REVEALED: The most popular names for babies born in Ireland last year

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the most popular names chosen for babies born in Ireland last year.

The most popular name in 2023 for newborn boys in Ireland was Jack and for girls it was Grace.

Jack has held the top spot since 2007, with the exception of 2016, when James was the most popular name. Grace regains the number one spot for 2023, climbing from second place in 2022.

Prior to 2023, Grace was the most popular girls' name in 2020. Grace knocked Emily from the top spot this year to 3rd place. Emily had been the most popular girls' name for 2022 and from 2011 to 2019. Fiadh holds 2nd place for 2023 but was the most popular girls' name in 2021.

Jack and James have been in the top five boys' names since 1998 and both have maintained their position at first and third respectively. Noah remains in the top three in 2023, maintaining its position at 2nd. Rían, who was a new entrant to the top five in 2021 maintains its place at 4th in 2023. Oisín enters the top five for the first time, rising from 6th in 2022 to 5th in 2023. Charlie leaves the top five this year, falling from 5th in 2022 to 12th in 2023.

This year Grace has been the most popular name chosen for girls, rising from 2nd in 2022 to 1st in 2023. Fiadh rises one place, from 3rd in 2022 to 2nd in 2023. Emily drops two places from the top spot in 2022 to 3rd in 2023. Sophie is the 4th most popular name for the sixth year in a row while Lily retains 5th place in 2023 for the 2nd year in a row.

READ NEXT: Warning over sinister courier delivery scam doing rounds before Christmas

There were five new entrants to the top 100 for boys: Caelan, Jude, Paddy, Éanna and Dáithí. Caelan was the name rising most in popularity, jumping from 108th place to 50th between 2022 and 2023.

There were three new entrants to the top 100 for girls: Lucia, Cadhla and Síofra. Síofra has grown most in popularity, rising from 157th place in 2022 to 100th in 2023, a jump of 57 places in rank.

There is a wider variety in the names registered for girls, with 4,991 girls' names in 2023 compared with 4,181 for boys.

Jack was the most popular name for baby boys in all provinces in 2023. Noah was the second most favoured name for boys in 2023 and held the top spot in 6 locations including Sligo and Laois. Some counties picked names outside the top five. Tom was ranked 39th nationally yet was most favoured in Roscommon. Patrick was the most popular boys’ names in Longford yet ranked 19th on a national basis. See table 2.5.

Grace was the most chosen girls' name or joint-first in eleven areas including Meath and Offaly. Fiadh was the second most popular name nationally but was the top girls' name in Connacht. Fiadh also held the top or joint top name in four counties and shared first place with Sophie in Galway County. Names outside the top five were chosen for girls in several counties. Ellie was the most or joint most popular girls' name in five counties, namely, Carlow, Louth, Cork City, Kerry and Waterford County while ranking 6th nationally. Annie was joint first choice in Donegal, with Grace, while ranking 48th on a national basis.