These
names are used by Celtic peoples.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Rhain m Medieval Welsh, WelshFrom Welsh
rhain meaning "stiff" or "stretched out", sometimes interpreted as "spear". This was borne by a son of the legendary 5th-century king Brychan Brycheiniog, and by a 9th-century king of Dyfed.
Rhianwen f WelshCombination of Welsh
rhiain "maiden" (compare
Rhian) and
gwen "white; fair; blessed".
Rhidian m WelshPossibly a derivative of Old Welsh
rudd "red", in which case it is a cognate of
Ruadhán. This was the name of an early Welsh saint, remembered in the parish and village of Llanrhidian on Gower.
Rhion m & f WelshAs a masculine name, this is a modern Welsh form of
Ryan, or a masculine form of
Rhian, coined from Welsh
rhi "leader".... [
more]
Rhiwallon m WelshWelsh form of the old Celtic name
*Rigovellaunos, perhaps meaning "most kingly" or "lord-ruler" (from
rhi and
gwallon). This name belongs to several characters in the Welsh 'Triads' (11th- to 14th-c.), including a son of
Urien "who fought against the Saxons and enjoyed a number of victories"... [
more]
Rhoswen f WelshDerived from the Welsh elements
rhos "rose" (cf.
Rhosyn) and
gwen "white, pure, holy, fair".
Rhun m Welsh, Medieval Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian CycleOld Welsh name, possibly derived from Proto-Celtic *
roino- meaning "hill, plain" (the source of Scottish Gaelic
raon meaning "plain, field") or Proto-Celtic *
rnf which meant "secret" and "magic" (the source of Middle Welsh
rin which meant "mystery" and "charm" as well as Modern Welsh
rhin meaning "secret")... [
more]
Riagad m BretonDerived from
ri meaning "king" and
kad which means "combat".
Rinn f Irish (Rare)A given name from Gaelic word "rinn," meaning "star." Alternatively, the word can mean "cape" or "point."
Riok m BretonMeans "kingly" from the Old Breton element
ri "king, ruler".
Riphath m Biblical, Irish Mythology, Irish, ScottishName of Gomer second-born son in Genesis ch. 10. Irish/Scottish oral tradition (Leber Gabala Eirinn) lists him as the ancestor of the Scots (including the Irish). They too call him the second son of Gomer... [
more]
Rivelin m BretonDerived from Breton
ri "king" and
belin "brilliant".
Rivod m BretonVariant of
Riwal. This was the name of a legendary ancient Celtic prince of Cornouaille (472-544).
Riwal m BretonDerived from Old Breton
ri "king" and
uuallon "valorous".
Roarke m IrishIt derives from the surname Ó Ruairc in Irish. Other variants of the surname include Rourke and O'Rourke, both common in Ireland. Possibly an Irish translation of the Germanic name Roderick
Rooney m & f Irish, EnglishTransferred use of the surname
Rooney. A famous bearer is the American actress Patricia
Rooney Mara (1985-). Rooney is her mother's family name used as middle name.
Rosién f & m IrishDiminutive of Róis or the Irish word for rose
Ruan m CornishOf uncertain origin and meaning. Saint Ruan was probably a brother of Saint
Tudwal of Tréguier, but little else is known of him beyond that he was probably an Irish missionary and many churches in Devon and Cornwall in England were named after him... [
more]
Ryol m CornishPossibly derives from
rigalis and thusly mean "king". It is the name of the king in the Cornish drama Bewnans Meryasek.
Ryon m IrishThe name Ryon is a variant of Ryan and simply means "King"
Sadwen m WelshVariant form of
Sadwrn. This name was borne by a Welsh saint from the 6th century AD.
Sadwyn m WelshVariant form of
Sadwen. A known bearer of this name is Sadwyn Brophy (b. 1996), a New Zealand actor.
Sali f WelshDiminutive of
Sarah (see
Sally). This is the name of Welsh children’s book and television character
Sali Mali.
