Irish women have shaped history, literature, science, and music for centuries. This list runs from Saint Brigid and the sea captain Grace O’Malley to revolutionaries, presidents, Nobel Peace Prize winners, novelists, astronomers, actresses, singers, and Olympic champions. We include people from across the island of Ireland, including Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. People from Northern Ireland may identify as Irish, British, Northern Irish, or more than one of these, and a few people on the list were born elsewhere but are widely identified as Irish; we note this where it applies.
The list doubles as baby name inspiration. Names like Saoirse, Siobhán, Maeve, and Róisín are tied to some of these famous women, and you will find a table of names from the list with meanings and pronunciation guides.
The 100 Most Famous Irish Women of All Time
The list mixes historical figures and modern names across politics, the arts, science, sports, and more; numbers are for easy reference, not a strict ranking.
| No. | Name | Occupation / Why Famous |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Brigid | Patron saint of Ireland, traditionally the founder of a monastery at Kildare |
| 2 | Grace O’Malley | Sixteenth-century chieftain and sea captain known as Gráinne Mhaol |
| 3 | Nano Nagle | Founder of the Presentation Sisters and pioneer of Catholic education |
| 4 | Catherine McAuley | Founder of the Sisters of Mercy |
| 5 | Mary Aikenhead | Founder of the Religious Sisters of Charity |
| 6 | Anne Devlin | Republican activist associated with Robert Emmet |
| 7 | Maria Edgeworth | English-born Anglo-Irish novelist of “Castle Rackrent” |
| 8 | Lady Wilde | Poet known by the pen name Speranza, mother of Oscar Wilde |
| 9 | Lady Gregory | Playwright, folklorist, and cofounder of Dublin’s Abbey Theatre |
| 10 | Maud Gonne | English-born Irish nationalist activist and actress, muse of W.B. Yeats |
| 11 | Constance Markievicz | London-born revolutionary and first woman elected to the UK House of Commons |
| 12 | Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington | Suffragist and cofounder of the Irish Women’s Franchise League |
| 13 | Kathleen Lynn | Doctor and revolutionary who cofounded St. Ultan’s children’s hospital |
| 14 | Kathleen Clarke | Revolutionary and the first woman Lord Mayor of Dublin |
| 15 | Eva Gore-Booth | Poet, suffragist, and labor activist from County Sligo |
| 16 | Grace Gifford | Artist and cartoonist who married Joseph Plunkett just before his execution |
| 17 | Mother Jones | Cork-born American labor and community organizer |
| 18 | Lola Montez | Sligo-born dancer and actress famous in Europe and America |
| 19 | Peg Woffington | Dublin-born actress famous on the 18th-century London stage |
| 20 | Agnes Clerke | Astronomer and writer on the history of astronomy |
| 21 | Annie Maunder | Astronomer known for her studies of sunspots |
| 22 | Ellen Hutchins | Botanist often called Ireland’s first female botanist |
| 23 | Kathleen Lonsdale | Crystallographer and one of the first women elected to the Royal Society |
| 24 | Kay McNulty | Donegal-born mathematician and one of the original ENIAC programmers |
| 25 | Jocelyn Bell Burnell | Astrophysicist who discovered the first radio pulsars |
| 26 | Dorothy Stopford Price | Doctor who championed the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis |
| 27 | Eileen Gray | Furniture designer and architect, a pioneer of modernism |
| 28 | Sarah Purser | Portrait painter and pioneer of Irish stained glass |
| 29 | Evie Hone | Stained-glass artist and painter of the modern movement |
| 30 | Mainie Jellett | Pioneer of abstract painting in Ireland |
| 31 | Sybil Connolly | Fashion designer famous for pleated linen gowns |
| 32 | Orla Kiely | Fashion and homeware designer known for her prints |
| 33 | Ninette de Valois | Wicklow-born dancer who founded the Royal Ballet |
| 34 | Margaret Burke Sheridan | Opera soprano celebrated at La Scala in Milan |
| 35 | Elizabeth Bowen | Novelist and short-story writer of “The Heat of the Day” |
| 36 | Kate O’Brien | Novelist of “The Land of Spices” |
| 37 | Molly Keane | Novelist of “Good Behaviour” and Anglo-Irish country life |
| 38 | Iris Murdoch | Dublin-born novelist and philosopher, Booker Prize winner |
| 39 | Peig Sayers | Blasket Islands storyteller and Irish-language memoirist |
| 40 | Edna O’Brien | Novelist of “The Country Girls” and many short stories |
| 41 | Maeve Binchy | Bestselling novelist of “Circle of Friends” |
| 42 | Eavan Boland | Poet known for writing about women in Irish history |
| 43 | Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill | Poet who writes in the Irish language |
