Orlaith
Say it: OR-la/ˈɔːrlə/
GirlIrishMeans golden princess7 letters2 syllables
#352
in Ireland (2025)
#192 with spellings combined
23
babies in 2025
#73
best rank (2006)
2,012
babies since 1965
Down 88
10-year rank change
Orlaith through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | #192 |
| 2024 | 24 | #190 |
| 2023 | 32 | #150 |
| 2022 | 26 | #183 |
| 2021 | 24 | #201 |
| 2020 | 25 | #186 |
| 2019 | 25 | #197 |
| 2018 | 39 | #144 |
| 2017 | 39 | #145 |
| 2016 | 42 | #140 |
| 2015 | 60 | #104 |
| 2014 | 47 | #127 |
| 2013 | 50 | #122 |
| 2012 | 61 | #108 |
| 2011 | 62 | #105 |
| 2010 | 76 | #92 |
| 2009 | 77 | #91 |
| 2008 | 73 | #92 |
| 2007 | 85 | #75 |
| 2006 | 83 | #73 |
| 2005 | 72 | #78 |
| 2004 | 66 | #83 |
| 2003 | 50 | #103 |
| 2002 | 31 | #141 |
| 2001 | 29 | #142 |
| 2000 | 44 | #98 |
| 1999 | 27 | #140 |
| 1998 | 35 | #107 |
| 1997 | 57 | #94 |
| 1996 | 41 | #129 |
| 1995 | 43 | #119 |
| 1994 | 57 | #102 |
| 1993 | 58 | #97 |
| 1992 | 23 | #188 |
| 1991 | 24 | #180 |
| 1990 | 30 | #163 |
| 1989 | 22 | #192 |
| 1988 | 32 | #157 |
| 1987 | 24 | #198 |
| 1986 | 31 | #172 |
| 1985 | 25 | #197 |
| 1984 | 23 | #213 |
| 1983 | 26 | #195 |
| 1982 | 19 | #241 |
| 1981 | 15 | #263 |
| 1980 | 19 | #239 |
| 1979 | 9 | #330 |
| 1978 | 6 | #388 |
| 1977 | 15 | #254 |
| 1976 | 8 | #329 |
| 1975 | 15 | #243 |
| 1974 | 5 | #393 |
| 1973 | 12 | #282 |
| 1972 | 20 | #213 |
| 1971 | 8 | #303 |
| 1970 | 6 | #326 |
| 1969 | 4 | #393 |
| 1968 | 5 | #327 |
| 1965 | 3 | #385 |
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 Orlaith mean?
Golden princess
Irish, from ór (gold) and flaith (prince, ruler).
Say it right
ORla
The "th" at the end is silent, so it sounds just like Orla. The older spelling Órfhlaith is said the same way.
Not:OR-laythOR-lath
The story of Orlaith
Órlaith joins ór, gold, with flaith, a word for a prince or ruler. Because names built on flaith were given almost only to girls, it is normally read as “golden princess”. Orla and Orlagh grew out of it as English spellings, and the older form Órfhlaith is still used.
The name turns up again and again among royal women in the Irish annals. One Órlaith, a daughter of Cennétig and sister of Brian Boru, was the second wife of the High King Donnchad Donn. She was accused of adultery with her stepson and put to death in 941. Later bearers include queens of Meath and Connacht, and a Connacht princess who became an abbess in the 1200s.
It was first recorded by the CSO in 1965, and did best in the 2000s, reaching number 73 in 2006. The CSO counts Orlaith and Órlaith as separate names, and in 2025 the fada spelling edged ahead, with 12 girls against 11. In Northern Ireland its best year was 2008, when it was number 54.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Órlaith
- Wikipedia: Órlaith íngen Cennétig
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Órlaith | 12 | 91 |
| Orlaith | 11 | 1,921 |
In Northern Ireland
#132 in 2025 with 15 babies. Best rank #54 (2008); 720 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.