Irish Names

Irish names are used on the island of Ireland as well as elsewhere in the Western World as a result of the Irish diaspora. See also about Irish names.
gender
usage
Máighréad f Irish
Irish form of Margaret.
Mainchín m Irish
Means "little monk", derived from Old Irish manach "monk" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by two early saints.
Máire f Irish
Irish form of Maria (see Mary). The form Muire is used to refer to the Virgin Mary.
Máiréad f Irish
Irish form of Margaret.
Mairéad f Irish
Irish form of Margaret.
Máirín f Irish
Irish diminutive of Mary.
Máirtín m Irish
Irish form of Martin.
Maitiú m Irish
Irish form of Matthew.
Majella f Irish
From the surname of the Italian saint Gerard Majella (1726-1755; called Gerardo Maiella in Italian), a miracle worker who is regarded as the patron saint of pregnancy and childbirth. His surname is derived from the name of the Maiella massif in Abruzzo, Italy.
Malachy m Irish
Anglicized form of Máel Sechnaill or Máel Máedóc, influenced by the spelling of Malachi. Saint Malachy (in Irish, Máel Máedóc) was a 12th-century archbishop of Armagh renowned for his miracles.
Mallaidh f Irish (Rare)
Irish form of Molly.
Mannix m Irish
Anglicized form of Mainchín.
Manus m Irish
Irish form of Magnus.
Marcas m Irish, Scottish Gaelic
Irish and Scottish Gaelic form of Marcus (see Mark).
Mathúin m Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish form of Mathgamain.
Maura 2 f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Máire. It has also been associated with Irish mór meaning "great". This was the name of an obscure 5th-century Irish martyr.
Maureen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Máirín.
Mave f Irish (Rare)
Variant of Maeve.
Mavourneen f Irish (Rare)
Derived from the Irish phrase mo mhúirnín meaning "my darling".
Méabh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Medb (see Maeve).
Meadhbh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Medb (see Maeve).
Meallán m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Mellán, derived from mell meaning either "pleasant, delightful" or "lump, ball" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a few early saints.
Meave f Irish
Variant of Maeve.
Mellan m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Meallán.
Mícheál m Irish
Irish form of Michael.
Moira f Irish, Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Máire. It also coincides with Greek Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.
Móirín f Irish (Rare)
Diminutive of Mór 1.
Mona 1 f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Muadhnait. It is also associated with Greek monos "one" and Leonardo da Vinci's painting the Mona Lisa (in which case it is a contraction of Italian ma donna meaning "my lady").
Monat f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Muadhnait.
Moreen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Móirín. It is sometimes used as a variant of Maureen.
Moyna f Irish
Variant of Mona 1.
Moyra f Irish, Scottish
Variant of Moira.
Muadhnait f Irish (Rare)
Means "little noble one", derived from the Old Irish poetic word muad meaning "noble, good" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 6th-century saint, a sister of Saint Mo Laisse.
Muire f Irish
Irish form of Maria (see Mary). This form is typically reserved for the Virgin Mary, with Máire used as a given name.
Muirgheal f Irish (Rare)
Modern form of Muirgel.
Muirín f Irish (Rare)
Modern form of Muirgen.
Muiris m Irish
Irish form of Maurice.
Muriel f English, French, Irish, Scottish, Medieval Breton (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Irish Muirgel and Scottish Muireall. A form of this name was also used in Brittany, and it was first introduced to medieval England by Breton settlers in the wake of the Norman Conquest. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel John Halifax, Gentleman (1856).
Murna f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Muirne.
Murrough m Irish
Anglicized form of Murchadh.
Murtagh m Irish
Anglicized form of Muirchertach.
Myrna f Irish (Rare), English
Anglicized form of Muirne. The popularity of this name spiked in the United States in the 1930s due to the fame of the actress Myrna Loy (1905-1993).
Nainsí f Irish
Irish form of Nancy.
Naoise m Irish, Irish Mythology
Meaning unknown, presumably of Irish origin. In Irish legend he was the young man who fled to Scotland with Deirdre, who was due to marry Conchobar the king of Ulster. Conchobar eventually succeeded in capturing Deirdre and killing Naoise, which caused Deirdre to die of grief.
