Irish Names for Boys
Across 21 pages
of 21
Tyrone
Irish
"land of Owen"
Immigrated into American pop culture in the person of 1940s superstar Tyrone Power, Jr. It has been on a steady decline since the 1970s.
Uilliam
Irish variation of William
A spelling that would definitely attract a lot of attention -- and a certain amount of confusion as well.
Ulick
Irish
"little William"
You lick. You like. We didn't think so.
Ultan
Irish
"man from Ulster"
This name of eighteen Irish saints of the past is relatively popular in Ireland, though little known outside it.
Rafferty
Irish
"floodtide, abundance, prosperity"
Jaunty and dapper, Rafferty is one of the most engaging of the Irish surnames, used by Jude Law and Sadie Frost for their son in 1996. Derived from the Irish, O'Raighbheartaigh, it means "(spring)…
Connolly
Irish
"fierce as a hound"
Connolly, an alternate spelling of Connelly, could make a livelier and less common substitute for Connor.
Fitzgerald
Irish and Scottish
"son of Gerald"
Made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald Kennedy; still works best as a middle name.
Maguire
Irish
"son of the beige one"
Although Maguire is such a prominent Irish surname —it ranks in the Top 40 in the Emerald Isle —this lively and cheerful family name has rarely been used as a first, unlike more familiar…
O'brien
Irish
"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 the old-fashioned moniker Brian. On Downton Abbey , the surname…
O'hara
Irish
"son of Eaghra"
The O'Haras are descended from Eaghra -- pronounced and phonetically spelled Ara -- the lord of Luighne, the modern Leyney in County Sligo. As a name, this makes a satisfying new twist on Harry, and…
Cormac
Irish
"charioteer"
Both offbeat and upbeat, this evocative traditional Irish name that runs through Celtic mythology is known here via award-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy (born Charles). The author's adopted name is…
Finian
Irish
"fair"
This lilting Irish saint's name shone in neon lights on Broadway for the classical 1947 musical "Finian's Rainbow," later made into a film starring Fred Astaire as Finian McLonergan, and there was…
Malachy
Irish version of Malachi, Hebrew, or Secundus, Latin
"my messenger; second"
This spelling, which came to the attention of readers of the best-selling Angela's Ashes as the name of author Frank McCourt's father and brother, the latter of whom wrote a bestseller of his own,…
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?