Martin
Say it: MAR-tin
BoyMeans of Mars6 letters2 syllables
#102
in Ireland (2025)
#103 with spellings combined
56
babies in 2025
#9
best rank (1964)
18,593
babies since 1964
Down 20
10-year rank change
Martin through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 56 | #103 |
| 2024 | 48 | #117 |
| 2023 | 72 | #87 |
| 2022 | 69 | #92 |
| 2021 | 67 | #97 |
| 2020 | 69 | #90 |
| 2019 | 75 | #93 |
| 2018 | 87 | #81 |
| 2017 | 105 | #69 |
| 2016 | 83 | #87 |
| 2015 | 88 | #83 |
| 2014 | 81 | #95 |
| 2013 | 81 | #92 |
| 2012 | 91 | #89 |
| 2011 | 89 | #88 |
| 2010 | 95 | #85 |
| 2009 | 107 | #74 |
| 2008 | 99 | #81 |
| 2007 | 109 | #73 |
| 2006 | 91 | #76 |
| 2005 | 86 | #76 |
| 2004 | 88 | #74 |
| 2003 | 86 | #73 |
| 2002 | 85 | #74 |
| 2001 | 91 | #70 |
| 2000 | 104 | #62 |
| 1999 | 90 | #64 |
| 1998 | 87 | #64 |
| 1997 | 174 | #47 |
| 1996 | 161 | #51 |
| 1995 | 167 | #45 |
| 1994 | 208 | #40 |
| 1993 | 235 | #36 |
| 1992 | 218 | #37 |
| 1991 | 259 | #30 |
| 1990 | 279 | #29 |
| 1989 | 316 | #25 |
| 1988 | 324 | #25 |
| 1987 | 360 | #24 |
| 1986 | 365 | #25 |
| 1985 | 388 | #22 |
| 1984 | 416 | #20 |
| 1983 | 448 | #21 |
| 1982 | 524 | #15 |
| 1981 | 501 | #15 |
| 1980 | 506 | #16 |
| 1979 | 502 | #14 |
| 1978 | 536 | #13 |
| 1977 | 535 | #13 |
| 1976 | 520 | #13 |
| 1975 | 548 | #12 |
| 1974 | 579 | #13 |
| 1973 | 605 | #10 |
| 1972 | 612 | #12 |
| 1971 | 599 | #11 |
| 1970 | 603 | #12 |
| 1969 | 680 | #9 |
| 1968 | 742 | #9 |
| 1967 | 798 | #9 |
| 1966 | 814 | #9 |
| 1965 | 843 | #9 |
| 1964 | 849 | #9 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Martin mean?
Of Mars
Latin, from Martinus, from Mars, the Roman god of war.
Say it right
MARtin
The story of Martin
Martin comes from the Latin Martinus, formed from Mars, the Roman god of war, with an ending that means “of” or “belonging to”. So it is usually taken to mean “of Mars”. The Irish forms are Máirtín and Mártan.
The name spread through Saint Martin of Tours, the fourth-century soldier who became a bishop and one of the most popular saints of medieval Europe. His feast, Martinmas, falls on 11 November. Well-known Irish bearers include the football manager Martin O’Neill.
Martin was one of Ireland’s most common boys’ names when the CSO records begin, at number 9 in 1964 with 849 boys. It stayed in the top 20 until 1982 and has drifted down since, to number 102 in 2025 on the CSO ranking. It is far rarer in Northern Ireland, where only eight boys were given it in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Martin (English proper noun)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA Baby Names, Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Marty
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Martin | 56 | 18,593 |
In Northern Ireland
#237 in 2025 with 8 babies. Best rank #49 (1997); 640 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.