Girl · #584 in 2026

Eileen

Eileen is an Irish feminine given name anglicised from Eibhlín, an Irish form of the Norman French name Aveline, which is derived from the Germanic Avi, possibly meaning desire in combination with the diminutive suffix el and -in. It is related to the English name Evelyn and the variant name Aileen. It has been featured in classic Irish songs.

Current Rank
#584
Peak Rank
#68 (1947)
Total Babies
190K
5-Yr Trend
+16%
1882
First Year
2026
Last Year
1947
Peak Year
#68
Peak Rank
190K
Total Count
144
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Eileen

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Eileen is an Irish feminine given name anglicised from Eibhlín, an Irish form of the Norman French name Aveline, which is derived from the Germanic Avi, possibly meaning desire in combination with the diminutive suffix el and -in. It is related to the English name Evelyn and the variant name Aileen. It has been featured in classic Irish songs.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Eileen

Eileen first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1882, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1947, when 4,251 Eileens were born — ranking #91 that year. As of 2026, Eileen ranks #584 for baby girls with 518 births, rising sharply (+16% over the past five years). In total, more than 190K Eileens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Eileen

Phonetically similar names — useful when Eileen is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Eileen

What does the name Eileen mean?
Eileen is an Irish feminine given name anglicised from Eibhlín, an Irish form of the Norman French name Aveline, which is derived from the Germanic Avi, possibly meaning desire in combination with the diminutive suffix el and -in. It is related to the English name Evelyn and the variant name Aileen. It has been featured in classic Irish songs.
How popular is Eileen in 2026?
In 2026, Eileen ranks #584 among girls' names in the U.S., with 518 babies given the name that year.
When was Eileen most popular?
Eileen reached its peak popularity in 1947, ranking #68 that year with 4,251 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Eileen most popular?
Eileen has historically been most popular in New Jersey, New York, North Dakota. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Eileen.
Is Eileen a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Eileen is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Eileen?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Eileen include Flora, Veronica, Vickie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Flora
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Veronica
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👧
Vickie
Peak #68
👧
Marsha
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👧
Eden
Peak #68
👧
Cheyenne
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👧
Briana
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Susie
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About the name Eileen

Eileen is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 190K births in the dataset. Eileen's peak popularity came in 1947 when it ranked #68. Use the chart and map above to compare Eileen's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.