Pronunciation
Shay
Meaning
Stately, admirable or fortunate, from Seaghdha
Alternate spellings
Shay
Fun fact
Shea is connected with the old Irish name Séaghdha. You'll recognise it in the surname O'Shea too. So it's a family-name connection that's also used as a first name.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Shea, 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.
#125Rank among boy names in 202543Babies registered in 2025
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 | 43 | #125 |
| 2024 | 26 | #187 |
| 2023 | 33 | #161 |
| 2022 | 24 | #214 |
| 2021 | 23 | #215 |
| 2020 | 20 | #240 |
| 2019 | 27 | #199 |
| 2018 | 16 | #283 |
| 2017 | 33 | #179 |
| 2016 | 41 | #150 |
| 2015 | 18 | #265 |
| 2014 | 29 | #203 |
| 2013 | 33 | #187 |
| 2012 | 21 | #250 |
| 2011 | 26 | #215 |
| 2010 | 22 | #241 |
| 2009 | 16 | #283 |
| 2008 | 28 | #199 |
| 2007 | 21 | #220 |
| 2006 | 17 | #222 |
| 2005 | 16 | #213 |
| 2004 | 11 | #244 |
| 2003 | 6 | #337 |
| 2002 | 9 | #249 |
| 2001 | 6 | #297 |
| 2000 | 3 | #390 |
| 1999 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1998 | 4 | #324 |
| 1997 | 8 | #251 |
| 1996 | 3 | #369 |
| 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 | 4 | #283 |
| 1977 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1976 | 3 | #316 |
| 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.