Girl name · Irish Gaelic
Niamh
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: bright, radiantNiamh is a girl's name that comes from Irish Gaelic and means "bright, radiant". It is used in Irish.
- Meaning
- Bright, radiant
- Origin
- Irish Gaelic
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- NEEV
Meaning and origin of Niamh
As a girl's name, Niamh comes from Irish Gaelic and means "bright, radiant". It is used in Irish.
Say it NEEV. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Its meaning puts Niamh on our names that mean light list.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Niamh on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Niamh on 5 lists.
“Bright, radiant; Irish. Say NEEV. Daughter of the king of Tír na nÓg and Oisín's fairy love”
From Fairy names, real fairy girl names
“Bright, radiant; Irish Gaelic. Say NEEV”
From Girl middle names, unique girl middle names
“Bright, radiant; Irish Gaelic heroine who led Oisín to Tír na nÓg. Say NEEV.”
From Irish girl names, celtic girl names from Irish myth and history
“Bright, radiant; Irish Gaelic. Say NEEV”
From Names that mean light, names that mean bright or shining
“Bright, radiant; Irish Gaelic, a fairy queen of legend. Say NEEV”
From Unique girl names, uncommon Irish, Welsh and Cornish girl names
How popular is Niamh?
- US rank in 2025
- #3,561
- 43 babies, 27 per million girls
- Best rank
- #2,320 in 2001
- Most babies: 74 in 2008
- Babies since 1969
- At least 1,617
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 2 per million |
| 1990s | 15 per million |
| 2000s | 34 per million |
| 2010s | 26 per million |
| 2020s | 24 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,506 | #4,051 | #3,777 | #3,537 | #4,241 | #4,150 | #4,019 | #4,342 | #3,160 | #3,561 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Niamh
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
Names spelled like Niamh
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- NaamahPleasant (Hebrew, girl)
- NamiWave, written 波 (Japanese, girl)
- NaomhHoly (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- NilamDark blue (Sanskrit, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- RobertBright fame (Germanic, boy)
- ClaraClear, bright (Latin, girl)
- BertaBright, famous (Germanic, girl)
- LambertBright land (Germanic, boy)
- MurielBright sea (Scottish Gaelic, girl)
- RobertaBright fame (Germanic, girl)
- AlbertNoble and bright (Germanic, boy)
- AlbertoNoble and bright (Germanic, boy)
- HubertBright heart (Germanic, boy)
- RobertoBright fame (Germanic, boy)
Middle names for Niamh
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Irish Gaelic
- RoryRed king (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- BridgetExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- BridieExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- BrigitteExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- CaseyVigilant, watchful (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- CassidyCurly-haired (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- DymphnaLittle fawn (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- ErinOf Ireland (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- KeiraDark one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- KennedyFrom an Irish surname, from Cennétig, armoured or misshapen head (Irish Gaelic, girl)
Niamh: common questions
What does the name Niamh mean?
Niamh comes from Irish Gaelic and means "bright, radiant".
Is Niamh a boy or girl name?
Niamh is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Niamh come from?
Niamh comes from Irish Gaelic and means "bright, radiant". Today it is used in Irish.
How do you pronounce Niamh?
Say NEEV. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Niamh?
Niamh ranked #3,561 in the US in 2025, with 43 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Niamh?
Forms of Niamh with the same meaning and origin include Neve (English), Nia (Welsh) and Sorcha (Irish).
What middle names go with Niamh?
Middle names that flow well with Niamh include Anastasia, Aurelia, Daphne, Evangeline and Grace. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.