| 44 | Dervla Murphy | Travel writer famous for cycling from Ireland to India |
| 45 | Anne Enright | Booker Prize–winning novelist of “The Gathering” |
| 46 | Anna Burns | Belfast-born Booker Prize winner for “Milkman” |
| 47 | Emma Donoghue | Novelist and screenwriter of “Room” and “The Wonder” |
| 48 | Marian Keyes | Bestselling novelist of warm, funny popular fiction |
| 49 | Cecelia Ahern | Novelist of “P.S. I Love You” |
| 50 | Sally Rooney | Novelist of “Normal People” and “Conversations with Friends” |
| 51 | Claire Keegan | Writer of “Small Things Like These” |
| 52 | Mary Robinson | First woman president of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights |
| 53 | Mary McAleese | Belfast-born president of Ireland, the first from Northern Ireland |
| 54 | Catherine Connolly | Tenth president of Ireland, formerly an independent Galway TD |
| 55 | Mary Harney | First woman to serve as Tánaiste, Ireland’s deputy prime minister |
| 56 | Mary Lou McDonald | President of the Sinn Féin party |
| 57 | Arlene Foster | First woman to serve as first minister of Northern Ireland |
| 58 | Michelle O’Neill | First minister of Northern Ireland, the first nationalist in the role |
| 59 | Bernadette Devlin McAliskey | Civil rights activist elected to the UK Parliament at age 21 |
| 60 | Mairead Corrigan | Nobel Peace Prize winner and cofounder of the Peace People |
| 61 | Betty Williams | Nobel Peace Prize winner and cofounder of the Peace People |
| 62 | Adi Roche | Founder of the charity Chernobyl Children International |
| 63 | Veronica Guerin | Investigative journalist who reported on organized crime |
| 64 | Maureen O’Hara | Hollywood star of “The Quiet Man” and “Miracle on 34th Street” |
| 65 | Maureen O’Sullivan | Actress who played Jane in the Tarzan films |
| 66 | Siobhán McKenna | Stage and screen actress famed for “Saint Joan” |
| 67 | Fionnula Flanagan | Actress of stage, film, and television |
| 68 | Brenda Fricker | Academy Award winner for “My Left Foot” |
| 69 | Fiona Shaw | Stage and screen actress who played Aunt Petunia in the Harry Potter films |
| 70 | Roma Downey | Derry-born actress of “Touched by an Angel” |
| 71 | Saoirse Ronan | New York–born Irish actress with multiple Oscar nominations |
| 72 | Ruth Negga | Ethiopian-born Irish actress, Oscar nominee for “Loving” |
| 73 | Jessie Buckley | Actress and singer of stage and screen |
| 74 | Caitríona Balfe | Actress known for the series “Outlander” |
| 75 | Nicola Coughlan | Galway-born actress of “Derry Girls” and “Bridgerton” |
| 76 | Kerry Condon | Actress and Oscar nominee for “The Banshees of Inisherin” |
| 77 | Evanna Lynch | Actress who played Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films |
| 78 | Sharon Horgan | London-born Irish comedian, actress, and writer of “Bad Sisters” |
| 79 | Enya | Best-selling solo artist from Gweedore, County Donegal |
| 80 | Moya Brennan | Lead singer of the band Clannad |
| 81 | Mary Black | Folk and contemporary singer with a long recording career |
| 82 | Sinéad O’Connor | Singer known for “Nothing Compares 2 U” |
| 83 | Dolores O’Riordan | Lead singer and songwriter of the Cranberries |
| 84 | Andrea Corr | Lead singer of the family band the Corrs |
| 85 | Imelda May | Dublin-born singer-songwriter of rockabilly and blues music |
| 86 | Róisín Murphy | Singer with Moloko and solo artist |
| 87 | Nadine Coyle | Derry-born singer with the pop group Girls Aloud |
| 88 | Dana | Derry-born singer who won the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland |
| 89 | Lisa Hannigan | Singer-songwriter known for her folk-influenced solo albums |
| 90 | Siobhán Fahey | Dublin-born singer with Bananarama and Shakespears Sister |
| 91 | Katie Taylor | Olympic gold medalist and undisputed world champion boxer |
| 92 | Kellie Harrington | Boxer who won two Olympic gold medals |
| 93 | Sonia O’Sullivan | World champion and Olympic medalist runner |
| 94 | Rachael Blackmore | First woman jockey to win the Grand National |
| 95 | Leona Maguire | Professional golfer and LPGA Tour winner |
| 96 | Ellen Keane | Swimmer who won Paralympic gold in the breaststroke |
| 97 | Rhasidat Adeleke | Sprinter and national record holder in the 400 meters |
| 98 | Mona McSharry | Swimmer who won an Olympic bronze medal in breaststroke |
| 99 | Mary Peters | England-born Northern Irish athlete and Olympic pentathlon gold medalist |
| 100 | Katie McCabe | Footballer and captain of Ireland’s women’s national team |
Baby Name Ideas Inspired by Famous Irish Women
These given names all come from people on the list above. Irish spelling does not always match English sounds, so the pronunciation guides show the most common way to say each name.
