Pronunciation
Mayl ROO-ayn / Mayl Roon
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
Devotee of Saint Ruadhán
Alternate spellings
Máel-Ruain; Maelruain
Fun fact
Máel Ruain founded the monastery at Tallaght in 774 and died in 792. He was one of the leading figures in the Céli Dé monastic movement. Máel in a name like this refers to a tonsured devotee, and Ruain is linked with Saint Ruadhán. So the name has a connection with both an Irish saint and the early history of Tallaght.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Máel Ruain, 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.
