Sadhbh
Say it: SIVE/ˈsˠəivˠ/
GirlIrishMythologyMeans probably "sweet"; also explained as "goodness"6 letters1 syllable
#32
in Ireland (2025)
129
babies in 2025
#32
best rank (2025)
3,078
babies since 1971
Up 21
10-year rank change
Sadhbh through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 129 | #32 |
| 2024 | 117 | #38 |
| 2023 | 120 | #43 |
| 2022 | 153 | #33 |
| 2021 | 150 | #35 |
| 2020 | 128 | #41 |
| 2019 | 145 | #40 |
| 2018 | 114 | #53 |
| 2017 | 104 | #61 |
| 2016 | 108 | #57 |
| 2015 | 123 | #53 |
| 2014 | 144 | #44 |
| 2013 | 108 | #67 |
| 2012 | 113 | #61 |
| 2011 | 132 | #56 |
| 2010 | 117 | #64 |
| 2009 | 111 | #69 |
| 2008 | 107 | #67 |
| 2007 | 95 | #70 |
| 2006 | 78 | #76 |
| 2005 | 77 | #73 |
| 2004 | 65 | #86 |
| 2003 | 66 | #75 |
| 2002 | 52 | #94 |
| 2001 | 47 | #103 |
| 2000 | 43 | #101 |
| 1999 | 22 | #165 |
| 1998 | 35 | #107 |
| 1997 | 46 | #110 |
| 1996 | 25 | #181 |
| 1995 | 23 | #187 |
| 1994 | 25 | #171 |
| 1993 | 19 | #204 |
| 1992 | 27 | #172 |
| 1991 | 17 | #224 |
| 1990 | 11 | #281 |
| 1989 | 11 | #285 |
| 1988 | 6 | #381 |
| 1987 | 10 | #310 |
| 1985 | 4 | #456 |
| 1984 | 15 | #252 |
| 1983 | 5 | #438 |
| 1981 | 5 | #423 |
| 1980 | 4 | #483 |
| 1979 | 3 | #523 |
| 1978 | 3 | #522 |
| 1977 | 5 | #429 |
| 1976 | 4 | #429 |
| 1972 | 4 | #428 |
| 1971 | 3 | #466 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Sadhbh mean?
Probably "sweet"; also explained as "goodness"
Irish, from Old Irish Sadb, probably from an old Celtic word for sweet.
Say it right
SIVE
Rhymes with "five". The "dhbh" is a soft "v" at the end. In Ulster Irish it can sound more like SAH-wa.
Not:SAD-ivSADH-bee
The story of Sadhbh
Sadhbh comes from the Old Irish name Sadb. Linguists trace it to an old Celtic word for sweet, a distant relative of English sweet and Latin suavis. Patrick Woulfe, writing in 1923, gave its meaning as “goodness” and noted that it was usually anglicised as Sally.
In the Fenian stories Sadhbh is a daughter of Bodb Dearg. A druid she has refused turns her into a deer. She regains her own shape at the fort of Fionn mac Cumhaill and becomes his wife, but the druid tricks her away again. Years later Fionn finds their young son, Oisín, in the forest.
In Ireland Sadhbh was first recorded in 1971 and has grown steadily ever since. It reached number 32 in 2025. Its busiest year was 2022, with 153 babies. It is much rarer in Northern Ireland, where it ranked 205th in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Sadhbh (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Sadhbh (name)
- Wikipedia: Sadhbh
- Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Sadhbh | 129 | 3,078 |
In Northern Ireland
#205 in 2025 with 8 babies. Best rank #205 (2025); 85 babies since 2006.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.