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118 names

Irish Baby Names (Boys & Girls)

Irish baby names from the Irish language, saints and legend, with meanings and pronunciation for tricky Gaelic spellings.

Updated

Irish names come from the Irish language and from figures in early Irish history and legend. Spellings follow Irish rules, so Saoirse is pronounced SEER-sha and Niamh NEEV. Many have anglicised forms, such as Sinéad and Jane, or Seán and John.

Saints’ names (Patrick, Brigid, Brendan) and names from the Ulster and Fenian Cycles (Deirdre, Oisín, Fionn) form a large part of the tradition. The Gaelic Revival of the late nineteenth century brought many older names back into use.

Our picks

Name Gender Meaning
Sean Boy God is gracious
Siobhan Girl God is gracious
Liam Boy resolute protector
Saoirse Girl freedom
Connor Boy lover of hounds
Niamh Girl bright, radiant
Aidan Boy little fire
Aoife Girl beauty, radiance
Ryan Boy little king
Maeve Girl she who intoxicates
Cian Boy ancient, enduring
Aine Girl radiance, splendour

More Irish & Celtic names (106)

A

  • Aibhilín meaning uncertain; Irish form of Aveline
  • Aiden little fire
  • Aifric etymology uncertain
  • Aileen Scottish form of Eileen (Irish Eibhlín)
  • Ailís noble, kind
  • Aisling dream, vision
  • Alan uncertain; possibly little rock or handsome
  • Alanis feminine form of Alan; meaning uncertain
  • Alannah child or daughter
  • Arabella meaning uncertain; possibly derived from Latin or Celtic roots
  • Artur bear

B

C

D

  • Declan full of goodness
  • Deegan descendant of Duígeannán
  • Deirdre sorrowful or broken-hearted
  • Delma short form of Fidelma
  • Desmond from South Munster
  • Devin descendant of Damhán or Duibhín
  • Dillon from an Irish surname of Anglo-Norman origin
  • Donovan descendant of the dark brown one

E

  • Éabha life, living
  • Eamon wealthy protector
  • Eileen origin uncertain; possibly desired or hazelnut
  • Eilish pledged to God
  • Eimear swift; quick
  • Elvis meaning uncertain; possibly derived from saint's name
  • Eoin God is gracious
  • Eryn Ireland

F

  • Fallon uncertain; possibly from fallamh
  • Fiadh wild; untamed
  • Fidelma anglicized Feidhelm; meaning uncertain, linked to 'faithful'
  • Finn fair, white
  • Finnegan descendant of Fionnagán
  • Flynn son of the red-haired one

G

  • Gael a Gael; or generous (Breton Gaël)
  • Gannon son of Fionnán
  • Grady noble, illustrious

I

K

  • Kaitlyn pure or innocent
  • Kasey vigilant, watchful
  • Kassidy curly-haired
  • Kathleen pure
  • Keegan son of Aodhagán, 'little fire'
  • Kellen descendant of Caolán; slender
  • Kelly bright-headed or war
  • Kennedy descendant of the helmeted one
  • Kent from the edge of the land
  • Keon ancient or enduring; king or foundation
  • Kerry descendant of Ciardha
  • Kevin from Irish Caoimhín; commonly given as gentle or handsome birth
  • Kieran little dark one
  • Killian uncertain; possibly church or strife
  • Kody descendant of a helpful person

L

M

  • Madden little dog
  • Máire Irish form of Mary; meaning uncertain
  • Mairéad pearl
  • Máirín little Mary
  • Mccoy son of Aodh (fire)
  • Mckenna son of Cionnaith; meaning uncertain
  • Mona from Irish Muadhnait, from muadh, noble; also Arabic, wishes
  • Murphy sea warrior

N

O

Q

  • Quinn descendant of Conn (chief, head)

R

  • Riley descendant of Raghallach
  • Rory red king
  • Rowan little redhead; rowan tree

S

  • Seamus supplanter
  • Shannon uncertain; possibly wise river
  • Shay admirable, hawk
  • Shea from Irish Ó Séaghdha; séaghdha is given as hawk-like or stately
  • Sheila blind
  • Sloane from Irish Ó Sluagháin, from sluagh, meaning host or army
  • Sorcha bright, radiant
  • Sullivan dark-eyed

T

U

  • Úna uncertain; possibly unity

Frequently asked questions

Why are Irish names often hard to pronounce?
Irish names follow Gaelic spelling and pronunciation rules, which can be different from English. However, once learned, they have beautiful sounds.
What makes Irish names special?
Irish names carry deep Celtic heritage, often with meanings related to nature, mythology, and ancient Irish culture.
Are Irish names used outside Ireland?
Yes. Names such as Liam, Ryan and Connor are widely used in English-speaking countries, usually in anglicised spellings.
Do Irish names have mythological connections?
Many Irish names are connected to Celtic mythology, ancient Irish legends, and traditional folklore.

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