Eoghan
Say it: OH-in
BoyIrishMeans usually explained as "born of the yew"6 letters2 syllables
#132
in Ireland (2025)
#133 with spellings combined
41
babies in 2025
#39
best rank (2009)
5,928
babies since 1964
Down 62
10-year rank change
Eoghan through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 41 | #133 |
| 2024 | 51 | #112 |
| 2023 | 55 | #107 |
| 2022 | 48 | #128 |
| 2021 | 66 | #99 |
| 2020 | 89 | #77 |
| 2019 | 75 | #93 |
| 2018 | 100 | #69 |
| 2017 | 110 | #66 |
| 2016 | 101 | #68 |
| 2015 | 109 | #71 |
| 2014 | 142 | #56 |
| 2013 | 132 | #62 |
| 2012 | 166 | #53 |
| 2011 | 164 | #55 |
| 2010 | 160 | #55 |
| 2009 | 223 | #39 |
| 2008 | 179 | #48 |
| 2007 | 154 | #52 |
| 2006 | 149 | #50 |
| 2005 | 171 | #41 |
| 2004 | 145 | #52 |
| 2003 | 158 | #41 |
| 2002 | 144 | #48 |
| 2001 | 162 | #44 |
| 2000 | 153 | #47 |
| 1999 | 181 | #41 |
| 1998 | 122 | #49 |
| 1997 | 164 | #52 |
| 1996 | 137 | #56 |
| 1995 | 148 | #51 |
| 1994 | 117 | #61 |
| 1993 | 127 | #58 |
| 1992 | 119 | #65 |
| 1991 | 121 | #62 |
| 1990 | 120 | #63 |
| 1989 | 111 | #64 |
| 1988 | 94 | #74 |
| 1987 | 89 | #76 |
| 1986 | 90 | #76 |
| 1985 | 79 | #83 |
| 1984 | 70 | #86 |
| 1983 | 72 | #88 |
| 1982 | 84 | #82 |
| 1981 | 63 | #95 |
| 1980 | 75 | #89 |
| 1979 | 55 | #105 |
| 1978 | 61 | #103 |
| 1977 | 53 | #109 |
| 1976 | 57 | #104 |
| 1975 | 44 | #108 |
| 1974 | 37 | #117 |
| 1973 | 46 | #111 |
| 1972 | 35 | #122 |
| 1971 | 36 | #115 |
| 1970 | 9 | #197 |
| 1969 | 13 | #163 |
| 1968 | 13 | #156 |
| 1967 | 13 | #152 |
| 1966 | 10 | #159 |
| 1965 | 7 | #181 |
| 1964 | 9 | #164 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Eoghan mean?
Usually explained as "born of the yew"
Irish, from Old Irish Eógan, thought to come from an older Celtic name meaning yew-born.
Say it right
OHin
Most people in Ireland say it like Owen. In Irish it is closer to one long syllable, OHN, and nearer AWN in Ulster.
Not:EE-oh-ganYO-gan
The story of Eoghan
Eoghan is the modern Irish spelling of the Old Irish Eógan. It is usually traced to an older Celtic name meaning “yew-born”, from the yew tree, though like many very old names its meaning cannot be proved. Owen is the usual English form. Eoghan is often mixed up with Eoin, the Irish for John, but the two names are unrelated and only sound alike in some forms.
Eoghan is one of the great names of early Irish history. Eógan mac Néill, said to be a son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, was claimed as ancestor by the Cenél nEógain, the dynasty that came to hold much of Ulster. Whether he really lived is uncertain, but his name survives on the map in Tír Eoghain, County Tyrone, and Inis Eoghain, the Inishowen peninsula in Donegal.
In the CSO records Eoghan grew steadily from the 1970s and spent around four decades in the top 100. Its best year was 2009, when 223 boys were named Eoghan and it reached number 39. Since 2018 the CSO has counted the spelling Eóghan, with a fada, separately; the figures here combine both.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Eoghan (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Eógan
- Wikipedia: Eógan mac Néill
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Eoghan | 41 | 5,886 |
| Eóghan | under 3 | 42 |
In Northern Ireland
#169 in 2025 with 13 babies. Best rank #46 (2008); 948 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.