Pronunciation
Kwee-va / Kee-va
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
Gentle, beautiful, precious
Fun fact
You’ll hear both Kwee-va and Kee-va in Ireland. The difference is a lovely example of how local speech gives the same Irish name more than one familiar sound.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Caoimhe, 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.
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 | 130 | #31 |
| 2024 | 131 | #31 |
| 2023 | 158 | #26 |
| 2022 | 190 | #24 |
| 2021 | 183 | #25 |
| 2020 | 163 | #27 |
| 2019 | 226 | #17 |
| 2018 | 190 | #25 |
| 2017 | 223 | #23 |
| 2016 | 256 | #19 |
| 2015 | 252 | #20 |
| 2014 | 242 | #25 |
| 2013 | 292 | #19 |
| 2012 | 334 | #16 |
| 2011 | 398 | #14 |
| 2010 | 323 | #24 |
| 2009 | 326 | #21 |
| 2008 | 355 | #16 |
| 2007 | 361 | #17 |
| 2006 | 363 | #15 |
| 2005 | 345 | #17 |
| 2004 | 357 | #12 |
| 2003 | 357 | #12 |
| 2002 | 272 | #20 |
| 2001 | 274 | #19 |
| 2000 | 253 | #22 |
| 1999 | 236 | #22 |
| 1998 | 184 | #24 |
| 1997 | 252 | #25 |
| 1996 | 161 | #40 |
| 1995 | 171 | #34 |
| 1994 | 124 | #45 |
| 1993 | 123 | #48 |
| 1992 | 103 | #61 |
| 1991 | 105 | #66 |
| 1990 | 82 | #86 |
| 1989 | 73 | #95 |
| 1988 | 79 | #85 |
| 1987 | 64 | #106 |
| 1986 | 56 | #111 |
| 1985 | 42 | #140 |
| 1984 | 54 | #124 |
| 1983 | 36 | #167 |
| 1982 | 36 | #169 |
| 1981 | 34 | #188 |
| 1980 | 23 | #220 |
| 1979 | 28 | #197 |
| 1978 | 25 | #211 |
| 1977 | 22 | #215 |
| 1976 | 16 | #248 |
| 1975 | 13 | #262 |
| 1974 | 16 | #249 |
| 1973 | 11 | #292 |
| 1972 | 9 | #300 |
| 1971 | 9 | #289 |
| 1970 | 5 | #363 |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | 3 | #380 |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.