The baby name Fia could be the next big Irish import, following Maeve into wider use.
Thanks to Ashley for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME FIA MEAN?
Let’s start with Fiadh.
(From an American English perspective, treat the -dh as silent and pronounce it to rhyme with Gia and Leah.)
It’s been a Top Ten name in Ireland since 2018.
Spelled with an accent – Fíadh – the name also ranks in the Irish Top 100.
It’s equally popular in Northern Ireland, and rising in Scotland, as well as England and Wales.
It’s a modern girl’s name meaning deer.
But that’s not a literal translation. Instead, the meaning of Fia is closer to wild or untamed, in an outdoorsy, heavy-on-nature kind of way. The Irish word fiadhúrla translates to wildlife.
Once it also meant waste – but more from the idea of a vacant wasteland of wilderness.
If you know your Fontaines D.C., you might immediately think Skinty Fia. The band’s 2022 album took its name from a mild swear. It translates to “the damnation of the deer,” a reference to the extinct Irish giant deer.
It’s a familiar term in Irish, with lots of meaning attached, nearly all positive, at least in recent years.
IS FIA A MODERN IRISH NAME?
As an Irish given name, Fiadh debuted in their Top 100 in the year 2013. It started out as a bit of a hipster favorite.
It feels like a modern choice. There’s no mythological figure or saint called Fiadh or Fia.
The sound is familiar, though:
- There’s Fiachna – meaning raven, the name of a 7th century king as well as a few characters in myth and legend.
- Favorite Irish import Finn started out as Fionn.
- The element Fionn appears in names like Fionnuala and Fiona, too.
The Irish language is enjoying a renaissance. During the late 19th century, organizations like the Gaelic League promoted language learning and use. Enthusiasm has ebbed and flowed over time, but the percentage of Irish citizens who can speak at least some Irish has increased dramatically, to around 40%.
No surprise, then, that Irish names are of particular interest to modern parents.
IS FIA A NICKNAME?
Of course, there are other ways the baby name Fia might be understood.
It’s easy to imagine Fia as a short form of Sofia or Sophia. It would work for Fiona, or even Josephine, too.
One more: the Italian name Fiamma, meaning flame, could shorten to Fia.
But Fia can certainly stand on its own.
MINI NAMES
After all, the trends favor plenty of mini names. Ava and Leo, Max and Mia.
In fact, Mia is quite popular in Ireland, as well as elsewhere in the world, swinging the door open wide for Fia.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME FIA?
Let’s talk about popularity.
Because in Ireland, as well as the United Kingdom, Fiadh is a pretty familiar choice. Fiadh has regularly appeared in the Irish Top Ten for girls.
But in the US? Fiadh first registers in the US data in the year 2018, with 16 births. As of 2024, 71 girls were named Fiadh.
Then again, we don’t name a lot of girls Niamh or Saoirse in the US.
The simplified form Fia? That could work. Mia has been a Top Ten name. We love Lia and Gia. The numbers bear this out. Fia debuted in US popularity data in the year 2006 with 7 births. As of 2024, 92 girls were given the name.
RISING FAVORITE
With Liam as the top name in the US, and Maeve as a Top 100 choice, it’s easy to see that Irish names continue to find favor with American parents.
The baby name Fia fits that pattern. If you’re looking for something brief, offbeat, and at least a little bit kelly green, Fia might be the perfect name for your daughter.
What do you think of the baby name Fia?