Samzun m BretonBreton form of
Samson. Sant Samzun (known as Saint Samson of Dol in English, born c. late 5th century) is counted among the seven founder saints of Brittany.
Sanctan m Manx (Archaic)Saint Sanctan was a 6th-century Manx bishop who is said to have been a disciple of Saint
Patrick, though this is chronologically impossible.
Saorfhlaith f IrishMeans
free princess or
free noblewoman derived from Irish
saor meaning "free" and Irish
flaith meaning "princess, nobelwoman".
Saorla f IrishVariant of
Saorfhlaith. It means
free princess or
free noblewoman derived from Irish
saor meaning "free" and Irish
flaith meaning "princess, nobelwoman".
Séadna m IrishSéadna, also Séanna, is an Irish Gaelic personal name known mostly due to the popularity of the book Séadna, by Father Peadar Ua Laoghaire (occasionally known in English as Peter O'Leary), which was published in 1904... [
more]
Searán f Scottish GaelicThe name Sharon is primarily a female name of Hebrew origin that means Of The Fertile Plain.... [
more]
Searla f IrishVariant of
Saorfhlaith. It means
free princess or
free noblewoman derived from Irish
saor meaning "free" and Irish
flaith meaning "princess, nobelwoman".
Searlaith f IrishVariant of
Saorfhlaith. It means
free princess or
free noblewoman derived from Irish
saor meaning "free" and Irish
flaith meaning "princess, nobelwoman".
Sedulius m Irish (Latinized)Latinization of
Siadhal. This name was borne by Sedulius Scottus (sometimes called Sedulius the Younger, to distinguish him from Coelius Sedulius; fl... [
more]
Seirian f WelshPossibly derived from Welsh
serennu meaning "sparkling (like stars)".
Selyf m WelshWelsh form of
Solomon via Old Welsh
Seleu. Selyf ap Cynan, also known as Selyf Sarffgadau, (died 616) appears in Old Welsh genealogies as an early 7th-century King of Powys, the son of Cynan Garwyn.
Senara f CornishFrom the name of the patron saint of Zennor, a village in Cornwall, which is of obscure origin. Conceivably it may be derived from the Breton name
Azenor or the old Celtic
Senovara... [
more]
Sennen f CornishThe coastal civil parish and village in Cornwall, England.
Seoda f Irish (Modern)Directly taken from Irish
seoda meaning "jewels". This is a modern Irish name.
Sève f BretonAllegedly from Breton
seu "beautiful". She was a Breton saint of the 6th century, a sister of the renowned Saint Tugdual (one of the seven founder saints of Brittany). A commune in Brittany is named for her.
Shanachie f & m Scottish Gaelic, IrishIrish word for "a skilled teller of tales or legends, especially Gaelic ones." From the Scots Gaelic word
seanachaidh, from Old Irish
senchaid, variant of
senchae, meaning historian, derived from
sen, meaning old.
Shaunin m IrishShaunin is a variant of an Irish name
Shaun which means "God is Gracious" or "Gift from God"
Shaylon m Scottish GaelicShaylon as a boy's name is related to the Gaelic name Shea. The meaning of Shaylon is "admirable
Shelta m & f IrishFrom the name of a private or secret language spoken by Irish Travellers (a group also known as the Pavee). It means "a voice that moves" in Shelta ("moves" in the sense of being emotional, endearing and affectionate) and some modern Celticists think it comes from the Irish Gaelic word
siúlta which means "walking" (the "s" is pronounced "sh" and the diphthong is as much like a slurred schwa sound).... [
more]
Síoda m IrishOriginally a Gaelic byname meaning "silk".
Siodhach m IrishMost likely related to the word "peace". Compare
Siochain "peace" and
Siodhachain Siún f Irish (Rare)Rare Irish form of
Susan, possibly a variant of
Siobhán. Used as the name of the title character in the traditional song
Siún Ní Dhuibhir ("Susan O'Dwyer").