Naomh f Irish
Means "holy" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Naomhán m Irish
Means "little saint", derived from Irish naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Neasa f Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Ness, meaning uncertain. In Irish legend she was the mother of Conchobar. She installed her son as king of Ulster by convincing Fergus mac Róich (her husband and Conchobar's stepfather) to give up his throne to the boy for a year and then helping him rule so astutely that the Ulstermen demanded that he remain as king. According to some versions of the legend she was originally named Assa "gentle", but was renamed Ní-assa "not gentle" after she sought to avenge the murders of her foster fathers.
Neil m Irish, Scottish, English
From the Irish name Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly connected to the old Celtic root *nītu- "fury, passion" or the (possibly related) Old Irish word nia "hero". A derivation from Old Irish nél "cloud" has also been suggested. This was the name of a few early Irish kings, notably Niall of the Nine Hostages, a semi-legendary high king of the 4th or 5th century.... [more]
Nessa 3 f Irish, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of Neasa.
Nevan m Irish
Anglicized form of Naomhán.
Neve f Irish
Anglicized form of Niamh.
Niall m Irish, Old Irish
Irish form of Neil.
Niamh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "bright" in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet Oisín, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill. It has been used as a given name for people only since the early 20th century.
Nioclás m Irish
Irish form of Nicholas.
Nóirín f Irish
Irish diminutive of Nora 1.
Nollaig f & m Irish
Means "Christmas" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century as a translation of Noël.
Nóra f Hungarian, Irish
Hungarian and Irish Gaelic form of Nora 1.
Nora 1 f English, Irish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
Short form of Honora or Eleanor. Henrik Ibsen used it for a character in his play A Doll's House (1879).
Norah 1 f English, Irish
Variant of Nora 1.
Noreen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Nóirín.
Nuala f Irish
Short form of Fionnuala.
Odharnait f Irish (Rare)
Derived from odar "dun-coloured, greyish brown, tan" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an early Irish saint.
Odhrán m Irish
From Old Irish Odrán, derived from odar "dun-coloured, greyish brown, tan" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a saint who travelled with Saint Columba through Scotland.
Odran m Irish
Anglicized form of Odhrán.
Oisín m Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "little deer", derived from Old Irish oss "deer, stag" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend Oisín was a warrior hero and a poet, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the narrator in many of his tales.
Onóra f Irish
Irish form of Honora.
Oona f Irish, Finnish
Anglicized form of Úna, as well as a Finnish form.
Oonagh f Irish
Anglicized form of Úna.
Oran m Irish
Anglicized form of Odhrán.
Orla 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Órlaith.
Orlagh f Irish
Anglicized form of Órlaith.
Órlaith f Irish, Old Irish
Means "golden ruler", from Old Irish ór "gold" combined with flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This name was borne by several medieval Irish royals, including a sister of the king Brian Boru.
Orna 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Odharnait.
Ornat f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Odharnait.
Orrin m Irish
Anglicized form of Odhrán.
Oscar m English, Irish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, Irish Mythology
Possibly means "deer friend", derived from Old Irish oss "deer" and carae "friend". Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name Osgar or its Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. In Irish legend Oscar was the son of the poet Oisín and the grandson of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.... [more]
Osheen m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Oisín.
Owen 2 m Irish
Anglicized form of Eoghan.
Paddy m Irish
Irish diminutive of Patrick.
Pádraic m Irish
Irish form of Patrick.
Pádraig m Irish
Irish form of Patrick.
Pádraigín f & m Irish
Diminutive of Pádraig, also used as a feminine form.
Páidí m Irish
Diminutive of Pádraig.
Patrick m Irish, English, French, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
From the Latin name Patricius, which meant "nobleman". This name was adopted in the 5th-century by Saint Patrick, whose birth name was Sucat. He was a Romanized Briton who was captured and enslaved in his youth by Irish raiders. After six years of servitude he escaped home, but he eventually became a bishop and went back to Ireland as a missionary. He is traditionally credited with Christianizing the island, and is regarded as Ireland's patron saint. He is called Pádraig in Irish.... [more]
Patsy f & m English, Irish
Variant of Patty, also used as a diminutive of Patrick.
