By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 35 pages
of 35
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…
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…
Aonghus is a masculine name of Scottish and Irish Gaelic origin, equivalent to the Anglicized form Angus. The name combines the Celtic elements 'oino' meaning 'one' or 'unique' and 'gusa' meaning…
Irish mythology name, variation of Angus
"one choice"
Oengus is the old Irish form of the name most commonly found in the modern world as Angus, typically Scottish. In Irish mythology, Oengus is the god of youth, love, and poetry.
Ungus is a masculine name that appears to be a variant spelling of Angus, a name with Scottish and Irish Gaelic origins. Traditional Angus derives from the Celtic element "oen" meaning "one" and…
Barnaib is the Scottish Gaelic form of Barnabas, a name with ancient Biblical roots. In the New Testament, Barnabas was an early Christian disciple whose name is interpreted as 'son of encouragement'…
Irish surname
"descendant of Brian"
The use of O-prefixes could create the next wave of Irish inflected names, offering an innovative way of honoring a relative with a behind the times moniker.
Oilibhear is a masculine Irish name representing the Gaelic form of Oliver. The name Oliver itself derives from Old French 'Olivier,' possibly connected to the Latin 'olivarius' meaning 'olive tree…
"red-haired"
Ruadhan (sometimes spelt with a fada: Ruadhán) is a fashionable name in its native Ireland. Borne one of the Twelve Irish Apostles, it originated as a diminutive of Ruadh, meaning "red-haired". It…
Vereen is an uncommon masculine name with uncertain origins, possibly derived from French surnames or representing a variant of Vernon or Vern. It may relate to the Latin 'verus' meaning 'true' or…
Veren is a rare masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may derive from Latin 'verus' meaning 'true,' or have connections to Dutch and Germanic roots. In some contexts, it could be related…
Irish variation of Maura or Mary
"bitter"
Unusual Mary variety with literary underpinnings, most famously as a character in J.M. Synge's Riders to the Sea . You may have to do constant explaining of the spelling and pronunciation, but if…
Scottish
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Mirren is a lively and attractive Scottish name, popular in its native country but best known outside Scotland as the surname of the English actor Dame Helen Mirren. It is thought to be a Scottish…
"sorrowful"
Saint Bronach or Bronagh was a female mystic and a sixth century follower of Saint Patrick. Today, the name is most often heard in the modern form of Brona. Bronagh was a character in the Irish…
"shapely"
Attached in Irish mythology to a Cliona who was, among other things, an inspirer of poets. Cliona is well-used in modern Ireland, along with Irish form Cliodhna, though it's largely unknown in the…
"true desire"
This Irish Gaelic name would be more accessible in other cultures in its modern Dervla form.
Irish and Scottish, meaning unknown
The 6th century Irish saint Mirin emigrated to Scotland and now is the patron saint of both the Glasgow suburb of Paisley and the game of football. Mirren is one modern spelling; the Cornish Merryn,…
"born of the sea"
Muirgen in Irish mythology was turned into a mermaid and then brought back to land after 300 years and transformed back into a woman -- which must have been quite a shock. Muirgen's original name was…
"son of Hugh"
Magee became one of the first gender-bending Irish surname names so popular today thanks to New York television newswoman Magee Hickey. In case you don't know, the g is hard, as in Maggie, but with…
"sweet; goodly"
Sadbh is the modern Irish form of the more streamlined but equally confusing Sadb or Sadhbh: these names are pronounced to rhyme with five. In Irish mythology Sadb or Sadbh or Sadhbh, a goddess lover…