Slevin m English (Rare), Irish (Anglicized)Transferred use of the surname
Slevin. The author Anne Tyler used this name in her novel 'Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant' (1982); it was also used in the movie 'Lucky Number Slevin' (2006).
Solen m & f BretonBreton variant of
Solène used as both a masculine and feminine name.
Sorghey f ManxManx form of
Sorcha. This name was traditionally Anglicized as the etymologically unrelated
Sarah.
Sowena f Cornish (Modern)Derived from Cornish
sowena "success, prosperity, welfare". This is a modern Cornish name.
Stéise f IrishDiminutive of
Annstás, an Irish form of
Anastasia (which was imported to Ireland by Anglo-Norman settlers).
Sterenn f BretonDerived from Breton
sterenn "star" (cf.
Steren), this name is occasionally considered the Breton equivalent of Saint
Asteria.
Súileabhán m IrishMeans "little dark eye" in Irish, from Old Irish
súil "eye",
dub "black, dark", and
án, a diminutive suffix. This is the original Irish form of
Sullivan.
Sulien m Breton, Welsh, Celtic MythologyDerived from the Celtic name
Sulgen meaning "born from the sun". This was the name of a Celtic sun god. It was borne by several early saints.
Sulwyn m WelshAppears to be a form of Welsh
Sulgwyn "Pentecost, Whitsunday" (literally "white Sunday", from
(Dydd) Sul "Sunday, day of the sun" +
gwyn "white, holy, blessed"). But Sul (= "sun") was also the name of a Celtic saint, commemorated in certain Welsh place names (e.g. Llandysul, Llandysilio); Sulwyn is formed from this element + -
wyn, name suffix meaning "white, fair" from Welsh
gwyn.
Swyn f & m Welsh (Rare)Means "spell, charm" in Welsh, ultimately from Latin
signum "sign".
Taig m ManxManx cognate of
Tadg. This name was traditionally Anglicized as the etymologically unrelated
Timothy.
Talek m CornishDerived from Cornish
talek "big-browed", ultimately from Old Cornish
talawg "high forehead" or "big brow".
Talfan m WelshTalfan has its origins in the Welsh language and it is also used largely in Welsh. The meaning of Talfan is 'tall beacon'. Famous individuals with the name: Aneirin Talfan Davies OBE, (11 May 1909 – 14 July 1980) was a Welsh poet, broadcaster and literary critic... [
more]
Talwyn f Cornish (Modern)Derived from Cornish
tal "brow; forehead; temple" and
gwynn "fair; white; blessed". This is a modern Cornish name.
Tamara f Cornish, Celtic MythologyIn Cornish folklore, Tamara is a nymph who lived in the underworld and wanted to wander freely in the mortal world, against the advice of her parents. When she falls in love with the giant
Tawradge, she refuses to return to the underworld with her father... [
more]
Tangwen f WelshDerived from Welsh
tanc "peace" combined with
gwen "white, fair, blessed". It occurs briefly in 'Culhwch and Olwen' belonging to a lady at King Arthur's court, the daughter of Gweir Servitor of Birds.
Tanwen f WelshMeans "white fire" from Welsh
tan "fire" (compare
Tanguy) combined with
gwen "white, fair, blessed". This is a modern Welsh name, first used in the 1960s.
Tanwyn m WelshMeans "white fire", derived from Welsh
tân "fire" and
gwyn "white, fair, blessed".
Tathan m & f WelshThe meaning is unfortunately unknown to me. This was the name of a Welsh saint from the 5th century AD; sources conflict over whether the saint was a male or a female. In the case of the latter, the saint was thought to be a daughter of a King of Gwent.
Tecwyn m Welsh, History (Ecclesiastical)Derived from Welsh
teg "beautiful; fair" and
gwyn "white; fair; blessed". Saint Tecwyn is the patron saint and founder of Llandecwyn in the Welsh county of Gwynedd.
Tegeirian f & m Welsh (Rare)Means "orchid" in Welsh, composed of Welsh
teg "fair, beautiful" and
eirian "bright, brilliant, fair".