Girl's name

Muireann

“MWIR-in”

muir + fionn, 'sea-white' or 'sea-fair'

MuirinnMorrin

The story behind the name

A name out of the sea, borne in the Fenian tales by Muireann Muncháem, mother of Fionn mac Cumhaill, and by a legendary mermaid (Muirgen, 'sea-born') who was caught in a net in Lough Neagh and baptised. It survives in Connacht.

Quick answers

How do you pronounce Muireann?

Muireann is pronounced “MWIR-in”. 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 Muireann mean?

Muireann means muir + fionn, 'sea-white' or 'sea-fair'.

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

Muireann is traditionally a girl's name in Ireland.

How popular is the name Muireann in Ireland?

Muireann was the number 196 girls' name in the Republic of Ireland in 2025, from number 139 ten years earlier. Its best year was 2011, at number 87. Source: the CSO's register of names given three or more times.

How else is Muireann spelled?

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

In the register

#196 for girls in 2025 (#139 in 2015) · best: #87 in 2011

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

Related names

Muirgheal Muirne Muircheartach Muiris Muireadhach

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