Pronunciation
Enya / Et-neh / Eh-h-ne / Eth-na
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
Kernel, seed; origin debated
Alternate spellings
Ethna; Enya; Eithne
Fun fact
In Irish mythology, Eithne is Balor's daughter and Lugh's mother. She's kept in a tower because of a prophecy that her son will kill her father. There have also been early Irish saints called Eithne, so it has both a mythological and a saintly history.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Eithne, 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
Less than 3 babies were registered with this spelling in each of these years.
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 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2022 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2021 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2020 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2019 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2018 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2017 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2016 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2015 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2014 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2013 | 3 | #894 |
| 2012 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2011 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2010 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2009 | 4 | #742 |
| 2008 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2007 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2006 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2005 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2004 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2003 | 4 | #559 |
| 2002 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2001 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2000 | 4 | #465 |
| 1999 | 3 | #528 |
| 1998 | 3 | #498 |
| 1997 | 6 | #394 |
| 1996 | 5 | #429 |
| 1995 | 6 | #384 |
| 1994 | 8 | #329 |
| 1993 | 4 | #448 |
| 1992 | 7 | #363 |
| 1991 | 14 | #250 |
| 1990 | 7 | #357 |
| 1989 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1988 | 8 | #344 |
| 1987 | 5 | #417 |
| 1986 | 17 | #227 |
| 1985 | 12 | #283 |
| 1984 | 13 | #280 |
| 1983 | 11 | #298 |
| 1982 | 28 | #196 |
| 1981 | 14 | #272 |
| 1980 | 17 | #258 |
| 1979 | 16 | #261 |
| 1978 | 27 | #204 |
| 1977 | 27 | #195 |
| 1976 | 23 | #215 |
| 1975 | 25 | #199 |
| 1974 | 38 | #170 |
| 1973 | 32 | #182 |
| 1972 | 43 | #150 |
| 1971 | 40 | #156 |
| 1970 | 40 | #146 |
| 1969 | 40 | #148 |
| 1968 | 39 | #141 |
| 1967 | 38 | #140 |
| 1966 | 48 | #119 |
| 1965 | 41 | #128 |
| 1964 | 41 | #126 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.