Amazing Grace.. & Jack’s still the lad
Most popular baby names of 2023 revealed
THE most popular new baby names were revealed – with Grace and Jack topping the list of favourites.
It is the seventh year in a row that Jack was revealed to be the most chosen name for boys, the CSO revealed yesterday.
Grace, which has not been the most favourite for girls since 2020, was named as the first preference again for 2023.
There were 561 babies named Jack and 339 named Grace.
Celebrities crowned with the top names include; Midsommar star Jack Reynor, and the Irish Pirate Queen, Grace O’malley, proving that the popularity of Grace dates back centuries.
Amongst the girls, Fiadh was second, then Emily, Sophie and Lily.
For the boys, Noah was second, then James, Rian, and Oisin.
Rian, who was a new entrant to the top five in 2021 remains the fourth most popular boys name, while Oisin enters the top five for the first time, rising from sixth in 2022 to fifth in 2023.
Charlie leaves the top five this year, falling from fifth in 2022 to twelfth in 2023.
Sophie is the fourth most popular girls name for the sixth year in a row while Lily retains fifth place in 2023 for the second year in a row.
In total, there were 4,991 girls born in 2023 and 4,181 boys.
New entries into the top 100 names included Lucia, Cadhla, and Siofra, while the boys had Caelan, Jude, Paddy, Eanna, and Daithi.
SPECIAL
Fifty years ago, the top babies’ names were Mary and John.
Murphy was the most common surname for babies born in 2023, so all Jack Murphys or Grace Murphys in Ireland have a special position at the top of the pops.
CSO statistician Sen O’connor said: “Jack has retained the top spot as the most popular baby boys’ name in 2023.
“It is a position that Jack has held for every year since 2007, except for 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 James are the other two boys’ names which make up the top three in 2023.
“Grace once again occupied the number one position as most popular girls’ name in Ireland for the first time since 2020.
“Fiadh, Emily, Sophie, and Lily were the other four girls’ names which made up the five in 2023.
“While Jack has been the most popular name for baby boys in Ireland for seven years in a row, there is more variety when it comes to the top spot for girls.
“In 2023, Grace was the most popular name for girls, while in 2022 it was Emily and in 2021 it was Fiadh.
“Grace, Emily, and Sophie have been permanent fixtures in the top five names for baby girls for every year since 2016, with Eabha entering the top five for the first and only time in 2021.
“Caelan, Jude, Paddy, Eanna,
and Daithi are the five new entrants into the top 100 boys’ names for 2023.
“Looking at new entrants for girls, three new entrants appeared, which were Lucia, Cadhla, and Siofra, with Siofra rising up the rankings the fastest, going from 157th place in 2022 to 100th in 2023.
“Jack was the top or joint top boys’ name in 15 locations around the country, including Kildare and Leitrim.
“While Tom was ranked 39th nationally in 2023 with a total of 135 births registered. It was the most favoured in Roscommon. Grace was the most chosen girls’ name in 11 areas, which includes areas such as Donegal, Tipperary, and Offaly.
“Grace and Annie were joint first choices in Donegal.
“While Grace was the top name for girls, Annie was ranked 48th with 112 births nationally.
“50 years ago, John was the most popular boys’ name in 1973.
“In 2023, it occupied the 31st position.
“For girls, Mary was the most popular name 50 years ago, whereas in 2023 it ranked 130th.
There were 36 babies given the name of Mary in 2023. Interestingly, James is the only name which appears in the top ten boys’ names in both 1973 and 2023.
“As for surnames, for Irish Babies’ Names 2023, the CSO has expanded its surname analysis to provide a further breakdown of the most common surnames associated with babies born in 2023.
“Murphy, Kelly, O’brien, Ryan, and Walsh were the most common surnames for 2023 births.”