Girls' Names: K-L
Here are all the names from the lists on this site alphabetized into one. The "category" tells what type of name it is. Check that individual page for more information on what it means. Note: I have put pretty much all the place names and surnames into both the Girls and Boys categories since they are pretty much gender-free. NOTE: "Other Forms" names in italics represent names that were traditionally used to "translate" the Irish names. They are only related by tradition and sound, not by etymology.
Categories: anglicization, Biblical, modern, place name, surname, traditional, translation
Girls' Names: A-B C-D E-F G-J K-L M-N O-R S-Z
Boys' Names: A-B C-D E-F G-J K-L M-N O-R S-Z
| Girls' Names: K | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Pronunciation | Category | Meaning/Origin | Other Forms |
| Kathleen | KAT Leen | Anglicization | Anglicization of Caitlín, the Irish form of Catherine/Katherine. | Caitlín |
| Kavanagh | CAV uh na | Surname | descendant or follower of St. Caomhán | Caomhanach |
| Kayla | KAY la | Modern | Kayla is not actually an Irish name, but a lot of baby name books and websites list it as such. It is sometimes listed as a short form of McKayla, which is reported to be "the Irish form of Michaela"-- as someone who has been researching names for 3+ decades, this makes me really sad. Kayla is a 20th century invention. Though it has been around since at least the 1940s, it didn't gain popularity until the 1980s with the character of Kayla Brady on the US soap opera Days of Our Lives. Kayla is most likely a modern invention, adding -la to the name Kay. McKayla is a respelling of Michaela that popped up in the late 20th century following the popularity of the names Mackenzie and Kayla. | Caela, Cayla, Kaila, Kaela, Kaylah etc. |
| Kaylee | KAY lee | Modern | This is not derived from the Irish word céilí, as some people think, although this assumption has probably contributed to the name's popularity. It is more likely a modern combination of the names Kay and Lee, based on popular names like Hayley and Kayla. You can also find the spellings Kayleigh, Cailey, Caeli, Keighli...we've counted about 57 different possible spellings for this name. | Kayleigh, Kailey, Caley etc. |
| Kaylin, Kailin | KAY lin | Modern | This name was coined in the mid-late 20th century, probably as a variant of Katelyn. Baby name books often list it as Irish, but it's basically a made-up name. Although the Irish word for "girl" (see Colleen) is cailín, that probably is more a coincidence that has contributed to the popularity of the name, rather than the origin. | Cailin, Kaelyn, Kaylynn, Cailynn-- there are an infinite number of spellings out there! |
| Kearney | KAR nee, KUR nee | Surname | either "fox" or "victorious" | Ó Catharnaigh/Ó Cearnaigh |
| Keavy, Keava | KEE vee, KEE va | Anglicization | "Beauty; grace" | Caoimhe |
| Keegan | KEE gun | Surname | "fire" | Mac Aodhagain |
| Keelin | KEE lin | Anglicization | "fair-haired and slender" | Caoilfhionn |
| Keely, Keeley | KEE lee | Modern | from an Irish surname comgin from caol meaning "slender." | Ó Caollaidhe |
| Keenan | KEE nun | Surname | "ancient; enduring" | Ó Cianáin |
| Keira, Kiara | KEE ra, KEE uh ra | Anglicization | "black" | Ciar, Ciara |
| Kelly | KEL lee | Surname | possibly, "bright-headed" or "strife; contention" | Mac Ceallach |
| Kenna | KEN na | Modern, Surname | this name is common in the USA. It's popularity stems from the fact that it sounds a bit like the popular Hebrew derived name Michaela, often misspelled McKayla, and the popular Scottish surname name Mackenzie. McKenna is a surname meaning 'son of Cionnaith' [name of disputed origin]. This also helps it catch the trend of giving children surnames as first names. Also spelled Makenna, Mckenna, Mackenna etc. | McKenna |
| Kennan | KEN nun | Surname | "fair-haired" | Mac Fhionnáin |
| Kennedy | KEN nid ee | Surname | "ugly head" | Ó Cinnéde |
