Croía is a modern feminine given name of Irish origin, derived directly from the Irish word croí, meaning "heart." The name has gained particular prominence in recent years, most notably after Irish mixed martial artist Conor McGregor used it for his daughter born in 2019. According to the Central Statistics Office, by 2023 Croía had risen to become the 23rd most popular girls' name in the Republic of Ireland, and 59th in Northern Ireland, reflecting a surge in interest following media coverage. Etymology and Variants Croía (also spelled Croíadh or Croia meaning "heart" in Irish) is a derivative of the noun croí. While croí itself has occasionally been used as a given name (recorded for 7 boys and 3 girls born in 2019), the specific form Croía with its suffix is not a traditional Irish word, as noted by scholar Maitiú Ó Coimín. Variant spellings such as Croíadh, Croia, Croiagh, and Croiadh have appeared in isolated instances in Northern Ireland records dating back to 1998, though widespread acceptance only emerged after 2018, when the CSO first recorded more than three babies registered with either Croía or its variants. Notable Bearers and Cultural References Beyond the McGregor family, the name Croía has been used in popular satire: in a 2017 column by the Irish Times, friends of Ross O'Carroll-Kelly's wife Sorcha bear extravagantly Irish names to parody a certain middle-class view of Irishness; one such friend in a 2018 column is named Croía. This cultural touchpoint underscores the name's perceived hyper-identification with Irish linguistic identity in contemporary contexts. Statistics and Distribution Data from the CSO (Ireland) and NISRA (Northern Ireland) show the name's growth: a handful of births per year from the late 1990s up to 2017, followed by a steep increase after the McGregor publicity. By 2021, more than 150 baby girls were named Croía across Ireland in a single year. NISRA recorded the name among the top 100 for the first time in 2020, with isolated pre-2000 variants appearing as early as 1998. Meaning: "heart" Origin: Irish language word croí Type: Modern invented given name Usage regions: Ireland (especially Republic, also Northern Ireland)