Most popular baby names in Ireland, 1972

The top girls’ name was Mary, given to 1,581 babies. The top boys’ name was John, given to 2,506 babies.

The official ranking as published, with the number of babies given each name. Names with the same count share a rank.

Top 100 girls’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	Mary	1,581
2	Catherine	853
3	Margaret	766
4	Fiona	657
5	Sinead	606
6	Elizabeth	544
7	Ann	533
8	Sharon	525
9	Deirdre	516
10	Anne	510
11	Caroline	488
12	Michelle	444
13	Patricia	398
14	Karen	394
15	Linda	379
16	Elaine	365
17	Martina	356
18	Sandra	355
19	Jennifer	330
19	Lorraine	330
21	Susan	320
22	Siobhan	319
23	Bridget	313
24	Helen	301
25	Lisa	290
26	Yvonne	284
27	Maria	281
28	Niamh	278
29	Geraldine	271
29	Marie	271
31	Sarah	258
32	Orla	256
33	Louise	250
34	Gillian	239
35	Kathleen	237
36	Bernadette	228
37	Denise	226
38	Eileen	220
38	Jacqueline	220
40	Paula	215
41	Carol	204
42	Suzanne	201
43	Rachel	200
44	Deborah	198
45	Carmel	185
45	Teresa	185
47	Nicola	182
48	Aisling	180
49	Claire	175
50	Amanda	173
51	Angela	166
52	Tara	157
53	Grainne	152
54	Barbara	150
55	Anna	148
56	Audrey	147
57	Tracy	146
57	Valerie	146
59	Ciara	144
60	Joan	136
61	Christina	135
62	Edel	134
62	Ruth	134
64	Alison	129
64	Emer	129
66	Ellen	128
66	Nora	128
66	Shirley	128
69	Brigid	126
69	Joanne	126
69	Pauline	126
72	Jane	124
72	Tracey	124
74	Josephine	123
75	Sheila	119
76	Colette	118
77	Mairead	113
78	Jean	109
78	Noreen	109
80	Aoife	104
81	Clare	103
81	Frances	103
81	Laura	103
84	Christine	101
85	Anita	97
86	Emma	96
87	Annette	95
88	Helena	93
89	Samantha	92
90	Pamela	91
91	Aileen	90
91	Clodagh	90
91	Miriam	90
91	Roisin	90
95	Julie	89
96	Irene	87
97	Michele	85
98	Una	84
99	Brenda	83
99	Veronica	83

All girls’ names in Ireland, 1972

Top 100 boys’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	John	2,506
2	Michael	1,639
3	Patrick	1,523
4	David	1,253
5	James	1,128
6	Paul	1,061
7	Thomas	942
8	Mark	824
9	Brian	684
10	William	677
11	Alan	646
12	Martin	612
13	Stephen	593
14	Anthony	571
15	Declan	526
16	Gerard	503
17	Joseph	474
18	Robert	472
19	Kevin	462
20	Peter	447
21	Edward	349
22	Derek	346
23	Brendan	345
24	Niall	331
25	Jason	311
26	Kenneth	304
27	Noel	297
28	Richard	289
29	Francis	282
30	Dermot	280
31	Shane	277
32	Darren	276
33	Sean	274
34	Raymond	272
35	Denis	269
36	Daniel	257
37	Colm	256
38	Andrew	251
39	Keith	248
40	Barry	246
41	Kieran	241
42	Philip	237
43	Christopher	229
44	Timothy	222
45	Aidan	218
46	Ronan	201
47	Damien	200
48	Ian	189
49	Colin	187
50	Adrian	184
51	Ciaran	183
52	Conor	171
53	Fergal	170
54	Donal	159
54	Gary	159
56	Gavin	158
57	Liam	154
58	Seamus	146
59	Vincent	140
60	Bernard	138
61	Cornelius	136
62	Desmond	134
63	Trevor	128
64	Damian	126
64	Jonathan	126
66	Karl	120
67	Cathal	119
68	Matthew	116
69	Simon	113
70	Jeremiah	112
70	Maurice	112
72	Enda	110
73	Eoin	109
73	Laurence	109
73	Terence	109
76	Graham	108
77	Eugene	106
78	Hugh	98
79	Nicholas	95
80	Rory	94
81	George	89
81	Owen	89
83	Cormac	86
84	Padraig	85
85	Garrett	84
86	Justin	83
87	Eamonn	81
88	Charles	79
89	Eamon	77
89	Fergus	77
91	Nigel	76
92	Gregory	73
93	Neil	70
94	Diarmuid	69
94	Eric	69
96	Oliver	64
97	Finbarr	62
97	Fintan	62
99	Garry	59
99	Ivan	59

Rank	Name	Babies
99	Marcus	59

All boys’ names in Ireland, 1972