Meaning: Its source is Eireann, a Gaelic name meaning "Western Island."

Origin: "Eireann."

Narrative: Erin has been widely used as a poetic name for Ireland in both songs and poems. It evokes a sentimental view of that country especially moving to its emigrant populations in North America and around the world. Such is the musical appeal of the name, however, that it is often encountered in non-Irish families.