Pronunciation
Fer-gul
Meaning
Man of valour
Alternate spellings
Fergal; Farrell
Fun fact
Fearghal appears throughout the history of Irish families, including the O’Neills, O’Rourkes and MacDonnells. Fergal is its familiar anglicised spelling, the same name with a simpler-looking form!
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Fearghal, 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.
Less than 3Babies registered in 2025; no ranking shown
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 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2024 | 3 | #785 |
| 2023 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2022 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2021 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2020 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2019 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2018 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2017 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2016 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2015 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2014 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2013 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2012 | 3 | #718 |
| 2011 | 3 | #730 |
| 2010 | 5 | #542 |
| 2009 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2008 | 5 | #529 |
| 2007 | 3 | #629 |
| 2006 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2005 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2004 | 7 | #322 |
| 2003 | 4 | #423 |
| 2002 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2001 | 6 | #297 |
| 2000 | 6 | #274 |
| 1999 | 3 | #379 |
| 1998 | 6 | #242 |
| 1997 | 7 | #261 |
| 1996 | 8 | #251 |
| 1995 | 12 | #198 |
| 1994 | 9 | #208 |
| 1993 | 6 | #255 |
| 1992 | 10 | #202 |
| 1991 | 12 | #186 |
| 1990 | 8 | #216 |
| 1989 | 9 | #199 |
| 1988 | 11 | #186 |
| 1987 | 11 | #190 |
| 1986 | 19 | #153 |
| 1985 | 6 | #234 |
| 1984 | 9 | #205 |
| 1983 | 8 | #214 |
| 1982 | 8 | #223 |
| 1981 | 9 | #217 |
| 1980 | 8 | #232 |
| 1979 | 11 | #203 |
| 1978 | 10 | #205 |
| 1977 | 7 | #234 |
| 1976 | 3 | #316 |
| 1975 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1974 | 10 | #208 |
| 1973 | 6 | #254 |
| 1972 | 8 | #219 |
| 1971 | 5 | #257 |
| 1970 | 7 | #219 |
| 1969 | 4 | #270 |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | 3 | #232 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.