Pronunciation
Fer-dee-ah
Meaning
Traditionally interpreted as man of the pair or man of smoke
Alternate spellings
Ferdiad; Fer Diad; Fear Diadh
Fun fact
Ferdia and Cú Chulainn trained together under Scáthach and became close companions. In the Táin, they're forced to fight on opposite sides, and their meeting becomes one of the saddest parts of the story. Ardee in Co Louth is associated with their battle.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Ferdia, 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 | 11 | #348 |
| 2024 | 7 | #472 |
| 2023 | 8 | #436 |
| 2022 | 12 | #349 |
| 2021 | 16 | #279 |
| 2020 | 11 | #361 |
| 2019 | 12 | #335 |
| 2018 | 5 | #572 |
| 2017 | 8 | #418 |
| 2016 | 8 | #412 |
| 2015 | 8 | #421 |
| 2014 | 7 | #468 |
| 2013 | 5 | #534 |
| 2012 | 7 | #457 |
| 2011 | 11 | #366 |
| 2010 | 10 | #373 |
| 2009 | 6 | #472 |
| 2008 | 7 | #444 |
| 2007 | 13 | #282 |
| 2006 | 11 | #282 |
| 2005 | 8 | #302 |
| 2004 | 6 | #351 |
| 2003 | 5 | #375 |
| 2002 | 5 | #348 |
| 2001 | 4 | #347 |
| 2000 | 3 | #390 |
| 1999 | 6 | #266 |
| 1998 | 7 | #229 |
| 1997 | 7 | #261 |
| 1996 | 9 | #234 |
| 1995 | 4 | #301 |
| 1994 | 5 | #263 |
| 1993 | 10 | #205 |
| 1992 | 9 | #210 |
| 1991 | 4 | #288 |
| 1990 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1989 | 3 | #307 |
| 1988 | 6 | #235 |
| 1987 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1986 | 6 | #247 |
| 1985 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1984 | 3 | #318 |
| 1983 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1982 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1981 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1980 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1979 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1978 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1977 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1976 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1975 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1974 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1973 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1972 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1971 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1970 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.
