Oonagh: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Oonagh is an Irish girl's name meaning “lamb.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated October 2026
- Meaning
- Lamb
- Gender
- Girl
- Also spelled
- Oona, Una
How do you pronounce Oonagh?
Oonagh is pronounced OU-na. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. Other spellings: Oona and Una.
What does Oonagh mean?
From the Irish word uan “a lamb” or may come from the Latin una meaning “one”, hence it is sometimes translated as “Unity.” In legend Oonagh was “Queen of the Fairies” who had long golden hair which reached to the ground and she was also the wife of Fionn Mac Cool (read the legend).
Oonagh in Irish legend
Fionn MacCool, was no ordinary giant. He was the biggest and the strongest giant in all Ireland.
Read The Legend of Fionn MacCoolHow popular is Oonagh in Ireland?
Oonagh wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2024, when 3 baby girls got the name. It was most popular in 1967, when 22 baby girls were named Oonagh, No. 171 that year. The most babies got the name in 1973: 37. The records go back to 1964, when 17 baby girls were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | No. 898 |
| 2023 | 4 | No. 727 |
| 2022 | 5 | No. 634 |
| 2021 | 4 | No. 764 |
| 2020 | 8 | No. 444 |
| 2019 | 4 | No. 716 |
| 2018 | 3 | No. 896 |
| 2016 | 5 | No. 661 |
| 2015 | 4 | No. 751 |
| 2014 | 10 | No. 427 |
| 2011 | 3 | No. 937 |
| 2008 | 8 | No. 501 |
| 2006 | 4 | No. 635 |
| 2005 | 3 | No. 689 |
| 2004 | 8 | No. 370 |
| 2003 | 6 | No. 439 |
| 2002 | 5 | No. 443 |
| 2001 | 4 | No. 498 |
| 2000 | 6 | No. 378 |
| 1998 | 3 | No. 498 |
| 1997 | 9 | No. 326 |
| 1996 | 4 | No. 471 |
| 1995 | 8 | No. 327 |
| 1994 | 7 | No. 350 |
| 1993 | 9 | No. 320 |
| 1992 | 9 | No. 322 |
| 1991 | 8 | No. 338 |
| 1990 | 11 | No. 281 |
| 1989 | 4 | No. 445 |
| 1988 | 9 | No. 329 |
| 1987 | 13 | No. 272 |
| 1986 | 15 | No. 250 |
| 1985 | 12 | No. 283 |
| 1984 | 13 | No. 280 |
| 1983 | 18 | No. 242 |
| 1982 | 17 | No. 259 |
| 1981 | 25 | No. 212 |
| 1980 | 20 | No. 235 |
| 1979 | 16 | No. 261 |
| 1978 | 23 | No. 222 |
| 1977 | 16 | No. 248 |
| 1976 | 25 | No. 207 |
| 1975 | 16 | No. 238 |
| 1974 | 26 | No. 202 |
| 1973 | 37 | No. 172 |
| 1972 | 30 | No. 180 |
| 1971 | 28 | No. 189 |
| 1970 | 23 | No. 193 |
| 1969 | 19 | No. 206 |
| 1968 | 24 | No. 179 |
| 1967 | 22 | No. 171 |
| 1966 | 13 | No. 210 |
| 1965 | 15 | No. 198 |
| 1964 | 17 | No. 186 |
Oonagh in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Oonagh, letter by letter.
- OOnn, gorse
- OOnn, gorse
- NNion, ash
- AAilm, pine
- GGort, ivy
- HUath, hawthorn
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Oonagh
Questions about Oonagh
- How do you pronounce Oonagh?
- Oonagh is pronounced OU-na, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Oonagh mean?
- Oonagh is an Irish girl's name meaning “lamb.” In Irish legend, Oonagh was the Queen of the Fairies and the wife of Fionn Mac Cool.
- Is Oonagh a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Oonagh is a girl's name.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA60 (CC BY 4.0). How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com