Con
Say it: KON
BoyMeans a short form of Conor, Cornelius and other Con- names3 letters1 syllable
#329
in Ireland (2025)
#319 with spellings combined
12
babies in 2025
#285
best rank (2021)
143
babies since 1988
Up 380
10-year rank change
Con through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #319 |
| 2024 | 10 | #360 |
| 2023 | 11 | #333 |
| 2022 | 8 | #413 |
| 2021 | 15 | #285 |
| 2020 | 11 | #350 |
| 2019 | 5 | #537 |
| 2018 | 4 | #597 |
| 2017 | 7 | #443 |
| 2016 | 7 | #448 |
| 2015 | 3 | #699 |
| 2014 | 8 | #428 |
| 2013 | 6 | #479 |
| 2011 | 3 | #730 |
| 2009 | 3 | #701 |
| 2008 | 4 | #601 |
| 2007 | 4 | #527 |
| 2004 | 4 | #440 |
| 2001 | 4 | #347 |
| 2000 | 5 | #312 |
| 1998 | 3 | #369 |
| 1994 | 3 | #342 |
| 1988 | 3 | #319 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Con mean?
A short form of Conor, Cornelius and other Con- names
English and Irish, a pet form of Conor (Conchobhar), Cornelius, Constantine or Conrad.
Say it right
KON
The story of Con
Con is a short form of several longer names that begin with the same sound, including Conor, Cornelius, Constantine and Conrad. In Ireland the first two matter most. Cornelius was long used as the English stand-in for the Irish name Conchobhar, so for generations many men registered as Cornelius or Conor were simply called Con at home.
It is a different name from Conn, spelled with two n’s, which is an old Irish name in its own right, borne by the legendary high king Conn of the Hundred Battles.
As a registered first name Con is fairly new. It first appears in the CSO records in 1988 and stayed rare for years. It has grown since the 2010s, with a best year of 2021, when 15 boys were named Con. In 2025 there were 12.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Con (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Con (name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Con | 12 | 143 |
In Northern Ireland
#344 in 2025 with 4 babies. Best rank #344 (2025); 10 babies since 2022.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.