Iarla
Say it: EER-la
BoyIrishMeans usually explained as "earl"5 letters2 syllables
#149
in Ireland (2025)
#145 with spellings combined
35
babies in 2025
#126
best rank (2021)
548
babies since 1981
Up 49
10-year rank change
Iarla through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35 | #145 |
| 2024 | 33 | #151 |
| 2023 | 36 | #150 |
| 2022 | 44 | #135 |
| 2021 | 51 | #126 |
| 2020 | 35 | #157 |
| 2019 | 38 | #152 |
| 2018 | 38 | #157 |
| 2017 | 35 | #169 |
| 2016 | 35 | #168 |
| 2015 | 29 | #194 |
| 2014 | 26 | #220 |
| 2013 | 24 | #229 |
| 2012 | 17 | #279 |
| 2011 | 10 | #387 |
| 2010 | 10 | #373 |
| 2009 | 5 | #532 |
| 2008 | 12 | #328 |
| 2007 | 3 | #629 |
| 2006 | 6 | #385 |
| 2005 | 5 | #403 |
| 2003 | 3 | #500 |
| 2001 | 4 | #347 |
| 2000 | 4 | #347 |
| 1998 | 3 | #369 |
| 1993 | 4 | #302 |
| 1981 | 3 | #322 |
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 Iarla mean?
Usually explained as "earl"
Irish, matching the word iarla (earl), itself most likely from Old Norse jarl.
Say it right
EERla
In Irish, "ia" sounds like "ee-a", so it can come out close to EE-ar-la.
Not:ee-AR-laYAR-la
The story of Iarla
Iarla is spelled exactly like iarla, the Irish word for an earl, which most likely came into Irish from the Old Norse jarl. That is the usual explanation of the name. Some people also see it as a shortened Iarlaith (Jarlath), a saint’s name, but we have not found a reliable source for that link, so we treat it as a separate name.
Well-known bearers include the singer Iarla Ó Lionáird and the hurler Iarla Tannian.
Iarla first reached the CSO list in 1981 and stayed very rare until the late 2000s. It had its best year in 2021, with 51 boys counting all spellings, when it reached number 126. The CSO recorded no fadas before 2018, and a handful of boys have since been registered as Íarla. In 2025, 35 boys were named Iarla. It is still rare in Northern Ireland.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: iarla (Irish noun)
- Wikipedia: Iarla
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Iarla | 35 | 541 |
| Íarla | under 3 | 7 |
In Northern Ireland
#344 in 2025 with 4 babies. Best rank #239 (2024); 39 babies since 2015.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.