Pronunciation
Mawyl BREE-g’teh / Mawyl BREE-jeh (historical forms)
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
Devotee of Saint Brigid
Fun fact
Máel Brigte mac Tornáin became abbot of Armagh in 888 and was a scribe associated with the beautifully decorated Gospels of Macdurnan. Máel in names like this refers to a tonsured devotee, and Brigte means of Brigid. So the name has a connection to Saint Brigid and to Ireland's old manuscript tradition.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Máel Brigte, 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 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2012 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2011 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2010 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2009 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2008 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2007 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2006 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2005 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2004 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2003 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2002 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2001 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2000 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1999 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1998 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1997 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1996 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1995 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1994 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1993 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1992 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1991 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1990 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1989 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1988 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1987 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1986 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1985 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1984 | Less than 3 | - |
| 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.
