Eileen

Eileen: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning: “bright, shining one”
Origin: Irish
Say it: eye-LEEN · 2 syllables
Used for: Girls

Anglicized Irish form of Eibhlín, an Irish adaptation ultimately linked to Aveline or Helen traditions. The exact pathway is debated, but the usual meaning given is from Helen.

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How popular is Eileen?

2024153 per million US babies

Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Compare with another name

Babies named Eileen in 2024508

2024 rank#593 girls

Peak year1943

Total US babies since 1880189,576

Eileen is steady now but far below its 1943 peak.

Names like Eileen

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

Maeveshe who intoxicates · Irish
Kennedyhelmeted head · Irish
Sloaneraider · Irish
Delaneydescendant of the challenger · Irish
Reaganlittle king · Irish
Alannachild; or dear one · Irish
Teaganlittle poet · Irish
Mckennason of Cionaodh · Irish

Eileen questions

What does the name Eileen mean?

Eileen means "bright, shining one". It comes from Irish. Anglicized Irish form of Eibhlín, an Irish adaptation ultimately linked to Aveline or Helen traditions. The exact pathway is debated, but the usual meaning given is from Helen.

Is Eileen a boy or girl name?

Eileen is mainly a girl's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Eileen?

508 US babies were named Eileen in 2024. Its peak year was 1943.

How do you pronounce Eileen?

Eileen is usually pronounced eye-LEEN.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.