Clodagh Name Meaning, Origins & History

Clodagh

Pronunciation: KLOH-duh

Meaning A river Origin Irish Gender Girl
GIRLS RANK
#10,268
TREND
158

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Clodagh in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Clodagh

  • 209 babies named Clodagh: U.S. records list 209 babies given the name Clodagh from 1880 through 2025.

What Does the Name Clodagh Mean?

Clodagh is an Irish girls' name borrowed from the name of an Irish river. In Irish the river is called An Chlóideach, a form built on the adjective clóideach, which is connected with washing or flowing water and is usually translated as "washy." A second explanation links the river name to clodach, "mud, muddy ground," which would give the sense "muddy (river)." Because both words describe water and soft ground, the exact sense of the original river name is not settled, and the name is best described as a river name of uncertain but water-related meaning.

Clodagh Name History & Origins

The name comes from Irish river naming rather than from a saint or a biblical source. Two rivers carry the name: the Clodagh in County Tipperary, a tributary of the Suir, and the Clodagh in County Waterford, which flows through Portlaw near Curraghmore, the seat of the Beresford family, the Marquesses of Waterford. In Irish the river is An Chlóideach, and the English spelling Clodagh is an anglicized rendering of that form.

Rivers were a common source of personal names in Ireland, and Clodagh was taken from the river as a given name, used chiefly in Ireland. It is often linked to the Waterford area around Curraghmore, and it remained a recognizably Irish name through the twentieth century, with the Irish-language spelling Clóideach also recorded. The name is distinct from the similar-looking Cloda and from Irish names such as Cliodhna, with which it is sometimes confused but with which it shares no origin.

How Popular is the Name Clodagh?

Clodagh has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2009. Its best rank was #7,469 in 2018.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

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How the Name Clodagh Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.

You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.

✦ Clodagh's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Clodagh's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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