| Kerrin | KAIR in, KEH rin | Surname | ciar, "black; dark-haired" + diminutive ending | Ó Ciaráin |
| Kerry | KEH ree, KAIR ee | Modern, Place name | This comes from Ciarraí, the name of an Irish county. The original name comes from ciar, the Irish word for "black." | an Ciarraí |
| Kikelly | kil KEL lee | Place name | "Ceallach's church" | cill ceallach |
| Kiley/Kiely | KY lee | Surname | "beautiful" | Ó Cadhla |
| Kilkenny | kil KEN nee | Place name | "Church of St. Canice" | Chill Chiannigh |
| Killeen | KILL een | Place name | "little woods" | coillín |
| Kilrea | KIL ray | Place name | "red church" | cill ruadh |
| Kinley, Kenley | KIN lee, KEN lee | Modern, Surname | This name came to popularity in the late 20th century, following on the heels of names like Mackenzie and Michaela. McKinley is usually a Scottish anglicization of Mac Fhionnlaoich, but can also be an anglicization of the Irish Mac an Leagha ("doctor"). (Mc)Kenley can be a form of this, but also may be a form of Ó Cinnfhaolaidh (ceann "head" + faol "wolf), Ó Conghaile ("brave or fierce as a hound/wolf") or Ó Coingheallaigh ("faithful to pledges/hostages"). | McKinley, McKenley, Kynlee, Kenlee etc. |
| Kinsella | KIN suh la | Surname | "proud" | Cinnsealach |
| Kirby | KIR bee | Surname | ciar "dark; black" + mac "son" | Ó Ciarmhaic |
| Kyla | KY la | Modern | Sometimes though to be an anglicization of the man's name Cadhla, this name is more likely to have been coined as a feminine form of Kyle, based on the popularity of other K sounding names such as Kayla and Kylie. | |
| Kylie | KY lee | Modern | Australians will tell you this is from an aboriginal word meaning "boomerang." Others swear this is an Irish name. It can be thought of as a feminine form of Kyle, or a form of the Irish surname Ó Cadhla, which comes from a name meaning "graceful." It usually is anglicized Kiely or Kiley in that context, though. | Kiley, Kylee, Kiely |
| Girls' Names: L | ||||
| Name | Pronunciation | Category | Meaning/Origin | Other Forms |
| Lacy | LAY see | Surname | norman name-- probably from a place name in France | deLeis |
| Laioise | LEE sheh | Biblical | transliteration of Lois | |
| Laoise | LEE sha | Traditional | "radiant girl" | Luighseach |
| Laragh | LAR ah | Place name | "the site or ruins of a building" | An Láithreach |
| Larkin | LAR kin | Surname | from lorc, "silent" or "cruel; fierce" | Ó Lorcáin |
| Lasairfhiona | la sar EE na | Traditional | lassar "flame" + fíne "wine" | Lasarina; Lasairíona |
| Lassarina, Lasrina | las sar EE na | Anglicization | lassar "flame; fire" + fíne "wine" | Lasairfhiona |
| Lavery/ Lowery | LAVE ur ee, LOW ree | Surname | "spokesman" or "herald" | Ó Labhradha |
| Léá | LAY aw | Biblical | transliteration of Leah | |
| Léan, Léana | LAY in, LAY in a | Translation | translation of Helen | |
| Leary | LEE ree | Surname | "keeper of calves" | Ó Laoghaire |
| Lennon/Lennan | LEN nun | Surname | "cloak" | Ó Leannáin |
| Lia, Liath | LEE a | Modern | the use of the Irish word liath meaning "grey" as a name. | |
| Líadan | LEE a dan | Traditional | "grey lady" | Liadan; Líadáin; Líadain |
| Liamhain | LEE uh vin | Traditional | "comely, beautiful" | - |
| Lidia | LID ya | Biblical | transliteration of Lydia | |
| Life | LIF yeh | Traditional | meaning is unknown | Liffey |
| Liffey | LIF fee | Place name | river running through Dublin, possibly named for a Celtic goddess | Life |
| Líle | LEE leh | Translation | translation of Lily | |
| Líobhan | LYEE von | Traditional | "beauty of women" | Lí Ban |
| Lisburn | LIS burn | Place name | "ring-fort of the gamblers" | |
| Lislea | LIS lee | Place name | "grey ring-fort" | Lios liadh |
| Loinnir | LUN ir | Modern | the Irish vocabulary word for 'brightness, radiance,' Róisín McAliskey used this name for her daughter. | |
| Lucan | LOO kun | Place name | "place of the elms" | Leamhcán |
| Luiseach | LWEE shach | Traditional | "radiant girl" | Luisech, Lucy |