Most popular baby names in Ireland, 1986

The top girls’ name was Sarah, given to 953 babies. The top boys’ name was John, given to 1,330 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	Sarah	953
2	Laura	783
3	Michelle	626
4	Jennifer	609
5	Emma	605
6	Ciara	570
6	Mary	570
8	Lisa	542
9	Niamh	494
10	Claire	476
11	Sinead	474
12	Aoife	465
13	Louise	414
14	Catherine	394
15	Amanda	371
16	Elaine	354
17	Nicola	342
18	Aisling	337
19	Karen	335
20	Amy	330
21	Rachel	327
22	Fiona	309
23	Caroline	304
24	Deirdre	276
25	Orla	238
26	Linda	234
27	Lorraine	230
28	Ann	228
29	Maria	225
29	Siobhan	225
31	Edel	219
32	Sharon	207
33	Samantha	206
33	Susan	206
35	Elizabeth	202
36	Anne	201
36	Margaret	201
36	Tara	201
39	Patricia	192
40	Aine	189
40	Marie	189
42	Stephanie	185
43	Gillian	180
44	Rebecca	179
44	Sandra	179
46	Danielle	172
47	Donna	169
48	Eimear	165
49	Denise	162
50	Grace	159
51	Clare	156
52	Helen	155
53	Ruth	153
54	Emer	148
55	Roisin	147
56	Christina	142
57	Jessica	140
57	Julie	140
59	Yvonne	138
60	Kate	134
61	Anna	130
62	Joanne	129
63	Andrea	128
64	Bridget	126
65	Mairead	125
66	Tracey	124
67	Martina	123
68	Christine	122
68	Melissa	122
70	Caitriona	120
71	Carol	119
72	Grainne	118
73	Jacqueline	113
74	Alison	107
74	Gemma	107
76	Deborah	105
77	Paula	100
78	Leanne	98
79	Suzanne	94
80	Kelly	93
81	Geraldine	92
82	Catriona	88
83	Natasha	87
83	Pamela	87
85	Anita	84
85	Tracy	84
87	Kathleen	81
87	Kim	81
87	Lorna	81
90	Bernadette	78
90	Victoria	78
92	Teresa	77
93	Maeve	76
94	Ashling	75
95	Eileen	73
95	Stacey	73
97	Jane	72
98	Natalie	70
99	Ellen	69
99	Sara	69

All girls’ names in Ireland, 1986

Top 100 boys’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	John	1,330
2	David	1,244
3	Michael	1,065
4	James	982
5	Patrick	926
6	Stephen	921
7	Mark	831
8	Paul	824
9	Shane	685
10	Brian	668
11	Thomas	658
12	Kevin	639
13	Alan	579
14	Daniel	557
15	Robert	522
16	Sean	519
17	Christopher	442
18	Joseph	409
19	Andrew	398
20	Richard	386
21	William	383
22	Anthony	381
22	Jason	381
24	Conor	370
25	Martin	365
26	Niall	362
27	Darren	357
28	Peter	356
29	Gerard	343
30	Ian	341
31	Barry	339
32	Keith	335
33	Eoin	329
34	Gary	325
35	Jonathan	308
36	Ciaran	295
37	Colm	261
38	Brendan	256
39	Philip	247
40	Declan	245
41	Colin	232
42	Damien	216
43	Kieran	214
44	Ronan	213
45	Derek	212
46	Gavin	205
47	Aidan	191
47	Edward	191
49	Liam	187
50	Simon	174
51	Padraig	157
52	Noel	156
53	Adrian	141
54	Graham	139
55	Timothy	136
56	Denis	135
57	Adam	130
58	Francis	128
59	Cian	127
59	Matthew	127
61	Steven	126
62	Donal	120
63	Karl	119
64	Dean	118
65	Kenneth	117
66	Cathal	116
67	Ross	114
68	Aaron	111
69	Enda	110
70	Raymond	108
71	Darragh	106
72	Seamus	105
72	Wayne	105
74	Rory	104
75	Neil	102
76	Eoghan	90
76	Owen	90
78	Cormac	88
79	Dermot	87
80	Vincent	84
81	Eamonn	83
81	Eric	83
83	Luke	80
84	Lee	75
85	Bryan	73
86	Damian	70
87	Diarmuid	69
88	Bernard	67
88	Nigel	67
90	Hugh	65
91	Craig	64
91	Emmet	64
93	Nicholas	62
93	Trevor	62
95	Micheal	61
96	Gregory	60
96	Jamie	60
98	Shaun	57
99	Eamon	56
99	Garry	56

All boys’ names in Ireland, 1986