St Patrick's Day inspired baby names

Looking to arm your child with a little luck of the Irish for the long haul? Choose a stand-out name inspired by St Patrick's Day and all its associations (green beer excluded).

Patrick, Patricia, and Beyond

It's natural to think of the names Patrick and Patricia when considering what titles are associated with StPatrick's Day. But these are nickname-rich monikers with plenty of options for different spellings, unique derivations and unexpected nicknames.

For boys, you can stay in the key of P with Paddie, Paddy, Padraic, Padraig, Padrig, Padruig, Pat, Paton, Patricio, Patrizio, or Patten. But don't forget about nicknames like Rick or Ricky.

There are also some interesting alternatives for baby girls: Patrice, Patrizia, Patsy, Patti, Tricia, Trish.

Boys and girls can even share some of the Patrick/Patricia nicknames: Pat, Patten, Pattie, Patty, Payton, Peyton, Rickie.

Get more "P" baby name ideas here.

That Good Old Irish Luck

While everyone wishes for a little luck o' the Irish for their newborn, it's a meaningful and strong name that will go more toward helping your child discover their own pots of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Instead of stuffing their pockets full of four leaf clovers, try one of these lucky names on for size and see if it's just right for your son or daughter: Chance, Destiny, Fate, Fortune, Karma, Kismet, Lucky, Serendipity, Trinity, Triumph, Victory.

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Color Me Irish

People wear green on St. Patrick's Day to avoid being pinched (or to get kissed). But there's nothing wrong with choosing a green name, literally, for your little one. This lush selection covers what Crayola offers and then some: Aquamarine, Beryl, Bice, Celadon, Chartreuse, Emerald, Jade, Kelly, Lime, Malachite, Olive, Sage, Sea, Shamrock, Viridian.

And, of course, there is the ever-popular idea of "going green." Channel the virtues of nature and Earth at the same time with these environmentally conscious baby names, ideal options for the Earth mother (and father): Apple, Bud, Chamomile, Clover, Evergreen, Fern, Fir, Forest, Forrest, Grass, Ivy, Lavender, Leaf, Meadow, Mint, Moss, Myrtle, Pine, Thistle, Willow.

Check out this list of the Top 50 Hippie baby names.

Home of the Irish

"Home of the Irish" doesn't mean Notre Dame, but rather Ireland itself. Borrowing one of the names of the cities, towns or provinces on this green isle will give you that distinctly Irish title you're in search of for your newborn.

Consider these Irish landmarks: Armagh, Blarney, Cork, Derry, Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Killarney, Limerick, Lisburn, Newry, Rosslare, Shannon, Tipperary. And don't forget about the name Ireland itself – currently in the limelight as the moniker of the daughter of actors Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger.

Get more fabulous Irish baby names here!

Religious and Historical Names

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland so it should come as no surprise that there is a preference for Christian names in this country. They've also taken inspiration for their baby names from Nordic, Gaelic and modern history. If you're delivering a baby boy, consider the following: Aaron, Adam, Áedán (also, Aidan, Aiden, Ayden and Aden), Áine, Andrew, Brayden, Brian, Cameron, Connor, Dillon, Ethan, Gerard, Jack, Kieran, Kyle, Niall, Paul, Reece, Richard, Robert, Ryan, Seamus, Sean, Shane, William.

If a baby girl is coming your way, these religious and historical choices might strike your fancy with their contemporary sounds and spellings: Aislin, Aoife, Emma, Kaitlyn, Katie, Keira, Riley, Sarah, Sophie, Teagan.

Get more ideas for spiritual baby names here.

Irish Spellings

You can truly celebrate your love of Ireland, your family's heritage or just the joyful inspiration of St. Patrick's Day by opting for an authentically Irish name… with an authentically Irish spelling and pronunciation.

Irish Girl Names:
Ailis (AY-lish)
Eithne (ETH-na)
Saoirse (SEER-sha)
Sile (SHEE-la)
Siobhan (Shi-VAUN)

Get more Irish girl names here.

Irish Boy Names:
Aengus (EYN-gus)
Ciaran (KEER-an)
Donagh (DUN-a)
Eoin (OH-in)
Niall (NEE-al)

Get more Irish boy names here.

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Irish baby names are a huge trend! Check out our top baby name predictions for 2010 here.