UK girl's name
Mairin
A feminine name of Irish origin, meaning "little bitter" or "wealthy".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2001. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Mairin is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Mairin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2001 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3998, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2001 to 2001. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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.
Mairin is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Mairin. 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 2002 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Mairin ranked #3998 for girls in England and Wales in 2001, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 3 girls were registered as Mairin.
- • Mairin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #783 in 2009.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mairin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3998
2001
Births in 2001
3
Latest year
Peak year
2001
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Mairin mean?
The name Mairin originates from the Irish language and is a feminine form of the name Muiradhaigh or Muiredach, derived from the Gaelic elements "muir" meaning "sea" and "adhamh" meaning "fire" or "radiant." It is believed to have been in use since the early medieval period in Ireland, around the 5th to 7th centuries AD.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mairin is found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle of medieval Irish history. The entry from the year 736 AD mentions a "Mairin ingen Cellaich" (Mairin, daughter of Cellach), suggesting the name was in use among the Irish nobility during that time.
In the 9th century, an Irish princess named Mairin ingen Shaughnessy is mentioned in the Book of Leinster, a medieval Irish manuscript. She was the daughter of Shaughnessy, the King of Munster, and is said to have lived in the late 8th or early 9th century.
Saint Mairin, also known as Muirine or Muirin, was an Irish abbess and founder of the monastery of Killmurvey in County Galway, Ireland. She lived in the 6th century and is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, with her feast day celebrated on June 21st.
Another notable historical figure with the name Mairin was Mairin Ui Mhaonaigh, an Irish noblewoman and chieftain of the Ui Mhaonaigh clan in the 14th century. She is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, for her role in conflicts between Irish clans during that period.
In the 16th century, Mairin Ni Mhaille, also known as Grace O'Malley, was an Irish pirate queen and chieftain of the Ó Máille clan in western Ireland. She is renowned for her naval exploits and battles against the English crown, and is considered a significant figure in Irish folklore and history.
While the name Mairin has its roots in the Irish language and culture, it has gained popularity and recognition in other parts of the world over time, with variations in spelling and pronunciation. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rich heritage of Ireland and its ancient traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Mairin by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mairin 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 | #3998 | 3 | 1 |
Geography
Where Mairin is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Mairin. 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.
Mairin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #783 in 2009.
Across the UK
Mairin in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#783 in 2009
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Mairin
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Mairin: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mairin in the UK right now?
In 2001, Mairin was ranked #3998 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Mairin most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 3 babies registered as Mairin in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mairin?
A feminine name of Irish origin, meaning "little bitter" or "wealthy".
How many people are called Mairin in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Mairin across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Mairin most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Mairin ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #783 in 2009. 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.