Unisex · #12,180 in 2026

Hiraeth

Hiraeth is a Welsh word for a type of longing or homesickness for Wales, particularly with a nostalgic character.

Current Rank
#12,180
Peak Rank
#9,670 (2022)
Total Babies
25
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #9,670 (25 total)
👦 Boy peak #9,707 (7 total)
👧As Girl Name
2021
First Year
2023
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#9670
Peak Rank
25
Total Count
3
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
2021
First Year
2021
Last Year
2021
Peak Year
#9707
Peak Rank
7
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Hiraeth

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

Hiraeth is a Welsh word for a type of longing or homesickness for Wales, particularly with a nostalgic character.

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

Etymology
Derived from hir 'long' and -aeth (a nominal suffix creating an abstract noun from an adjective), the word is literally equivalent to English 'longing'. A less likely, but possible, etymology is hir 'long' + aeth 'pain, grief, sorrow, longing'. In the earliest citations in early Welsh poetry it implies 'grief or longing after the loss or death of someone'.

The Story of Hiraeth

As a girl name

The earliest SSA record of Hiraeth as a girl name dates back to 2021, when 8 babies received it. 2022 was its biggest year on record, with 10 newborns named Hiraeth — #9,670 in the national rankings. Hiraeth last appeared in the published SSA data in 2023, with 7 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 25 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2020s to the 2020s.

As a boy name

Hiraeth first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2021, with 7 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 7 births, good for #9,707 nationwide. Hiraeth last appeared in the published SSA data in 2021, with 7 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 7 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2020s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

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 Hiraeth

Phonetically similar names — useful when Hiraeth 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 Hiraeth

What does the name Hiraeth mean?
Hiraeth is a Welsh word for a type of longing or homesickness for Wales, particularly with a nostalgic character.
How popular is Hiraeth in 2026?
In 2026, Hiraeth ranks #12,180 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.
When was Hiraeth most popular?
Hiraeth reached its peak popularity in 2022, ranking #9,670 that year with 10 babies given the name.
Is Hiraeth a unisex name?
Yes — Hiraeth is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 78% of Hiraeths assigned female and 22% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Hiraeth?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Hiraeth include Dorah, Tema, Beni. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Hiraeth

Hiraeth is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2021 and has accumulated 25 births in the dataset. Hiraeth's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #9,670. Use the chart and map above to compare Hiraeth'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.