Ailish

A girl's name of Irish origin with 647 recorded U.S. births.

Girl's name#8934 in 2024Declining

Meaning & Origin

A female given name from Irish.

Ailish is a girl's baby name of Irish origin, the Irish form of Alice from the Old High German Adalheidis meaning 'noble kind' — from adal (noble) and heid (kind, sort). With its distinctive Irish pronunciation (EYE-lish), Ailish is a beautifully Gaelic name that wears its Celtic roots proudly.

EtymologyShow more

The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Ailish's final sounds are sharp, distinct — ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Ailish breaks from that pattern, giving it a more distinctive edge.

Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Ailish's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.

At a Glance

647

Total births

Since 1991

2016

Peak

38 births

1991

First recorded

34 years of data

Compare Ailish with another name

Popularity Over Time

Ailish was #5976 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #8934, but its charm endures.

First appeared: 1991Peak: 2016 (38 births)Current: #8934

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Ailish
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	75	#7563	▼
2010s	235	#5892	▲
2000s	233	#5475	▲
1990s	104	#7842	—

The Story of Ailish

A Gen Alpha name

Peaking in 2016, Ailish is a fresh, modern favorite. Girls named Ailish are most likely born between 2006 and 2024.

How rare is Ailish?

Only about 1 in every 327,273 babies born in 2024 was named Ailish — a truly uncommon choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1991, peaked in the 2010s with 235 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.

Ailish by the numbers

Would fill 13 school buses
Meeting one Ailish per day would take 1.8 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(33 years, 1991–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Ailish
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	11	#8934	+1 (10.0%)
2023	10	#9629	-6 (-37.5%)
2022	16	#6990	-3 (-15.8%)
2021	19	#6177	0
2020	19	#6085	-3 (-13.6%)
2019	22	#5612	-1 (-4.3%)
2018	23	#5459	-11 (-32.4%)
2017	34	#4217	-4 (-10.5%)
2016	38	#3926	+27 (245.5%)
2015	11	#9499	-9 (-45.0%)
2014	20	#6212	+2 (11.1%)
2013	18	#6732	-3 (-14.3%)
2012	21	#6121	-4 (-16.0%)
2011	25	#5361	+2 (8.7%)
2010	23	#5776	+1 (4.5%)
2009	22	#6097	0
2008	22	#6134	-1 (-4.3%)
2007	23	#5899	-4 (-14.8%)
2006	27	#5088	+3 (12.5%)
2005	24	#5270	+4 (20.0%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ailish a boy's or girl's name?

Ailish is primarily a girl's name.

When was Ailish most popular?

Ailish reached its peak popularity in 2016 with 38 births that year. It is currently ranked #8934 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Ailish?

Ailish is currently ranked #8934 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 647 babies since 1991.

Explore More

By Length6-letter names By OriginIrish names By EndingNames in -h TrendingRising names RankingsFull rankings

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1991–2024