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Feidhlim

Say it: FAY-lim

BoyIrish8 letters2 syllables

#468

in Ireland (2025)

#360 with spellings combined

10

babies in 2025

#263

best rank (1991)

213

babies since 1972

Up 101

10-year rank change

Feidhlim through the years

Compare with another name →
Feidhlim: babies per year in Ireland, 1964 to 202505101520196419701980199020002010202020251998: CSO series changePeak 2016: 17
Feidhlim: rank per year in Ireland, 1964 to 2025#1#10#50#100#250#500#1000196419701980199020002010202020251998: CSO series change
Feidhlim: per 10,000 boys per year in Ireland, 1964 to 20250246196419701980199020002010202020251998: CSO series change
Babies per 10,000 boys listed by the CSO that year, which evens out changes in the number of births.
Show the numbers
YearBabies (boys)Rank
202510#360
202312#319
202212#338
20218#400
20209#391
20195#537
20186#493
20174#610
201617#272
20157#461
20144#609
201312#338
20127#457
201111#366
201011#354
200911#337
20089#386
20079#342
20069#315
20053#518
20043#506
20033#500
20025#348
20013#409
19983#369
19973#382
19915#263
19883#319
19863#317
19833#330
19723#307

Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.

★ What does Feidhlim mean?

Uncertain

Irish, a shortened form of the old name Feidhlimidh (Old Irish Fedlimid).

Say it right

FAYlim

The "dh" is silent. The English spellings Phelim and Felim are usually said the same way.

Not:FED-lim

The story of Feidhlim

Feidhlim is a shortened form of Feidhlimidh, Fedlimid in Old Irish, one of the old royal names of Ireland. Its meaning is uncertain. It has been put into English in many ways, as Phelim, Felim and Feilmy, and even as Philip or Felix, which were chosen for their sound rather than their meaning.

Several kings of Munster carried the name, among them Feidlimid mac Crimthainn, who died in 846. Felim Ua Conchobair was king of Connacht in the 13th century, and Phelim O’Neill was a leader of the 1641 rebellion. In the Ulster Cycle, Fedlimid mac Daill is the bard whose daughter is Deirdre.

Feidhlim has always been a rare name in Ireland. Its best year for babies was 2016, when 17 boys were given it. Since 2018 the CSO has counted Feidhlim and Féidhlim separately. Together they reached number 319 in 2023, while Feidhlim alone was number 516.

Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.

Sources
  • Wikipedia: Féilim
  • CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences

At a glance

Similar names

FelimPhelimFiachraDonnacha

Sibling ideas

BláthnaidMuireannGráinne

Spellings counted here

Spelling2025All years
Feidhlim7201
Féidhlim312

In Northern Ireland

Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #281 (2002); 8 babies since 2002.

Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.

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