Irish Girl Names A through D

Irish Baby Name	Irish Pronunciation	Anglicized Version	Name meaning and origin
Aibhlinn,Aibhilin	av-ell-EEN	Evelyn	A name thought to have Norman roots that means "wished-for" or "longed-for child."
Aibreann	uh-BRAWN	April	Gaelic for April.
Ailbe	ALL-bay	Alby	Derived from an old Irish word meaning "white," St. Ailbe (6th century) was associated with the monastery at Emly in County Tipperary. The local people requested that he bless a river that had no fish. St. Ailbe did and that very day the river was filled with an abundance of fish. The people built five churches in St. Ailbe's honor at the best fishing spots along the river. Boy or Girl name.
Aideen	ay-DEEN		Formed like Aidan from aed "fire." Aideen loved her husband Oscar, a grandson of Fionn Mac Cool, so much that when he fell in battle she died of a broken heart.
Aileen,Ailene	ay-LEEN	Eileen	Ancient Irish name from ail "noble."
Ailis,Ailish	ay-LISH	Alice	Irish version of the Norman Alice or Alicia from Elizabeth "God is my oath."
Áine	AWN-yuh	Enya, Anna, Hannah	From the Old Irish áine, meaning 'brilliance, wit, splendor, glory, radiance'. Connected with fruitfulness and prosperity. According to Irish legend, Áine was the daughter of Fer I (Man of the Yew) and queen of the fairies of South Munster. Irish folklore held that she lived at a place now called Knockany (Cnoc Áine, "Áine's Hill") and was "the best-hearted woman who ever lived – lucky in love and in money."
Alana	ah-LAH-na	Alanna, Alaina	Anglo-Irish term of endearment alannah, meaning 'attractive, fair, peaceful' and the Gaelic a leanbh, meaning "O child, or "darling child".
Aoife	EEF-ah	Eva, Ava	From the Old Irish Aífe, a goddess name meaning 'beautiful, radiant, joyful'. In a tale of apprenticeship of the Ulster hero Cú Chulainn, Aífe was the fiercest woman warrior in the world. After she was defeated by the hero, she bore him his only son, Connlach. Aoife Dearg ("Red Aoife") was a daughter of a king of Connacht who had her marriage arranged by St. Patrick himself.
Aislin,Aislinn	ash-LEEN		From aislinge which means "a vision" or "a dream".
Briana	bree-AN-na	Breanna	Feminine version of Brian. Origin is uncertain, but it is probably derived from brig, meaning 'high, noble'; might mean 'strong' and be a variant of Brighid.
Bríd, Bríghid	BREED, BRI-jid	Bridget	An Old Irish goddess name from the Celtic brigh, meaning 'power, vigour, virtue'. The most famous female saint of Ireland is Brigid, who was abbess of Kildare, previously the site of the shrine of a pagan goddess of the same name. According to myth, there were three sister goddesses of the Tuatha Dé Danaan named Brigid: the goddess of poetry, the goddess of healing, and the goddess of smith work. This Irish girl name epitomizes the Irish genius for layering old and new. The Celtic goddess, Brigid made the land fruitful and the animals multiply, she blessed poets and blacksmiths. The stories of Saint Brigid's compassion and miracles are told now as they have been for more than 1500 years in every part of Ireland. She is equal in esteem and shares a grave with St. Patrick and St. Columcille. Saint Brigid's feast day is February 1, or Imbolc in the old Celtic calendar, and it is the first day of Spring in the Celtic calender. She is the patron saint of scholars.
Bronagh	BRO-nah	Brona	Though rooted in bronach "sad, sorrowful" St. Bronagh must have been a popular figure in her home area of County Down where her bell is venerated because so many girls in that area are named for her now as they have been for over 1000 years.
Caireann,Ciaran	CARE-in	Karen	From the Gaelic cara + the diminutive -in meaning "little friend or little beloved." Caireann Chasdubh ("Cairenn of the Dark Curly Hair") was the mother of the legendary warrior Niall of the Nine Hostages and thus was the maternal ancestor of the high kings of Ireland.
