Niamh
Girl name · Celtic · Gaelic · Irish
Meaningbright, radiant · Irish
- US rank
- #3,517
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #2,304 in 2001
43 babies were named Niamh in the US in 2025. It has climbed 652 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1969–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Niamh you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Niamh
Niamh Kavanagh
Irish singer
Choose Niamh and your child shares a first name with Niamh Kavanagh, an Irish singer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Niamh, like who?” Niamh Kavanagh's Wikipedia article is available in 43 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Niamh Kavanagh on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Flickr_-_aktivioslo_-_Niamh_Kavanagh_-_Irland_(2).jpg: Aktiv I Oslo.no from Oslo, Norway derivative work: César (talk), CC BY-SA 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 37,313 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Niamh, 43 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Niamh would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryNiamh first shows up in US birth records in 1969, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 56 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2001, when it reached #2,304.
- TrendNiamh has climbed 652 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #3,517. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- MeaningIn Irish, Niamh means “bright, radiant”. Our records link it to Celtic, Gaelic and Irish roots.
About the name Niamh
Niamh is a girl name of Celtic, Gaelic and Irish origin meaning “bright, radiant”. It has 5 letters and 1 syllable, starting with N and ending in “-amh”. US birth records list Niamh for girls from 1969 to 2025, in 40 of those 57 years. Its best year was 2001, when it ranked #2,304 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #3,517, with 43 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesGaelic namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.0 | 333,333 girls |
| 1980s | 1.7 | 581,395 girls |
| 1990s | 15 | 66,534 girls |
| 2000s | 34 | 29,053 girls |
| 2010s | 26 | 39,170 girls |
| 2020s | 24 | 41,899 girls |
More Celtic girl names
- Girl name: Evelyn · possibly desired
- Girl name: Isla · from Islay
- Unisex name: Riley · rye clearing
- Girl name: Maeve · she who intoxicates
- Unisex name: Kennedy · helmeted head
- Unisex name: Quinn · descendant of Conn
- Unisex name: Blair · plain, field
- Girl name: Olive · olive tree
Questions about the name Niamh
What does the name Niamh mean?
Niamh means “bright, radiant” in Irish.
What is the origin of the name Niamh?
Niamh has Celtic, Gaelic, Irish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Evelyn, Isla, Riley.
Is Niamh a boy or girl name?
Niamh is a girl name.
How popular is the name Niamh?
Niamh ranked #3,517 for US girls in 2025, given to 43 babies. Its best year was 2001 (#2,304).