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Irish
Gaelic
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Spoken in: parts of Ireland and Northern Ireland |
| Girls' Names | Irish Form(s) | Boys' Names | Irish Form(s) |
| Agnes | Aignéis | Alexander | Alastar |
| Alexandra | Alastríona | Andrew | Aindriu |
| Alice | Ailís | Anthony | Antón |
| Anastasia | Annstas, Stéise | Charles | Séarlas |
| Andrea | Christopher | Críostóir | |
| Angela | Aingeal | Daniel | Dainiél |
| Ann | Ánna, Áine* | David | Daibhí, Daibhead |
| Antonia | Dennis | Donnchadh* | |
| Barbara | Bairbre | Edward | Eadbhard |
| Beatrice | Beitrís | Eugene | Eoghan* |
| Bianca | Fionnait | Francis | Proinnsias |
| Brigid | Bríd | Frederick | Feardhach*, Feardorcha* |
| Carol(ine) | Searlait | Gabriel | Gaibrial |
| Catherine | Caitlín, Caitríona | George | Seoirse |
| Cecilia | Síle | Gerald | Gearóid |
| Christina | Cristíona | Gregory | Gréagóir |
| Clare | Sorcha* | Henry | Anraí |
| Dorothy | Doireann* | Isaac | Íosac |
| Elizabeth | Éilís, Sibéal | James, Jacob | Séamus |
| Emily | Eimile | Joachim | Ioaichím? |
| Esther | Eistir, Réaltín | John | Seán, Eoin |
| Eve | Eabha, Aoife* | Joseph | Seosamh |
| Frances | Pronnséas | Julian | |
| Grace | Gráinne* | Justin | |
| Helen | Léan, Léana | Laurence | Labhrás |
| Jaclyn | Leonard | León | |
| Jane | Siobhán, Sinéad, Síne | Louis | Laoiseach* |
| Josephine | Seosamhín | Luke | Lúcás |
| Judith | Síle*, Siobhán* | Mark | Marcas, Marsail |
| Julia | Iúile | Martin | Mairtín |
| Laura | Matthew | Maitiú, Maitias | |
| Lily | Líle | Michael | Micheál |
| Louise | Labhaoise | Nicholas | Nioclás, Nicolás |
| Lucy | Laoiseach*, Laoise* | Paul | Pól |
| Madeline | Madailéin | Peter | Peadar, Piaras |
| Margaret | Mairéad | Philip | Pilib |
| Martha | Marta | Ralph | Rádhulbh |
| Mary | Máire | Richard | Ristéard, Riocard |
| Michaela | Robert | Roibeard | |
| Natalie | Nollaig | Samuel | Somhairle* |
| Nicole | Sebastian | ||
| Paula | Póilín | Simon | Síomón |
| Rachel | Raicheal | Stephen | Stiofán, Stiana |
| Rose | Rós, Róisín | Theodore | Teodóir |
| Sophie | Sadhbh* | Thomas | Tomás |
| Stephanie | Timothy | Tadhg*, Tomaltach* | |
| Susan | Siún | Victor | Buadhach* |
| Teresa | Toiréasa,
Treasa* |
Vincent | Uinseann |
| William | Uilleam, Liam | ||
| Zachary | |||
Notes: When the English took over Ireland, they "anglicized" native Irish names, or made them easier for English speakers to pronounce and spell. Thus most Irish names you see today are anglicized forms. For example, Ó Cinnéde became Kennedy, and Ó Murchú became Murphy etc. Not all anglizations were standardized, though. For example, one researcher noted that registrars across Ireland in the early 20th century recorder the name Ó Cuillin (most commonly anglicized Cullen) as Colins, Collen, Collins, Colquhoun, Culleeny, Cullion, Culloon, Cully, Quillan, and Quillen.
Anglicization also affected first names, though rather than try to phoneticize the names, they often were assigned English names. Thus, Donnchadh became Dennis, and Sadhbh became Sophie, solely because they started with the same letter.
* the starred names represent names that are traditionally associated with the English names through the above process, but have no linguistic connection.
More Irish Names
GIRLS:
Ailbhe - "White"
(Alvy, Alva)
Áine - "delight; pleasure"
Aisling - "dream, vision"
Aoife - "light; radiance"
Bláthnaid - "flower"
Brónach - "sorrow" (Brona, Bronagh)
Caoimhe - " beauty or grace" (Keavy)
Ciara - "black" (Kiera)
Clodagh - the name of a river
Deirbhile - "daughter of a poet" (Dervla)
Deirdre - possibly, "she who chatters?"
Eithne - "Kernal" or "gorse" (Enya)
Eimear - unknown (Emer)
Fionnuala - "white shoulders"
Gráinne - "inspiring terror" or "grain"
(Grania)
Laoise - "radiant girl"
Meadhbh - "she who intoxicates" (Maeve)
Muireann - "sea-fair" (Murren)
Niamh - "radiant; shining"
Nuala - short for Fionnuala, "white shoulders"
Órlaith - "golden pricess" (Orla)
Sadhbh - "sweet" (Sive)
Saoirse - "freedom"
Sorcha - "bright; radiant"
Treasa - "strength"
Úna - unknown
BOYS:
Aodán
- "fire" (Aidan)
Bríon - "noble; high" (Brian)
Caomhín - "beautiful birth" (Kevin)
Cathal - "battle ruler" (Cahill)
Cian - "ancient; enduring" (Kian, Keane)
Ciarán - "black" (Kieran)
Cillian, Cillén - "church" (Kilian)
Colm - "dove" (Columba)
Conn - either "wisdom" or "chief"
Conor - "lover of hounds"
Cormac - "Son of the defiler"
Dáire - "oak tree" (Darragh, Dara)
Diarmuid - possible, "charioteer" or "without envy"
(Dermot)
Deaglán - possibly "full of goodness" (Declan)
Domhnall - "world-mighty" (Donal)
Donnchadh - "Brown lord" (Donagh)
Eoghan - "born of the yew"
Fearghus - "strength of a man" (Fergus)
Fionn - "fair haired" (Finn)
Lorcán - "cruel; fierce" (Lorcan)
Niall - "cloud" or "passionate" (Neil)
Odhrán - "little pale green one" (Oran)
Oisín - "little deer" (Ossian)
Rónán - "little seal" (Ronan)
Ruaidhrí - "red haired king" (Rory)
Tadhg - "poet" (Teague)
For even more Irish names, visit our Irish Names site: Ainmneacha na hÉireann