What does Sinead mean?
Sinéad is an Irish form of Jane/Jeanette, ultimately “God is gracious.”
What does Aoife mean?
Aoife comes from the Irish for “radiant” or “beautiful,” and is borne by a great warrior of Irish legend.
Sinead vs Aoife
Which is more popular?
Aoife is more popular than Sinead today: about 88 US babies were given the name Aoife in 2025, compared with 11 named Sinead.
| Sinead | Aoife | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | God is gracious | Radiant, beautiful |
| Origin | Irish | Irish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | shin-AYD | EE-fuh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1975 | 1985 |
| Peak year | 1990 (160) | 2018 (117) |
| In 2025 | 11 | 88 |
| Trend | Declining | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Sinead
Aoife
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Sinead | Aoife |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 60 | 592 |
| 2010s | 118 | 862 |
| 2000s | 295 | 503 |
| 1990s | 627 | 201 |
| 1980s | 182 | 23 |
| 1970s | 58 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sinead or Aoife more popular?
Aoife is more popular than Sinead today: about 88 US babies were given the name Aoife in 2025, compared with 11 named Sinead.
What is the difference between Sinead and Aoife?
Sinead means God is gracious (Irish origin), while Aoife means Radiant, beautiful (Irish origin).
Which name is older, Sinead or Aoife?
In US records, Sinead first appears in 1975 and Aoife in 1985, so Sinead has the longer recorded history.