| No. | Name | Pronunciation | Meaning | Origin | Famous Namesake |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brigid | BRIJ-id | Exalted one | Irish | Saint Brigid |
| 2 | Grace | GRAYSS | Grace, from Latin gratia | Latin | Grace O’Malley; Grace Gifford |
| 3 | Maud | MAWD | Medieval form of Matilda, strength in battle | Germanic | Maud Gonne |
| 4 | Constance | KON-stuhnss | Steadfast | Latin | Constance Markievicz |
| 5 | Kathleen | KATH-leen | Anglicized Caitlín, the Irish form of Katherine; meaning uncertain, often linked to pure | Irish (from Greek) | Kathleen Lonsdale; Kathleen Lynn |
| 6 | Eileen | eye-LEEN | Anglicized Eibhlín, an Irish form of Evelyn or Helen | Irish | Eileen Gray |
| 7 | Maeve | MAYV | Often said to mean she who intoxicates | Irish | Maeve Binchy |
| 8 | Eavan | EE-vuhn | Anglicized Aoibheann, often said to mean radiant or beautiful | Irish | Eavan Boland |
| 9 | Nuala | NOO-luh | Short form of Fionnuala, white shoulder | Irish | Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill |
| 10 | Fionnula | fin-NOO-luh | White shoulder | Irish | Fionnula Flanagan |
| 11 | Iris | EYE-riss | Rainbow | Greek | Iris Murdoch |
| 12 | Claire | KLAIR | Clear, bright | Latin, via French | Claire Keegan |
| 13 | Saoirse | SEER-shuh | Freedom | Irish | Saoirse Ronan |
| 14 | Siobhán | shiv-AWN | Irish form of Joan, God is gracious | Irish (from Hebrew) | Siobhán McKenna; Siobhán Fahey |
| 15 | Caitríona | kat-REE-uh-nuh | Irish form of Catherine; meaning uncertain | Irish (from Greek) | Caitríona Balfe |
| 16 | Sinéad | shin-AYD | Irish form of Jane or Janet, God is gracious | Irish (from Hebrew) | Sinéad O’Connor |
| 17 | Enya | EN-yuh | Anglicized Eithne, often said to mean kernel | Irish | Enya |
| 18 | Moya | MOY-uh | Anglicized form of Máire, the Irish Mary | Irish (from Hebrew) | Moya Brennan |
| 19 | Róisín | roh-SHEEN | Little rose | Irish | Róisín Murphy |
| 20 | Mairead | muh-RAYD | Irish form of Margaret, pearl | Irish (from Greek) | Mairead Corrigan |
| 21 | Sonia | SOHN-yuh | Russian short form of Sophia, wisdom | Russian (from Greek) | Sonia O’Sullivan |
| 22 | Rachael | RAY-chuhl | Ewe | Hebrew | Rachael Blackmore |
| 23 | Ellen | EL-uhn | Medieval form of Helen; often linked to light | Greek, via English | Ellen Hutchins; Ellen Keane |
Irish Naming Traditions
Many Irish surnames began with Gaelic prefixes. Ó (anglicized as O’) means grandson or descendant, and Mac means son. In the Irish language, women’s surnames change form: a daughter uses Ní or Nic, as in the poet Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, while a married woman may use forms like Bean Uí or Mhic.
Most Irish given names exist in two versions, an Irish-language form and an English form, such as Seán and John, Pádraig and Patrick, or Máire and Mary. Saints’ names have been favorites for centuries, especially Patrick, Brigid, Brendan, Colm, and Kevin, and names from Irish legend, such as Niamh, Oisín, and Fionn, are popular too.
A traditional custom in many families was to name the first son after his paternal grandfather and the first daughter after her paternal grandmother. Irish spelling follows its own rules: bh and mh often sound like v, and the accent mark called the fada lengthens a vowel and is part of the name, so Seán and Sean are spelled differently even when they sound much the same.
How to Use These Names for Your Baby
- Decide whether you want the Irish spelling or an anglicized one. Siobhán and Sinéad look lovely with the fada, but you may face more spelling questions in the U.S.
- Say the name out loud with your last name and share it with a few people to see how they read it. Names like Saoirse and Caoimhe are well loved but often mispronounced at first.
- Use an Irish name in the middle spot if you want a simpler first name. Our middle name ideas include plenty of combinations.
- Honor a family member by choosing the Irish form of their name, such as Máire for Mary or Mairead for Margaret.
- Find hundreds more options in our list of Irish baby names, and use our guide on how to choose a baby name to settle on a favorite.
Finding the Right Name
Choosing a name linked to a saint, a poet, or a champion gives your child a story to share for years to come. For more ideas from the same heritage, see our list of the most famous Irish men of all time.
Hello! I’m Emma Carter, born in 1990, and a passionate child development specialist. Alongside my work, I have a deep love for helping parents discover beautiful and meaningful baby names. I believe a name is more than just a label — it’s the beginning of a child’s story. I draw inspiration from languages, cultures, traditions, and even the hidden meanings behind names to help find the perfect fit for every little one’s bright future.