Most popular baby names in Ireland, 1981

The top girls’ name was Mary, given to 882 babies. The top boys’ name was John, given to 2,071 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	882
2	Michelle	702
3	Sarah	696
4	Jennifer	635
5	Lisa	629
6	Sinead	610
7	Emma	568
8	Catherine	535
9	Karen	530
10	Louise	528
11	Niamh	501
12	Caroline	491
13	Elaine	489
14	Laura	488
15	Aoife	471
16	Claire	457
17	Deirdre	456
18	Fiona	442
19	Margaret	399
20	Ann	379
21	Lorraine	376
22	Ciara	363
23	Nicola	359
24	Elizabeth	332
24	Linda	332
26	Anne	318
26	Siobhan	318
28	Sharon	308
29	Patricia	306
30	Susan	304
31	Denise	303
32	Aisling	285
33	Marie	274
34	Maria	265
35	Joanne	263
36	Orla	261
37	Pamela	256
38	Deborah	248
39	Rachel	229
40	Gillian	227
40	Helen	227
42	Sandra	225
43	Donna	224
44	Yvonne	219
45	Amanda	207
46	Martina	203
47	Paula	199
47	Ruth	199
49	Edel	195
50	Bridget	192
51	Aine	184
52	Carol	183
53	Mairead	180
54	Grainne	176
55	Suzanne	168
56	Julie	166
57	Jacqueline	165
58	Clare	159
59	Bernadette	158
60	Kathleen	150
60	Roisin	150
62	Emer	147
63	Alison	144
64	Anna	138
65	Eimear	136
65	Geraldine	136
67	Tracey	135
68	Rebecca	133
69	Jane	125
70	Catriona	123
70	Gemma	123
72	Amy	122
73	Tracy	118
74	Teresa	116
75	Caitriona	115
76	Christina	112
76	Eileen	112
78	Audrey	111
78	Barbara	111
80	Angela	110
81	Tara	108
82	Maeve	106
83	Lorna	103
84	Tanya	102
85	Ellen	101
86	Valerie	99
87	Emily	94
88	Aileen	93
88	Anita	93
90	Olivia	92
91	Melissa	89
92	Christine	87
92	Stephanie	87
94	Grace	86
95	Andrea	83
95	Carmel	83
95	Sheila	83
98	Pauline	82
99	Miriam	81
100	Helena	79

All girls’ names in Ireland, 1981

Top 100 boys’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	John	2,071
2	David	1,633
3	Michael	1,320
4	Patrick	1,217
5	Paul	1,110
6	James	1,098
7	Brian	907
8	Stephen	826
9	Thomas	823
10	Mark	789
11	Alan	785
12	Robert	658
13	Kevin	590
14	Shane	538
15	Martin	501
16	William	487
17	Anthony	486
18	Jonathan	476
19	Peter	467
20	Sean	445
21	Daniel	431
22	Joseph	426
23	Keith	411
24	Niall	410
25	Gerard	408
26	Andrew	394
27	Barry	384
28	Richard	360
29	Brendan	343
29	Declan	343
31	Derek	332
32	Ronan	331
33	Gary	322
34	Conor	319
35	Eoin	312
36	Darren	307
37	Damien	306
38	Philip	291
39	Ciaran	288
40	Christopher	276
41	Colm	275
42	Edward	260
42	Kieran	260
44	Kenneth	255
45	Jason	253
46	Aidan	240
47	Ian	239
48	Noel	235
49	Gavin	205
50	Francis	204
51	Liam	197
52	Padraig	193
53	Colin	190
53	Timothy	190
55	Gareth	179
56	Denis	174
57	Raymond	169
58	Trevor	166
59	Dermot	164
60	Donal	161
61	Graham	156
62	Adrian	151
63	Vincent	145
64	Neil	144
64	Simon	144
66	Seamus	143
67	Ross	137
68	Damian	133
68	Wayne	133
70	Karl	132
71	Eamonn	129
72	Rory	124
73	Enda	116
74	Cathal	115
75	Matthew	114
76	Bernard	111
77	Darragh	108
78	Owen	102
79	Steven	100
80	Nicholas	89
81	Maurice	85
82	Cormac	83
83	Fergal	82
83	Hugh	82
85	Garry	81
86	Eugene	80
87	Emmet	75
88	Adam	74
89	Cian	71
90	Bryan	70
91	Desmond	69
92	Charles	67
92	Justin	67
94	Eric	66
95	Eoghan	63
95	Jeremiah	63
95	Micheal	63
98	Aaron	62
99	Diarmuid	61
99	Oliver	61

All boys’ names in Ireland, 1981