Most popular baby names in Ireland, 1976

The top girls’ name was Mary, given to 1,131 babies. The top boys’ name was John, given to 2,106 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	1,131
2	Sinead	688
3	Catherine	645
4	Michelle	571
5	Caroline	564
6	Margaret	520
7	Karen	514
8	Jennifer	494
9	Deirdre	483
10	Fiona	452
11	Ann	434
12	Elizabeth	423
12	Sharon	423
14	Elaine	419
15	Linda	401
16	Niamh	390
17	Sarah	383
18	Lisa	382
19	Anne	380
20	Susan	371
21	Louise	359
22	Patricia	345
23	Lorraine	343
24	Nicola	329
24	Olivia	329
26	Siobhan	314
27	Sandra	311
28	Claire	307
29	Marie	305
30	Yvonne	288
31	Martina	278
32	Helen	271
33	Gillian	267
34	Joanne	258
35	Orla	250
36	Emma	248
37	Denise	244
38	Maria	238
39	Bridget	226
40	Rachel	214
41	Ciara	211
42	Laura	209
43	Amanda	208
44	Geraldine	206
45	Deborah	198
46	Aoife	186
46	Suzanne	186
48	Edel	185
49	Aisling	182
49	Carol	182
51	Jacqueline	173
52	Audrey	170
52	Eileen	170
54	Ruth	169
55	Angela	168
56	Bernadette	163
57	Grainne	158
58	Kathleen	151
59	Paula	147
60	Julie	144
61	Carmel	142
62	Tara	140
63	Georgina	139
64	Aine	138
64	Clare	138
66	Colette	137
67	Barbara	133
68	Mairead	132
69	Anna	128
69	Valerie	128
71	Jane	126
71	Teresa	126
73	Alison	120
74	Anita	118
75	Josephine	112
75	Tracey	112
77	Pauline	111
78	Nora	109
79	Roisin	108
80	Emer	107
81	Christina	104
81	Sheila	104
83	Aileen	103
83	Andrea	103
85	Brenda	102
86	Joan	101
86	Shirley	101
88	Olive	100
89	Catriona	99
90	Jean	96
91	Ashling	93
92	Annette	88
92	Ellen	88
92	Frances	88
95	Hazel	87
96	Samantha	86
96	Tanya	86
98	Eimear	85
99	Victoria	84
100	Helena	83

Rank	Name	Babies
100	Melissa	83

All girls’ names in Ireland, 1976

Top 100 boys’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	John	2,106
2	David	1,478
3	Michael	1,413
4	Patrick	1,264
5	Paul	1,098
6	James	1,010
7	Mark	916
8	Thomas	826
9	Brian	812
10	Stephen	779
11	Alan	718
12	William	543
13	Martin	520
14	Anthony	504
15	Shane	478
16	Kevin	474
17	Robert	457
18	Keith	453
19	Brendan	432
20	Gerard	422
21	Declan	413
22	Joseph	396
23	Peter	392
24	Barry	381
25	Niall	359
26	Derek	355
27	Jason	352
27	Richard	352
29	Noel	317
30	Daniel	309
31	Kenneth	303
32	Edward	302
33	Ian	287
34	Sean	282
35	Raymond	272
36	Darren	271
37	Andrew	267
38	Aidan	257
39	Oliver	255
40	Philip	252
41	Kieran	241
42	Francis	235
42	Jonathan	235
44	Colm	233
45	Damien	228
46	Adrian	222
47	Christopher	215
48	Ronan	212
49	Conor	210
50	Denis	197
51	Colin	186
52	Trevor	182
53	Ciaran	181
54	Timothy	180
55	Donal	178
56	Liam	172
57	Dermot	170
57	Gavin	170
59	Damian	153
60	Vincent	151
61	Gary	148
62	Simon	147
63	Fergal	146
64	Graham	139
65	Seamus	138
66	Eoin	136
67	Enda	130
68	Eamonn	129
69	Owen	111
70	Wayne	110
71	Matthew	106
71	Padraig	106
73	Bernard	105
74	Cathal	103
74	Rory	103
76	Nigel	102
77	Neil	100
78	Karl	97
79	Terence	96
80	Desmond	95
81	Eugene	92
82	Eric	86
83	Gordon	84
83	Maurice	84
83	Stuart	84
86	Cormac	83
87	Darragh	82
88	Nicholas	81
89	Jeremiah	78
89	Ross	78
91	Hugh	76
92	George	75
93	Charles	73
93	Cornelius	73
93	Gregory	73
93	Laurence	73
97	Eamon	70
98	Garry	66
99	Fergus	65
100	Justin	64

All boys’ names in Ireland, 1976