Most popular baby names in Ireland, 1988

The top girls’ name was Sarah, given to 921 babies. The top boys’ name was David, given to 1,318 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	921
2	Laura	771
3	Emma	613
4	Lisa	581
5	Ciara	564
6	Niamh	514
7	Mary	505
8	Michelle	501
9	Jennifer	496
10	Aoife	471
11	Sinead	460
12	Claire	427
13	Louise	401
14	Amy	347
15	Rachel	346
16	Aisling	340
17	Catherine	339
18	Elaine	309
18	Karen	309
20	Fiona	289
21	Nicola	267
22	Margaret	227
23	Amanda	216
24	Caroline	202
25	Danielle	201
26	Siobhan	199
27	Leanne	198
27	Maria	198
29	Grace	196
30	Orla	194
30	Rebecca	194
32	Deirdre	191
33	Aine	188
34	Linda	183
35	Ann	180
36	Lorraine	178
37	Denise	177
37	Elizabeth	177
39	Sharon	176
40	Anne	165
41	Tara	164
42	Marie	155
43	Stephanie	154
44	Gillian	152
45	Kate	151
46	Jessica	149
46	Susan	149
48	Eimear	148
49	Grainne	143
50	Helen	141
51	Roisin	138
52	Charlene	136
52	Donna	136
52	Kelly	136
55	Ruth	131
56	Edel	127
57	Christine	126
58	Alison	125
59	Clare	124
60	Katie	122
61	Joanne	117
61	Samantha	117
63	Kathleen	116
64	Mairead	115
65	Patricia	113
66	Christina	108
66	Marian	108
66	Melissa	108
69	Anna	107
70	Bridget	103
70	Gemma	103
72	Deborah	102
73	Sandra	100
74	Julie	99
75	Kim	97
76	Carol	96
77	Andrea	95
78	Emer	92
78	Suzanne	92
80	Martina	91
81	Natasha	90
82	Tracey	88
83	Lorna	87
84	Nicole	83
85	Caoimhe	79
85	Jane	79
85	Stacey	79
85	Tanya	79
89	Victoria	78
90	Tracy	76
91	Catriona	74
91	Emily	74
91	Yvonne	74
94	Lauren	73
95	Caitriona	72
95	Ellen	72
95	Paula	72
98	Sara	70
99	Ashling	69
99	Jacqueline	69

All girls’ names in Ireland, 1988

Top 100 boys’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	David	1,318
2	John	1,110
3	Michael	903
4	Stephen	851
5	Shane	830
6	James	824
7	Patrick	810
8	Mark	729
9	Paul	716
10	Thomas	592
11	Sean	560
12	Kevin	555
13	Daniel	517
14	Robert	504
15	Brian	492
16	Christopher	457
17	Alan	428
18	Darren	425
19	Conor	420
20	Jason	359
21	Niall	350
22	Keith	337
23	Anthony	335
24	Joseph	331
25	Martin	324
26	William	322
27	Andrew	321
28	Ciaran	317
29	Eoin	316
30	Peter	299
31	Richard	293
32	Jonathan	282
33	Ian	278
34	Gerard	276
35	Gary	264
36	Barry	241
37	Colm	236
38	Gavin	209
39	Brendan	208
40	Dean	204
41	Philip	193
42	Declan	189
43	Ronan	185
44	Colin	179
45	Kieran	178
46	Simon	173
47	Damien	171
48	Liam	170
49	Matthew	165
50	Aidan	147
50	Darragh	147
50	Edward	147
53	Aaron	135
54	Ross	134
55	Adam	131
55	Graham	131
57	Luke	129
58	Padraig	128
59	Derek	124
59	Karl	124
61	Cathal	123
62	Cian	122
63	Kenneth	117
64	Steven	116
65	Donal	115
65	Timothy	115
67	Craig	111
68	Adrian	99
68	Noel	99
68	Wayne	99
71	Denis	98
71	Francis	98
73	Raymond	95
74	Eoghan	94
75	Lee	88
75	Neil	88
77	Nicholas	87
78	Jamie	80
79	Rory	79
79	Seamus	79
81	Cormac	75
81	Eric	75
83	Bryan	74
83	Dermot	74
85	Owen	70
86	Enda	63
87	Eamonn	61
87	Shaun	61
89	Diarmuid	59
89	Hugh	59
91	Bernard	57
91	Gareth	57
93	Daragh	56
93	Vincent	56
95	Fergal	55
95	Trevor	55
97	Scott	54
98	Killian	53
99	Samuel	51
100	Gearoid	50

All boys’ names in Ireland, 1988