 | #532 |
| 2008 | 4 | #601 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Cooper mean?
Barrel maker
English, from the surname Cooper, an occupation name for a maker of barrels.
Say it right
KOOper
The story of Cooper
Cooper began as an English surname for a working man. A cooper made and mended wooden barrels and casks, a skilled trade in any town that stored beer, butter or fish. Like Carter, Parker and Hunter, it is one of a group of trade surnames that crossed over to become first names.
The name first appears in the CSO records in 2008, and it has stayed a steady choice since. Its best year was 2018, with 43 babies, when it reached number 142. In 2025, 24 boys were named Cooper.
It is a little rarer in Northern Ireland, where its best rank so far was number 120 in 2017.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Cooper (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Cooper (given name)
- 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
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper | 24 | 430 |
In Northern Ireland
#138 in 2025 with 17 babies. Best rank #120 (2017); 276 babies since 2006.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.