Most popular baby names in Ireland, 1979

The top girls’ name was Mary, given to 944 babies. The top boys’ name was John, given to 2,707 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	944
2	Michelle	650
3	Caroline	647
4	Catherine	618
5	Sinead	594
6	Lisa	536
7	Sarah	506
8	Deirdre	498
9	Karen	494
10	Jennifer	486
11	Emma	480
12	Fiona	469
12	Niamh	469
14	Lorraine	460
15	Paula	453
16	Louise	447
17	Elaine	446
18	Laura	395
19	Linda	390
20	Ann	380
21	Aoife	379
22	Margaret	374
23	Elizabeth	370
24	Claire	369
25	Sharon	368
26	Anne	363
27	Nicola	343
28	Susan	332
29	Joanne	319
30	Orla	313
31	Gillian	293
32	Ciara	289
33	Marie	287
34	Sandra	282
35	Siobhan	281
36	Patricia	273
37	Aisling	270
38	Carol	268
39	Denise	261
40	Yvonne	244
41	Pamela	242
42	Helen	226
43	Amanda	222
44	Maria	218
45	Pauline	216
46	Martina	207
47	Edel	198
48	Suzanne	189
49	Rachel	187
50	Deborah	186
51	Jacqueline	176
51	Ruth	176
53	Aine	171
54	Bridget	170
55	Julie	168
56	Grainne	163
57	Clare	162
58	Catriona	158
59	Geraldine	155
60	Bernadette	152
60	Kathleen	152
62	Emer	149
63	Alison	147
63	Mairead	147
65	Teresa	145
66	Anna	140
67	Tracey	139
68	Audrey	137
69	Christina	132
69	Jane	132
71	Sabrina	130
72	Tara	127
73	Olivia	125
74	Eimear	124
75	Eileen	123
76	Angela	120
76	Donna	120
76	Tracy	120
79	Caitriona	114
80	Jean	111
81	Roisin	107
82	Gemma	106
83	Carmel	104
84	Barbara	103
85	Christine	97
86	Aileen	95
86	Valerie	95
88	Anita	94
88	Jessica	94
90	Andrea	93
91	Lorna	92
91	Maeve	92
93	Emily	90
93	Sheila	90
95	Annette	86
96	Ashling	84
97	Victoria	83
98	Colette	82
98	Helena	82
100	Rebecca	79

All girls’ names in Ireland, 1979

Top 100 boys’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	John	2,707
2	David	1,695
3	Paul	1,492
4	Michael	1,332
5	Patrick	1,227
6	James	1,023
7	Brian	895
8	Mark	878
9	Thomas	794
10	Alan	735
11	Stephen	720
12	Robert	579
13	Kevin	529
14	Martin	502
15	Anthony	482
16	William	457
17	Peter	447
18	Shane	438
19	Joseph	421
20	Keith	418
21	Andrew	411
22	Gerard	397
23	Brendan	389
24	Richard	385
25	Niall	373
26	Barry	359
27	Daniel	350
28	Sean	346
29	Jason	315
30	Declan	310
31	Derek	301
32	Jonathan	290
33	Eoin	289
33	Philip	289
35	Darren	283
36	Ronan	277
37	Ian	273
38	Kieran	268
39	Damien	262
40	Conor	259
41	Edward	254
42	Ciaran	253
43	Noel	250
44	Christopher	249
45	Colin	245
46	Kenneth	236
47	Aidan	230
48	Colm	227
49	Francis	214
49	Gary	214
51	Adrian	205
52	Gavin	202
53	Denis	187
53	Liam	187
55	Trevor	180
56	Raymond	178
57	Gareth	177
58	Karl	175
59	Graham	165
60	Cathal	156
61	Timothy	155
62	Neil	153
62	Simon	153
64	Padraig	150
65	Seamus	148
66	Wayne	145
67	Donal	144
68	Dermot	135
69	Vincent	133
70	Enda	123
71	Eamonn	122
72	Damian	117
72	Rory	117
74	Cormac	111
75	Karol	110
76	Owen	107
77	Bernard	105
78	Nigel	101
79	Darragh	98
79	Matthew	98
81	Nicholas	95
82	Ross	94
83	Fergal	91
84	Hugh	88
85	Desmond	84
86	Stuart	81
87	Eric	80
88	Laurence	77
89	Fergus	76
90	Cornelius	75
91	Steven	74
92	Gregory	73
93	Bryan	72
94	Maurice	71
94	Terence	71
96	Oliver	68
97	Justin	67
98	Charles	64
98	George	64
100	Jeremiah	61

All boys’ names in Ireland, 1979