Niamh
Say it: NEEV/nʲiəvˠ/
GirlIrishMythologyMeans bright, radiant5 letters1 syllable
#90
in Ireland (2025)
54
babies in 2025
#2
best rank (1993)
20,909
babies since 1964
Down 48
10-year rank change
Niamh through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 54 | #90 |
| 2024 | 51 | #94 |
| 2023 | 75 | #73 |
| 2022 | 70 | #78 |
| 2021 | 82 | #72 |
| 2020 | 61 | #88 |
| 2019 | 106 | #54 |
| 2018 | 104 | #59 |
| 2017 | 132 | #47 |
| 2016 | 157 | #41 |
| 2015 | 143 | #42 |
| 2014 | 169 | #34 |
| 2013 | 204 | #32 |
| 2012 | 185 | #37 |
| 2011 | 249 | #30 |
| 2010 | 292 | #25 |
| 2009 | 314 | #24 |
| 2008 | 344 | #18 |
| 2007 | 340 | #18 |
| 2006 | 350 | #18 |
| 2005 | 375 | #13 |
| 2004 | 421 | #10 |
| 2003 | 370 | #11 |
| 2002 | 407 | #8 |
| 2001 | 477 | #6 |
| 2000 | 519 | #6 |
| 1999 | 571 | #5 |
| 1998 | 492 | #6 |
| 1997 | 622 | #5 |
| 1996 | 612 | #3 |
| 1995 | 645 | #2 |
| 1994 | 672 | #2 |
| 1993 | 719 | #2 |
| 1992 | 545 | #6 |
| 1991 | 550 | #6 |
| 1990 | 533 | #6 |
| 1989 | 499 | #6 |
| 1988 | 514 | #6 |
| 1987 | 443 | #11 |
| 1986 | 494 | #9 |
| 1985 | 468 | #11 |
| 1984 | 444 | #12 |
| 1983 | 426 | #14 |
| 1982 | 481 | #13 |
| 1981 | 501 | #11 |
| 1980 | 492 | #14 |
| 1979 | 469 | #12 |
| 1978 | 431 | #14 |
| 1977 | 390 | #14 |
| 1976 | 390 | #16 |
| 1975 | 327 | #23 |
| 1974 | 355 | #21 |
| 1973 | 313 | #26 |
| 1972 | 278 | #28 |
| 1971 | 238 | #32 |
| 1970 | 215 | #33 |
| 1969 | 188 | #43 |
| 1968 | 157 | #50 |
| 1967 | 129 | #56 |
| 1966 | 129 | #56 |
| 1965 | 73 | #89 |
| 1964 | 53 | #109 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Niamh mean?
Bright, radiant
Irish, from Old Irish níam (brightness, lustre).
Say it right
NEEV
The "mh" is said like a soft "v". Some Munster speakers say NEE-uv.
Not:NEE-amNYE-am
The story of Niamh
Niamh comes from the Old Irish word níam, meaning brightness or lustre. In legend Niamh Chinn Óir, Niamh of the Golden Hair, is a queen of Tír na nÓg who rides across the sea on a white horse and carries the poet Oisín away with her.
Niamh was one of the defining Irish names of the 1990s. It reached number 2 in 1993 with 719 babies, and has eased back since, which makes it a classic that still feels familiar without being everywhere.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Niamh (Irish proper noun)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Niamh | 54 | 20,909 |
In Northern Ireland
#77 in 2025 with 27 babies. Best rank #5 (2005); 3,522 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.