Oisín
Say it: uh-SHEEN/ˈɔʃiːnʲ/
BoyIrishMythologyMeans little deer5 letters2 syllables
#5
in Ireland (2025)
351
babies in 2025
#5
best rank (2022)
11,342
babies since 1964
Up 7
10-year rank change
Oisín through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 351 | #5 |
| 2024 | 307 | #8 |
| 2023 | 349 | #5 |
| 2022 | 357 | #5 |
| 2021 | 329 | #9 |
| 2020 | 301 | #14 |
| 2019 | 332 | #9 |
| 2018 | 331 | #13 |
| 2017 | 351 | #11 |
| 2016 | 398 | #8 |
| 2015 | 365 | #12 |
| 2014 | 381 | #13 |
| 2013 | 392 | #14 |
| 2012 | 407 | #14 |
| 2011 | 436 | #15 |
| 2010 | 401 | #17 |
| 2009 | 423 | #17 |
| 2008 | 454 | #16 |
| 2007 | 407 | #18 |
| 2006 | 413 | #16 |
| 2005 | 370 | #21 |
| 2004 | 384 | #18 |
| 2003 | 342 | #20 |
| 2002 | 300 | #25 |
| 2001 | 283 | #23 |
| 2000 | 287 | #22 |
| 1999 | 249 | #25 |
| 1998 | 174 | #37 |
| 1997 | 171 | #49 |
| 1996 | 132 | #57 |
| 1995 | 137 | #56 |
| 1994 | 120 | #60 |
| 1993 | 92 | #73 |
| 1992 | 84 | #77 |
| 1991 | 75 | #84 |
| 1990 | 69 | #89 |
| 1989 | 43 | #108 |
| 1988 | 47 | #103 |
| 1987 | 47 | #106 |
| 1986 | 40 | #110 |
| 1985 | 32 | #127 |
| 1984 | 28 | #130 |
| 1983 | 43 | #119 |
| 1982 | 43 | #116 |
| 1981 | 32 | #128 |
| 1980 | 26 | #140 |
| 1979 | 24 | #142 |
| 1978 | 20 | #157 |
| 1977 | 19 | #159 |
| 1976 | 20 | #154 |
| 1975 | 13 | #192 |
| 1974 | 17 | #167 |
| 1973 | 20 | #157 |
| 1972 | 14 | #180 |
| 1971 | 16 | #164 |
| 1970 | 15 | #163 |
| 1969 | 9 | #196 |
| 1968 | 8 | #187 |
| 1966 | 4 | #229 |
| 1965 | 5 | #207 |
| 1964 | 3 | #232 |
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 Oisín mean?
Little deer
Irish, from os (deer) with the small ending -ín.
Say it right
uhSHEEN
Many people, especially in the north and west, put the stress first and say OSH-een.
Not:OY-sinOH-sin
The story of Oisín
Oisín means “little deer”, from os (deer) and the small ending -ín. In the Fenian Cycle of Irish legend he is the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the great poet of the Fianna.
In the best-known story Niamh of the Golden Hair carries him across the sea to Tír na nÓg, the land of youth. After what feels like three years he asks to visit home, and finds that three hundred years have passed. He falls from his horse, touches the ground of Ireland and becomes an old man at once.
The name has been given in Ireland throughout the CSO records, and reached number 5 in 2022.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Oisín (Irish proper noun)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Oisín | 331 | 2,479 |
| Oisin | 17 | 8,828 |
| Oisìn | 3 | 3 |
| Óisín | under 3 | 22 |
| Oísin | under 3 | 7 |
| Óisin | under 3 | 3 |
In Northern Ireland
#6 in 2025 with 108 babies. Best rank #6 (2025); 2,886 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.