UK boy's name
Diarmuid
A masculine name of Irish origin meaning "freeman" or "free-man".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Diarmuid is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Diarmuid popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4527, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 10 births.
This profile covers 47 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 1996 to 2009. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 30% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 233 living people in the UK are called Diarmuid. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2010 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Diarmuid ranked #4527 for boys in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2002, when 10 boys were registered as Diarmuid.
- • Diarmuid ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #404 in 2024.
- • About 233 living people in the UK are estimated to have Diarmuid as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4527
2009
Births in 2009
3
Latest year
Peak year
2002
10 births
Estimated living
233
2026
Meaning
What does Diarmuid mean?
The name Diarmuid is an Irish masculine given name derived from the old Irish words "diar" meaning "free" or "without" and "muit" meaning "shame" or "blemish". The name is believed to have originated in the 5th or 6th century AD among the Gaelic peoples of Ireland.
One of the earliest known historical references to the name Diarmuid comes from the Irish mythological text, the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. In these tales, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne is a warrior of the Fianna and lover of the beautiful Gráinne. Their famous elopement is a central story in the cycle.
In the 6th century AD, Diarmuid mac Cerbaill was a High King of Ireland who ruled from 538 to 558 AD. He is known for codifying the Brehon Laws and promoting the spread of Christianity in Ireland during his reign.
Another notable Diarmuid from Irish history was Diarmuid MacMurrough (1110-1171), the King of Leinster. In 1167, he sought military aid from King Henry II of England, leading to the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169-1170.
The name also appears in Scottish history with Diarmuid the Galloway Man (fl. 1290s), a Scottish warrior who fought alongside William Wallace against the English during the Scottish Wars of Independence.
In more recent centuries, notable bearers of the name include Diarmuid Ó Muirithe (1924-2006), an Irish language scholar and broadcaster, and Diarmuid Connolly (born 1987), an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for the Dublin senior team.
Throughout its long history, the name Diarmuid has maintained a strong connection to Irish and Celtic culture, appearing in mythology, historical records, and continuing to be used by families today. Its origins reflect values of honor and freedom that were esteemed in ancient Irish society.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Diarmuid over time
The chart below shows babies named Diarmuid registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Diarmuid, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2009, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Diarmuid by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Diarmuid was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #2776 | 38 | 7 |
| 1990s | #2902 | 9 | 3 |
Geography
Where Diarmuid is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Diarmuid. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Diarmuid ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #404 in 2024.
Across the UK
Diarmuid in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#648 in 2011
4 years of NRS records, 12 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#404 in 2024
24 years of NISRA records, 176 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Diarmuid
-
Diarmuid Kelley
painter
British painter (born 1972)
1972-
-
Diarmuid Gavin
writer
Irish garden designer and television personality
1964-
-
Diarmuid Byron O'Connor
artist; sculptor
British artist
1964-
-
Diarmuid Lawrence
television director; film director
English television director
1947-2019
-
Diarmuid Dalton
musician; songwriter
British musician
-
Diarmuid Marsden
Gaelic football player
Gaelic footballer
Related
Names similar to Diarmuid
- Daniel 120,900
- Dylan 60,836
- David 37,852
- Dominic 20,480
- Declan 11,657
- Dexter 11,627
- Danny 8,434
- Dean 5,329
- Dillon 4,113
- Douglas 3,773
- Dominik 3,494
- Damian 3,486
FAQ
Diarmuid: questions and answers
How popular is the name Diarmuid in the UK right now?
In 2009, Diarmuid was ranked #4527 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Diarmuid most popular?
The peak year on record was 2002, with 10 babies registered as Diarmuid in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Diarmuid?
A masculine name of Irish origin meaning "freeman" or "free-man".
How many people are called Diarmuid in the UK?
A total of 47 babies have been registered as Diarmuid across the 10 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 12 more in Scotland and 176 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Diarmuid most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Diarmuid ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #404 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.