Pronunciation
Oo-na
Meaning
Traditionally associated with uan, the Irish word for lamb
Alternate spellings
Una; Oona; Oonagh
Fun fact
You'll also see Oona and Oonagh, all with the Oo-na sound. In Irish fairy stories, Oonagh is a fairy queen with long golden hair that reaches the ground. So a very short name, but a lot of folklore behind it!
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Úna, 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 | 18 | #239 |
| 2024 | 13 | #307 |
| 2023 | 25 | #183 |
| 2022 | 10 | #389 |
| 2021 | 11 | #363 |
| 2020 | 14 | #294 |
| 2019 | 16 | #284 |
| 2018 | 11 | #387 |
| 2017 | 21 | #233 |
| 2016 | 23 | #208 |
| 2015 | 24 | #215 |
| 2014 | 25 | #213 |
| 2013 | 18 | #273 |
| 2012 | 13 | #371 |
| 2011 | 21 | #250 |
| 2010 | 15 | #333 |
| 2009 | 19 | #263 |
| 2008 | 16 | #311 |
| 2007 | 18 | #259 |
| 2006 | 18 | #238 |
| 2005 | 13 | #277 |
| 2004 | 12 | #287 |
| 2003 | 16 | #225 |
| 2002 | 17 | #218 |
| 2001 | 9 | #315 |
| 2000 | 16 | #213 |
| 1999 | 16 | #211 |
| 1998 | 18 | #185 |
| 1997 | 21 | #213 |
| 1996 | 28 | #170 |
| 1995 | 25 | #173 |
| 1994 | 32 | #148 |
| 1993 | 19 | #204 |
| 1992 | 35 | #150 |
| 1991 | 23 | #187 |
| 1990 | 33 | #151 |
| 1989 | 39 | #132 |
| 1988 | 44 | #127 |
| 1987 | 52 | #116 |
| 1986 | 54 | #115 |
| 1985 | 47 | #130 |
| 1984 | 50 | #131 |
| 1983 | 57 | #122 |
| 1982 | 75 | #106 |
| 1981 | 74 | #105 |
| 1980 | 77 | #104 |
| 1979 | 74 | #105 |
| 1978 | 83 | #98 |
| 1977 | 67 | #119 |
| 1976 | 76 | #109 |
| 1975 | 84 | #98 |
| 1974 | 85 | #104 |
| 1973 | 95 | #87 |
| 1972 | 84 | #98 |
| 1971 | 91 | #94 |
| 1970 | 95 | #88 |
| 1969 | 88 | #84 |
| 1968 | 87 | #79 |
| 1967 | 84 | #82 |
| 1966 | 97 | #74 |
| 1965 | 73 | #89 |
| 1964 | 70 | #87 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.