690+ Irish Names (With Meanings and Popularity)
Across 35 pages
of 35
Mccabe
Irish, patronymic from the word for cape or hat
McCabe is an Irish patronymic surname that originated with Scottish mercenaries in Ireland who wore distinctive hats -- or cabas, which is also the name for capes.
Mccanna
Irish surname
"son of the wolf cub"
Gary Sinise chose this Mc name for his late son McCanna, called Mac, in 1990, before Irish and Scottish surnames beginning with Mc or Mac became common as first names. Mac Sinise passed away from a…
O'brian
Irish
"descendant of Brian"
Irish surname that refers to High King Brian Boru, also spelled O'Brien. Makes a fabulous first name.
O'callahan
Irish
"son of the church lover"
One of the most usable of the fashionable O'Names.
O'connor
Irish
"son of the hound lover"
Perfect name for the child of dog enthusiasts, and much more distinctive than the trendy Connor.
O'donnell
irish
"son of the brave one"
Forget Donald. Honor Grandpa Don with this new spin.
O'donovan
Irish, 'son of the dark one"
Donovan is on the rise, so why not this sequel?
O'fallon
Irish
"son of the leader"
Fallon has gone feminine, but this puts it back in the boys' camp.
O'grady
Irish
"son of the noble one"
Like the other O' names, this is a wonderful way to pass down a family name.
O'keefe
Irish
"son of the kind one"
Most parents interested in this name would be honoring either an ancestor or painter Georgia O'Keeffe.
O'sullivan
Irish
"son of the black-eyed one"
Sullivan has made itself into a first name and O'Sullivan may well follow suit.
Emer
Irish
"swift"
Popular in Ireland, though not as popular as its spelling variant Eimear, Emer is a mythological name, associated with the legendary wife of the warrior hero Cuchulainn. She was said to possess the…
Ciaran
Irish
"little black-haired one"
Extremely popular in Ireland, Ciaran is also well used in England and is beginning to be adopted by parents in the U.S., though usually via the more American-friendly Kieran spelling. The Irish…
Darragh
Irish
"oak tree"
Also Anglicized as Dara and also spelled Daire in its native form, Darragh has an undeniably rugged appeal. It's used for both girls and boys in Ireland, but it's very popular in particular for boys.
Breckin
Spelling variation of Breccan, Irish
"freckled, speckled"
Breccan may be the original saints' name, but in the modern U.S., the spelling Brecken is the most popular form, followed by Breckin. A winner by any spelling.
Ethne
Variation of Eithne, Irish
"kernel"
Ethne is one of the many Irish Gaelic names whose spelling and pronunciation -- it's en-ya -- will prove endlessly confusing to English speakers.
Gehry
Variation of Geary, Irish or English
"spear or fickle"
You might want to honor premier U.S. architect Frank Gehry--even though he was born Ephraim Goldberg. Gehry, pronounced like the more common surname Geary, may be a spin on the name Gary, which means…
Mcdermott
Irish
"son of Diarmaid"
McDermott is a common Irish surname that means, as all Mc or Mac names do, "son of" --then Dermott or Dermot, which is an Anglicization of the Irish Gaelic Diarmaid. The legendary Diarmaid was the…
Channing
English or Irish
"people of Cana or wolf cub"
While the most famous Channing is the very male Channing Tatum, the name is now given about a third of the time for girls. Television executive Channing Dungey is a well-know example of a female…
Aengus
Form of Angus, Scottish
"one strength"
Angus is the Anglicized spelling of the Scottish Gaelic name Aengus or Aonghus or Aonghas. Unless you have a cultural reason to choose one of the Gaelic variations, Angus is uncommon enough.