Pronunciation
Bah-rah
Meaning
Fair head, fair-haired
Fun fact
Barra is a short form of Fionnbharr, pronounced Fyun-var or Fin-var. Fionn means ‘fair’ or ‘bright’, and barr means ‘head’ or ‘top’. Dropping the opening part gave the name its shorter form, Barra, while keeping the fair-haired connection.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Barra, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
#170Rank among boy names in 202529Babies registered in 2025
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #170 |
| 2024 | 15 | #275 |
| 2023 | 18 | #243 |
| 2022 | 18 | #262 |
| 2021 | 8 | #414 |
| 2020 | 8 | #433 |
| 2019 | 11 | #352 |
| 2018 | 5 | #572 |
| 2017 | 13 | #317 |
| 2016 | 9 | #389 |
| 2015 | 6 | #503 |
| 2014 | 9 | #403 |
| 2013 | 12 | #338 |
| 2012 | 6 | #500 |
| 2011 | 5 | #540 |
| 2010 | 5 | #542 |
| 2009 | 3 | #701 |
| 2008 | 6 | #472 |
| 2007 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2006 | 3 | #596 |
| 2005 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2004 | 5 | #390 |
| 2003 | 4 | #423 |
| 2002 | 5 | #348 |
| 2001 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2000 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1999 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1998 | 4 | #324 |
| 1997 | 4 | #337 |
| 1996 | 3 | #369 |
| 1995 | 3 | #334 |
| 1994 | 3 | #342 |
| 1993 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1992 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1991 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1990 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1989 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1988 | 4 | #271 |
| 1987 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1986 | 5 | #256 |
| 1985 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1984 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1983 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1982 | 5 | #268 |
| 1981 | 3 | #322 |
| 1980 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1979 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1978 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1977 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1976 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1975 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1974 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1973 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1972 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1971 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1970 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.