Updated October 2024
Across 5 pages
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Irish
"the meadow"
Cheerful and distinctive.
"sorrow, affliction"
Lovely and rare (even in Ireland) mythological widow whose tears rained on Ireland.
Spelling variation of Irish Ciara
Even though the pronunciation of Ceara and the more usual Ciara is KEER-a, most Americans would tend to mispronounce this spelling variation as Sierra.
Caiside is a feminine name with Gaelic origins, derived from elements meaning 'curly-haired' or possibly 'clever' or 'ingenious.' This uncommon name carries melodic Irish heritage and has connections…
"fierce as a hound"
Connolly, an alternate spelling of Connelly, could make a livelier and less common substitute for Connor.
"charioteer"
Male name from Irish mythology makes stylish-sounding choice for girls.
Carlus is a masculine variant of the name Carlos, which itself derives from the Germanic name Karl, meaning 'free man' or 'manly.' This less common spelling variation maintains the strong,…
"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…
"victorious"
Variously spelled Covy and Covey, this is a surname derived from the first name Cobthach. Like cousins Coby and Cody, it has an energetic nickname feel.
"dark, black"
A unisex name in the same vein as Casey, Cassidy, and Kelly, Carey and its alternative spelling Cary were familiar choices for boys in the first half of the 20th-century, and became popular in the…
Carra is a feminine name with varied origins. It may be an alternate spelling of Cara, derived from the Italian word for 'dear' or 'beloved,' or from the Irish name Ciara, meaning 'dark-haired.' Some…
Ceabhallan is an extremely rare masculine name of Gaelic origin. This uncommon Irish name likely derives from Gaelic elements relating to "slender" or "small" and possibly "powerful" or "mighty." The…
Irish place-name
"four-part lake"
Gives Carlo a place-name/surname spin.
"victory"
This name is a fabulous option for parents looking for a victorious name but who find Victor just a little too obvious. This name can also be spelled Kearney.
Anglicized variation of Irish Cearbhall
"hacking with a weapon"
This name was consistently in the boys' Top 200 until WW2. It's a name with so many dimensions to it: the hyper-masculine meaning, the surname-as-firstname trendiness, and the softer sound and…
"battle rule"
The name of an ancient Irish saint is in the contemporary Irish Top 50. While it's one of the rare Irish names for boys that hasn't immigrated to the U.S., it may follow brothers Aidan and Declan to…
A name scattered throughout Irish mythology with an intriguing sound, Carbry is one of the rare Irish names for boys virtually unknown in the US. Bry is the obvious, but lovely nickname option.
Variation of Irish surname MacCallister
"son of Alister"
Can be used either with or without the addition of Mac.
"pup, cub"
This is the original Gaelic spelling of the Anglicized Colin -- more authentic, yes, but could make your American child's life unnecessarily complicated.
Irish, diminutive of Cian
This original spelling may present its challenges outside of Ireland, but it certainly has a more poetic look to it. Those daunted by the pronunciation obstacles may wish to consider Keenan.