Aisling

Meaning of Aisling

Aisling, deriving from the Irish Gaelic term for “dream” or “vision,” originated in the seventeenth-century genre of Irish-language poetry in which the poet, assuming a visionary stance, encountered an allegorical representation of Ireland; subsequently, the appellation was adopted as a feminine given name that conveys both literary sophistication and a profound connection to Celtic cultural heritage. Retaining its original pronunciation—ASH-ling (/ˈæʃlɪŋ/)—the name has been gradually incorporated into Anglo-American naming conventions, achieving a rank of 920th among female births in the United States in 2024, a placement that attests to a measured yet enduring preference for names distinguished by historical depth and linguistic distinctiveness.