Laoise
Say it: LEE-sha/ˈl̪ˠiːʃə/
GirlIrish6 letters2 syllables
#124
in Ireland (2025)
38
babies in 2025
#97
best rank (2012)
1,486
babies since 1971
Down 18
10-year rank change
Laoise through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | #124 |
| 2024 | 48 | #97 |
| 2023 | 36 | #131 |
| 2022 | 45 | #116 |
| 2021 | 57 | #97 |
| 2020 | 46 | #113 |
| 2019 | 41 | #134 |
| 2018 | 40 | #141 |
| 2017 | 45 | #128 |
| 2016 | 37 | #150 |
| 2015 | 58 | #106 |
| 2014 | 52 | #115 |
| 2013 | 67 | #98 |
| 2012 | 66 | #97 |
| 2011 | 61 | #106 |
| 2010 | 46 | #134 |
| 2009 | 40 | #156 |
| 2008 | 56 | #116 |
| 2007 | 44 | #135 |
| 2006 | 51 | #112 |
| 2005 | 42 | #119 |
| 2004 | 45 | #113 |
| 2003 | 52 | #99 |
| 2002 | 50 | #100 |
| 2001 | 37 | #120 |
| 2000 | 43 | #101 |
| 1999 | 36 | #110 |
| 1998 | 22 | #159 |
| 1997 | 36 | #137 |
| 1996 | 27 | #174 |
| 1995 | 17 | #224 |
| 1994 | 13 | #255 |
| 1993 | 15 | #242 |
| 1992 | 8 | #339 |
| 1991 | 4 | #457 |
| 1989 | 3 | #503 |
| 1988 | 5 | #407 |
| 1986 | 3 | #521 |
| 1985 | 5 | #421 |
| 1984 | 5 | #414 |
| 1983 | 6 | #401 |
| 1982 | 4 | #467 |
| 1981 | 5 | #423 |
| 1980 | 4 | #483 |
| 1979 | 6 | #391 |
| 1978 | 4 | #469 |
| 1977 | 4 | #468 |
| 1976 | 5 | #392 |
| 1975 | 3 | #503 |
| 1971 | 3 | #466 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Laoise mean?
Uncertain
Irish, of uncertain origin, spelt the same as the genitive of Laois.
Say it right
LEEsha
In Irish, "aoi" sounds like "ee", and the "s" beside "i" and "e" is said "sh".
Not:LAY-oh-seeLOW-ees
The story of Laoise
Laoise is an Irish girls’ name, and its origin is not settled. The spelling is identical to the Irish genitive of Laois, as in Contae Laoise, County Laois, and some people connect the two. The county takes its name from the Loígis, an early people named after a chieftain called Lugaid Loígsech. Other explanations tie the name to the god Lugh, but that link is not well supported, so it is safest to treat the meaning as unknown.
The pronunciation catches out people without Irish. The “aoi” is said “ee” and the “s” is soft, giving LEE-sha, which rhymes with Naoise.
Laoise was rare in Ireland until the 1990s, when it started to grow. It has hovered around the edge of the top 100 since, reaching number 97 in 2012, and again in 2021 and 2024. It is much less common in Northern Ireland, where its best place was number 164 in 2021.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Laoise (Irish proper noun)
- Wikidata: Laoise (Q64153702)
- Wikipedia: Loígis
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Laoise | 38 | 1,486 |
In Northern Ireland
#191 in 2025 with 9 babies. Best rank #164 (2021); 151 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.