Two Irish names have become very popular with parents in the US this year

It's a universally-accepted truth that Americans love a bit of anything Irish.

The two countries have a rich intertwined history - millions of US citizens claim Celtic ancestry as so many people left Ireland over the years to start a new life there. Now it looks like two classic Irish names are becoming popular with American parents. Among the most-searched for baby names across the pond this year have been Maeve and Declan. Name website Nameberry has included the names in its top 20 most searched lists of 2018 so far - Maeve comes in at number 11 on the girls' list while Declan in tenth place on the boys' list. In Irish mythology, Maeve was the warrior queen of Connacht who played a hand in the death of hero Cúchulainn. Declan, meanwhile, was a saint whose ship was wrecked on the Co Waterford coast. The name means 'man of prayer' or 'full of goodness'.  

Here are the most searched-for girl baby names of the year so far in the US.

1. Olivia 2. Amara 3. Cora 4. Isla 5. Charlotte 6. Aurora 7. Amelia 8. Rose 9. Ava 10. Genevieve 11. Maeve 12. Penelope 13. Iris 14. Violet 15. Ophelia 16. Eleanor 17. Esme 18. Luna 19. Imogen 20. Eloise  

And here are the top searched-for boy names of 2018 up to now.

1. Atticus 2. Milo 3. Jasper 4. Jack 5. Asher 6. Silas 7. Theodore 8. Wyatt 9. Henry 10. Declan 11. Finn 12. Oscar 13. Olivier 14. Leo 15. Felix 16. Bodhi 17. Aryan 18. Arthur 19. Levi 20. Axel