Irish Place Names Used as First Names
Not as much in Ireland, but in other English-speaking countries with large Irish immigrant populations, we find place names from Ireland used as first names. You probably know many Kerrys, Shannons and maybe an Erin or two. Be the first one on your block to have a Magherally or a Kilfenora! This might seem sort of strange, but there are people named Kenya, India, Dakota, Savannah etc. out there, why not? Here are some more places that can be used as first names (We even know people with some of these names, like Kilkenny and Aran).
| Name | Irish Spelling | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Abbeylara | Mainistir Leathrátha | Abbey of the half rath (ring-fort) or little rath |
| Adare | Ath Dara | oak tree grove. Village in Co. Limerick |
| Alleen | little cliff | |
| Altan | Altan | hillock; gorge |
| Aran | Arainn | Islands of western coast |
| Ardeen | Ardín | little height |
| Bantry | Beanntraí | descendants of Beann |
| Bellaghy | Baile Eachaidh | mouth of the slough/Eachadh's townland |
| Beltany | Bealtaine | May; place where May festivities were held |
| Brandon | Breandan | mountain; St. Brendan's mountain |
| Brosna | Brosnach | fire wood |
| Burren | an Bhoirinn | stony district; region in NW Clare |
| Cabra/Cabragh | An Chabrach | poor land |
| Callan | Callainn | from Neil Caille, king of Ireland |
| Camlin | An Chamlinn | crooked pool |
| Carragh | an cora | weir |
| Carran | an carn | the cairn |
| Carrick | an Carraig | rock |
| Carrigan | an Charraigín | little rock |
| Cashel | Caiseal | castle |
| Cashlin | Caislín | little castle |
| Cavan | an Cabhán | the hollow |
| Clady | Claidigh | ground hardened from trampling/muddy place |
| Clare | an Clar | flat place |
| Cliffony | Cliathmhuine | grove of the hurdles, hurdled thicket |
| Connemara | Conmacne Mara | the conmacne people of the sea |
| Corr | corr | round hill |
| Corroy | corr ruadh | russet round hill |
| Donegal | Dun na nGall | fort of the stranger |
| Dublin | Dubh linn/Baile Atha Cliath | black pool/town of the ford of the hurdles |
| Ennis | Inis | island |
| Galway | Gallimh | Gailleamh's place |
| Kerry | an Ciarraí | descendants of Ciar ('dark') |
| Kikelly | cill ceallach | Ceallach's church |
| Kilkenny | Chill Chiannigh | Church of St. Canice |
| Killeen | coillín | little woods |
| Kilrea | cill ruadh | russet church |
| Laragh | An Láithreach | the site or ruins of a building |
| Liffey | Life | river running through Dublin, possibly named for a Celtic goddess |
| Lisburn | ring-fort of the gamblers | |
| Lislea | Lios liadh | grey ring-fort |
| Lucan | Leamhcán | place of the elms |
| Magheralin | Machaire Lainne | plain of the pool |
| Magherally | Baile na Machaire Abhlaí | townland of the apple tree plain |
| Newry | An Iúraigh | yew tree at the head of the strand |
| Quin | Cuinche | five ways |
| Roslea | ros liadh | grey woods |
| Rossin | roisín | little woods |
| Shannagh | Seannach | old |
| Shannon | an tSionainn | named for a Celtic goddess |
| Sheelin | Loch Síodh Linn | lake of the fairies |
| Slaney | Abhainn na Sláine | health |
| Tara | Teamhair | assembly place |
| Tory | tór | tower-like rock. Island off NW coast |
| Tulla | An Tulach | hill |
| Turlough | turloch | lake that dries up in the summer |
| Tyrone | Tír Eoghan | Eoghan's land |