Daithí

Daithí is an old Irish name. Patrick Woulfe, writing in 1923, gave its meaning as “swiftness” or “nimbleness”, and a medieval Irish glossary explains it as a nickname for someone quick and active. It has also long served as an Irish form of David, which is a separate name of Hebrew origin.

Its famous early bearer is Dathí, or Nath Í, a fifth-century king of Connacht whom later writers counted among the high kings. Legend says he was struck by lightning on an expedition to the Alps, though historians doubt the story. Woulfe notes that his descendants, the O’Dowds, kept the name for centuries. Today the TV presenter Dáithí Ó Sé is a well-known bearer.

Daithí reached number 24 in 2025 with 185 babies, its best year so far, when all spellings are combined. The CSO counts Daithí and Dáithí separately, and in 2025 the spelling Daithí alone was number 59. It is also popular in Northern Ireland, where its best position was 17th, in 2023.