New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that Jack is the most popular boys’ name for the seventh year in a row, while Grace was the most popular name for girls.
Grace replaced last year’s favourite of Emily. Grace last claimed the top spot in 2020.
Jack has retained the top spot as the most popular baby boys’ name in 2023, a position it 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.
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.
Grace was the most popular name for girls last year, 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 Éabha entering the top five for the first and only time in 2021.
Caelan, Jude, Paddy, Éanna, and Dáithí are the five new entrants into the top 100 boys’ names for 2023.
Three new baby girl names appeared – Lucia, Cadhla and Síofra, with Síofra rising up the rankings the fastest, going from 157th place in 2022 to 100th in 2023.
Today’s CSO figures also show that Murphy was the most common surname for babies born in 2023.
Murphy was followed by Kelly, O’Brien, Ryan, and Walsh as the most common surnames for 2023 births.
There were 9,172 distinct new-born names registered in 2023, today’s CSO figures also reveal.
Compared to 50 years ago, while 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. James is the only name which appears in the top ten boys’ names in both 1973 and 2023.
Source : RTE