Boy's name

Diarmaid

“DEER-mid”

possibly 'without envy' or 'free man'

DermotDiarmuidJeremiahDarby

The story behind the name

Two Diarmaids shaped Ireland: the legendary Diarmaid who eloped with Gráinne and died on Benbulben, and Diarmait Mac Murchada, king of Leinster, who in 1167 brought Norman soldiers to Ireland to win back his kingdom — and changed the country forever.

Its age Associated with 1169 — The Norman Invasion. See Ireland in that year on the atlas ↗

Where the name belongs

Wexford Sligo

Quick answers

How do you pronounce Diarmaid?

Diarmaid is pronounced “DEER-mid”. Irish has three main dialect groups (Ulster, Connacht and Munster) and many names are said differently in each. The respellings here give the pronunciation most commonly heard in Irish English; where a well-known variant exists, both are shown.

What does the name Diarmaid mean?

Diarmaid means possibly 'without envy' or 'free man'.

Is Diarmaid a boy's or a girl's name?

Diarmaid is traditionally a boy's name in Ireland.

How popular is the name Diarmaid in Ireland?

Diarmaid was the number 272 boys' name in the Republic of Ireland in 2025, from number 130 ten years earlier. Its best year was 1972, at number 30. Source: the CSO's register of names given three or more times.

How else is Diarmaid spelled?

Other spellings and equivalents include Dermot, Diarmuid, Jeremiah, Darby. Irish names were written down by English-speaking clerks for centuries, which is why so many spellings survive for one name.

In the register

#272 for boys in 2025 (#130 in 2015) · best: #30 in 1972

The full register → CSO, Republic of Ireland, names given three or more times.

Related names

Criomhthann

Meanings follow Ó Corráin & Maguire's Irish Names and Woulfe; pronunciations give the commonest Irish-English form. Know this name better — a dialect pronunciation, a family tradition? Tell us. · All Irish names A–Z