Peadar m Irish, Scottish Gaelic
Irish and Scottish Gaelic form of Peter.
Phelan m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Faolán.
Phelim m Irish
Anglicized form of Feidhlim.
Piaras m Irish
Irish form of Piers.
Pilib m Irish
Irish form of Philip.
Pól m Irish
Irish form of Paul.
Proinsias m Irish
Irish form of Francis.
Raghnall m Irish, Scottish Gaelic
Irish and Scottish Gaelic form of Ragnvaldr.
Ráichéal f Irish
Irish form of Rachel.
Rathnait f Irish (Rare)
Derived from Old Irish rath "grace, prosperity" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an early Irish saint.
Réamann m Irish
Irish form of Raymond.
Réamonn m Irish
Irish form of Raymond.
Redmond m Irish
Anglicized form of Réamonn.
Redmund m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Réamann.
Riagán m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Riacán, probably derived from "king" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Rian m Irish, Old Irish, English
Irish form of Ryan, as well as an English variant.
Ríoghán m Irish
From Old Irish Rígán, itself from "king" (or the derivative ríg "royal") combined with a diminutive suffix.
Ríona f Irish
Either a variant of Ríoghnach or a short form of Caitríona.
Risteárd m Irish
Irish form of Richard.
Roibeárd m Irish
Irish form of Robert.
Róis f Irish (Rare)
Irish form of Rose, or directly from the Irish word rós meaning "rose" (genitive róis; of Latin origin).
Róise f Irish
Variant of Róis.
Róisín f Irish
Diminutive of Róis or the Irish word rós meaning "rose" (of Latin origin). It appears in the 17th-century song Róisín Dubh.
Rónán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "little seal", derived from Old Irish rón "seal" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early Irish saints, including a pilgrim to Brittany who founded the hermitage at Locronan in the 6th century.
Ronan m Breton, Irish, French, English (Modern)
Breton and Anglicized form of Rónán.
Ronit 1 f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Rathnait.
Rory m & f Irish, Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Ruaidhrí. Typically a masculine name, it gained some popularity for girls in the United States after it was used on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007), in this case as a nickname for Lorelai. Despite this, the name has grown more common for boys in America, especially after 2011, perhaps due to Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy (1989-).
Rosaleen f English (Rare), Irish
Variant of Rosaline. James Clarence Mangan used it as a translation for Róisín in his poem Dark Rosaleen (1846).
Rosheen f Irish
Anglicized form of Róisín.
Rowan m & f Irish, English (Modern)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).
Ruadhán m Irish
From Old Irish Rúadán, derived from rúad "red" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of the founder of the monastery of Lorrha in the 6th century.
Ruaidhrí m Irish
From Old Irish Ruaidrí meaning "red king", from rúad "red" combined with "king". This was the name of the last high king of Ireland, reigning in the 12th century.
Ruairí m Irish
Variant of Ruaidhrí.
Ruarc m Irish
From Old Irish Ruarcc. It was possibly an early borrowing from the Old Norse name Hrǿríkr. Alternatively it might be derived from Old Irish elements such as rúad "red" and arg "hero, champion". This was the name of a 9th-century king of Leinster.
Sadhbh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Sadb.
Saoirse f Irish
Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.
Saorlaith f Irish
Means "free ruler", derived from sóer "free" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess".
Saraid f Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Sárait, derived from sár meaning "excellent". This was the name of a daughter of the legendary high king of Ireland, Conn of the Hundred Battles.
m Irish
Modern Irish form of Séaghdha.
Seachlann m Irish (Rare)
Metathesized variant of Seachnall.
Seachnall m Irish (Rare)
Possibly an Irish form of Secundinus. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish saint, also known as Secundinus.
Séafra m Irish
Irish form of Geoffrey.
Séaghdha m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Ségdae, probably derived from ségda meaning "fine, good, favourable, learned". According to an Irish legend this was the name of a boy who was set to be sacrificed but was saved by his mother.
