The most popular baby names in Donegal have been revealed – with two new names in the top spot!
The most popular baby boy’s name in Donegal was Noah last year.
Fiadh has claimed the top spot for newborn girls in Donegal.
Last year in Donegal, Jack was the most popular name for boys and both Grace and Annie were the top choices for girls.
Noah was also one of the top boys’ names in Donegal in 2022.
Donegal is bucking the trends, as Jack was the most popular boys’ name across Ireland for the eighth year in a row. Sophie was the most popular name for girls in 2024, replacing the previous year’s top choice of Grace, which is now ranked in 3rd position.
Rowan, Caleb, and Iarlaith are the three new entrants into the top 100 most popular boys’ names for 2024. Caleb rose fastest up the rankings, going from 142nd place in 2023 to 91st in 2024.
Looking at new entrants for girls, four new entrants appeared, Hallie, Rhea, Caragh, and Aurora, with Rhea being the fastest rising girls’ name in 2024 moving up 37 places to 93rd in the table.
Commenting on the trends in Irish baby names, Seán O’Connor, Statistician in the Vital Statistics Section of the CSO, said: “Jack has retained the top spot as the most popular baby boys’ name in 2024. This is a position it has held for every year since 2007, with the exception of 2016, when James was the most popular choice of name. Jack and James have been in the top five boys’ names since 1998. Noah and Rían are the other two boys’ names which make up the top three in 2024.
“Sophie occupied the number one position as most popular girls’ name in Ireland for the first time since 2010. Éabha, Grace, Emily, and Fiadh were the other four girls’ names which made up the top five in 2024.”
The most common surnames of babies born last year were Murphy, Kelly, Byrne, O’Brien, and Walsh.