Caitlin, Cathleen	koit-LEEN, cath-LEEN	Catherine, Kathleen	Devotion to St. Catherine came to Ireland with Christianity. Revered for her courage and purity, Catherine in the Irish form, Cathleen, became such a popular name that W. B. Yeats chose it for the heroine of his 1899 play "The Countess Cathleen" which was inspired by an Irish folktale. In a time of famine the Devil offers food to the starving poor in exchange for their souls. But Cathleen convinces Satan to take her soul instead. When she dies the Devil comes to collect her soul but God intervenes and carries Cathleen to heaven, saying that "such a sacrificial act cannot justly lead to evil consequences."
Caitríona	kaw-TREE-a-na	Kathleen	This is the Irish version of the name Cathleen. Devotion to St. Catherine came to Ireland with Christianity. Revered for her courage and purity, Cathleen, became such a popular Irish girl name that W. B. Yeats chose it for the heroine of his 1899 play "The Countess Cathleen" which was inspired by an Irish folktale.
Caoimhe	KEE-va	Keeva,Keva	From caomh "gentle, beautiful, precious." The same root as Kevin.
Cara	car-ah		means 'friend'
Cassidy			From cas "curly-haired." The Cassidys were the hereditary physicians to the Maguires, the chiefs of County Fermanagh between 1300 and 1600. As their healing skills became widely known, many Cassidys were employed by other chieftans, particularly in the north of the country.
Chloe	KLO-ee		Although it is a popular baby girl name in Ireland, it is actually of Greek origin and means 'young', 'blooming', and/or 'green shoot'.
Ciara	KEE-ra	Kiera	The feminine form of Ciaran, from the Irish ciar meaning "dark" and implies "dark hair and brown eyes." St. Ciara was a distinguished seventh-century figure who established a monastery at Kilkeary in County Tipperary.
Claire,Clare	KLARE		A medieval name derived from Latin clarus "clear, bright, famous." St. Claire, a follower of St. Francis of Assisi, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the "Poor Clares," has always been very respected in Ireland and the name is still popular today.
Cliona	KLEE-a-na		According to Old Irish legends, Clídna was the name of one of the three beautiful daughters of the poet Manannán mac Lir. A fairy named Clídna was the guardian spirit of the MacCarthy's. Clídna had three magical birds that could sing the sick to sleep and heal them. In the tale of "Clídna's Wave" she falls in love with a mortal, "Keevan of the Curling Locks," and leaves Tir-na-n'Og ("Land of Eternal Youth") with him. But when he goes off to hunt, leaving her on the beach, she is swept to sea by a great wave, leaving her lover desolate.
Clodagh	CLO-dah	Cloda	The river Clody runs through County Tipperary and County Wexford and like most Irish rivers is named for a local female deity. Rivers become places for prayer and Clodagh is a popular name in this part of the country.
Colleen	col-EEN	Colleen	From the Irish cailin meaning "girl" and used by the Irish in the USA and Australia as a way of connecting to their Irish roots.
Deirdre	DEER-druh		The most beautiful woman in ancient Ireland, she was bethrothed to the High King Conchobhar Mac Nessa but she fell in love with his nephew Naoise. Deirdre and Naoise eloped to Scotland where they lived a blissful exile for many years. By offering forgiveness, Conchobhar tricked them into returning to Ulster where Naoise was slain by the jealous Conchobhar. Deirdre threw herself from Conchobhar's chariot rather than live with the man who had caused Naoise's death. It was said that her grave was near to Naoise's and that a yew tree grew from each plot. The yew trees grew toward one another till their branches intertwined, joining the two lovers even after death.
Darcy, D'Arcy	DARCY	Darcy	In Irish dorcha means "dark, dark-haired" or "descendant of the dark one." Both a surname and a given name.
Daimhin	daw-VEEN	Davina	From damh "deer" and the diminutive -in it means "little deer."
Dearbhail, Dearbhal	dare-VOLL	Dervla	From der + fal "daughter of Fal," "Fal" being an ancient name for Ireland.

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