Séamas m Irish
Irish form of James.
Séamus m Irish
Irish form of James.
Seán m Irish
Irish form of John, derived via the Old French form Jehan.
Sean m Irish, English
Anglicized form of Seán. This name name, along with variants Shawn and Shaun, began to be be used in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland around the middle of the 20th century.
Seanán m Irish
Modern Irish form of Senán.
Séarlait f Irish
Irish form of Charlotte.
Séarlas m Irish
Irish form of Charles.
Senán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "little old one", derived from Old Irish sen "old" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Senán was a 6th-century monk who founded the monastery on Inis Cathaigh.
Senan m Irish
Anglicized form of Senán.
Seoirse m Irish
Irish form of George.
Seosamh m Irish
Irish form of Joseph.
Shamus m Irish
Anglicized form of Séamus.
Shane m Irish, English
Anglicized form of Seán. It came into general use in America after the release of the western movie Shane (1953).
Shay 1 m & f Irish
Anglicized form of Séaghdha, sometimes used as a feminine name.
Shea m & f Irish
Anglicized form of Séaghdha, sometimes used as a feminine name.
Sheamus m Irish
Anglicized form of Séamus.
Sheila f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Síle.
Sibéal f Irish
Irish form of Isabel.
Síle f Irish
Irish form of Cecilia.
Síne f Irish
Irish form of Jeanne or Jane.
Sinéad f Irish
Irish form of Jeannette.
Siobhán f Irish
Irish form of Jehanne, a Norman French variant of Jeanne.
Síofra f Irish
Means "elf, sprite" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Síomha f Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish form of Síthmaith.
Siothrún m Irish
Irish form of Geoffrey.
Sive f Irish
Anglicized form of Sadhbh.
Sorcha f Irish, Scottish Gaelic
Means "radiant, bright" in Irish. It has been in use since late medieval times. It is sometimes Anglicized as Sarah (in Ireland) and Clara (in Scotland).
Steafán m Irish
Irish form of Stephen.
Stiofán m Irish
Irish form of Stephen.
Tadgh m Irish
Variant of Tadhg.
Tadhg m Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Tadg meaning "poet". This was the name of an 11th-century king of Connacht, as well as several other kings and chieftains of medieval Ireland. According to Irish mythology it was the name of the grandfather of Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Tadhgán m Irish (Rare)
Diminutive of Tadhg.
Talulla f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of the Old Irish name Taileflaith, Tuileflaith or Tuilelaith, probably from tuile "abundance" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of an early saint, an abbess of Kildare.
Teague m Irish
Anglicized form of Tadhg. This name is also used as a slang term for an Irish Catholic.
Teige m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Tadhg.
Teigue m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Tadhg.
Tiarnach m Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish form of Tighearnach.
Tiarnán m Irish
Modern Irish form of Tighearnán.
Tiernan m Irish
Anglicized form of Tighearnán.
Tierney m Irish
Anglicized form of Tighearnach.
Tighe m Irish
Anglicized form of Tadhg.
Toal m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Túathal.
Toirdhealbhach m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Tairdelbach meaning "instigator", derived from tairdelb "prompting". This name was borne by several medieval Irish kings.
Toiréasa f Irish
Irish form of Theresa.
Tomás m Spanish, Portuguese, Irish
Spanish, Portuguese and Irish form of Thomas.
Treasa f Irish
Possibly from Irish treise meaning "strength" or treas meaning "battle". It is also used as an Irish form of Theresa.
Tríona f Irish
Short form of Caitríona.
Turlough m Irish
Anglicized form of Toirdhealbhach.
Uilleag m Irish
Either an Irish form of the Old Norse name Hugleikr, or else a diminutive of Uilliam.
Uilliam m Irish
Irish form of William.
Uinseann m Irish
Irish form of Vincent.
Ulick m Irish
Anglicized form of Uilleag.
Ultán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "of Ulster" in Irish. Ulster is a region in the north of Ireland. This name was borne by two 7th-century Irish saints.
Úna f Irish, Medieval Irish
Probably derived from Old Irish úan meaning "lamb". This was a common name in medieval Ireland.