Pronunciation
Ay-lish / Eye-lish
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
God is my oath
Alternate spellings
Eilish
Fun fact
Eilís is the Irish form of Elizabeth. You'll also see the anglicised Eilish. It looks and sounds similar to Ailís, but Ailís comes from Alice, so they're two separate names.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Eilís, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2024 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2023 | 3 | #856 |
| 2022 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2021 | 5 | #661 |
| 2020 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2019 | 3 | #871 |
| 2018 | 3 | #896 |
| 2017 | 5 | #651 |
| 2016 | 12 | #359 |
| 2015 | 6 | #581 |
| 2014 | 5 | #661 |
| 2013 | 6 | #587 |
| 2012 | 14 | #354 |
| 2011 | 13 | #359 |
| 2010 | 10 | #444 |
| 2009 | 8 | #488 |
| 2008 | 7 | #546 |
| 2007 | 5 | #624 |
| 2006 | 14 | #286 |
| 2005 | 12 | #300 |
| 2004 | 10 | #317 |
| 2003 | 14 | #247 |
| 2002 | 14 | #254 |
| 2001 | 10 | #302 |
| 2000 | 17 | #202 |
| 1999 | 18 | #194 |
| 1998 | 12 | #229 |
| 1997 | 19 | #226 |
| 1996 | 18 | #216 |
| 1995 | 18 | #211 |
| 1994 | 19 | #206 |
| 1993 | 24 | #181 |
| 1992 | 24 | #185 |
| 1991 | 19 | #207 |
| 1990 | 16 | #228 |
| 1989 | 24 | #186 |
| 1988 | 22 | #194 |
| 1987 | 31 | #164 |
| 1986 | 25 | #189 |
| 1985 | 29 | #181 |
| 1984 | 35 | #168 |
| 1983 | 19 | #232 |
| 1982 | 24 | #216 |
| 1981 | 21 | #230 |
| 1980 | 18 | #245 |
| 1979 | 30 | #189 |
| 1978 | 22 | #224 |
| 1977 | 19 | #227 |
| 1976 | 16 | #248 |
| 1975 | 13 | #262 |
| 1974 | 15 | #255 |
| 1973 | 16 | #248 |
| 1972 | 16 | #232 |
| 1971 | 18 | #225 |
| 1970 | 7 | #307 |
| 1969 | 10 | #265 |
| 1968 | 13 | #225 |
| 1967 | 7 | #268 |
| 1966 | 8 | #256 |
| 1965 | 10 | #227 |
| 1964 | 10 | #226 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.