Wren
Say it: REN/ɹɛn/
Girl and boyMeans wren, the small songbird4 letters1 syllable
#247
in Ireland (2025)
#249 with spellings combined
17
babies in 2025
#249
best rank (2025)
89
babies since 2015
Up 646
10-year rank change
Wren through the years
Compare with another name →girlsboys
Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | #249 | 4 | #642 |
| 2024 | 16 | #265 | 4 | #628 |
| 2023 | 10 | #358 | 3 | #733 |
| 2022 | 12 | #338 | 8 | #413 |
| 2021 | 12 | #339 | - | - |
| 2020 | 5 | #611 | - | - |
| 2018 | 5 | #614 | - | - |
| 2017 | 3 | #872 | - | - |
| 2016 | 6 | #588 | - | - |
| 2015 | 3 | #895 | - | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Wren mean?
Wren, the small songbird
English, from the bird's name, first as a surname and now a first name.
Say it right
REN
The "w" is silent.
The story of Wren
Wren is the name of one of the smallest birds in Ireland and Britain. It began as an English nickname and then a surname, best known from Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Only recently has it become a first name, used for both girls and boys.
The wren has a special place in Irish custom. On St Stephen’s Day, Wren Day, groups of wren boys still go from house to house in some places, dressed in straw or costume, playing music and collecting money.
In Ireland Wren first appears in the CSO records for girls in 2015. It has grown each decade since, and 2025 was its best year so far, with 17 girls. Boys joined the list in 2022, with 8 babies that year. Northern Ireland shows the same rise, with 8 girls named Wren in 2025.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Wren (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Wren (name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland