Pronunciation
Maw-raid / Muh-raid
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
Pearl
Alternate spellings
Mairéad; Máirghréad; Margaret
Fun fact
Máiréad is an Irish form of Margaret, which has a Greek root meaning pearl. You'll also see the longer spelling Máirghréad. Although the spelling changed as it travelled into Irish, the pearl meaning stayed with it.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Máiréad, 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 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2022 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2021 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2020 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2019 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2018 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2017 | 8 | #471 |
| 2016 | 7 | #515 |
| 2015 | 14 | #345 |
| 2014 | 14 | #336 |
| 2013 | 15 | #315 |
| 2012 | 11 | #414 |
| 2011 | 24 | #220 |
| 2010 | 12 | #395 |
| 2009 | 23 | #232 |
| 2008 | 18 | #281 |
| 2007 | 14 | #307 |
| 2006 | 25 | #186 |
| 2005 | 26 | #173 |
| 2004 | 21 | #189 |
| 2003 | 15 | #233 |
| 2002 | 19 | #197 |
| 2001 | 25 | #162 |
| 2000 | 33 | #124 |
| 1999 | 35 | #120 |
| 1998 | 37 | #99 |
| 1997 | 59 | #90 |
| 1996 | 52 | #104 |
| 1995 | 65 | #83 |
| 1994 | 68 | #86 |
| 1993 | 76 | #81 |
| 1992 | 76 | #84 |
| 1991 | 95 | #72 |
| 1990 | 112 | #57 |
| 1989 | 114 | #62 |
| 1988 | 115 | #64 |
| 1987 | 112 | #70 |
| 1986 | 125 | #65 |
| 1985 | 136 | #58 |
| 1984 | 152 | #53 |
| 1983 | 139 | #63 |
| 1982 | 200 | #46 |
| 1981 | 180 | #53 |
| 1980 | 162 | #60 |
| 1979 | 147 | #63 |
| 1978 | 150 | #61 |
| 1977 | 154 | #58 |
| 1976 | 132 | #68 |
| 1975 | 150 | #59 |
| 1974 | 133 | #70 |
| 1973 | 109 | #80 |
| 1972 | 113 | #77 |
| 1971 | 79 | #107 |
| 1970 | 77 | #103 |
| 1969 | 65 | #109 |
| 1968 | 62 | #107 |
| 1967 | 61 | #102 |
| 1966 | 61 | #104 |
| 1965 | 60 | #104 |
| 1964 | 47 | #114 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.
