Irish Names that Start With P

Phelan

Irish

"wolf"

Phelan, pronounced FAY-lan or FEE-lan, is an appealing Irish surname name, with a rich history in Irish myth and religious and secular life. One bearer was a fiercely loyal follower of the legendary…

Partholon

Partholon is a masculine name from Irish mythology, referring to a legendary figure who led a settlement of Ireland after the Biblical Flood. According to medieval Irish texts like the Lebor Gabála…

Parthalan

Irish variation of Bartholomew, Aramaic

"son of the furrow"

Pathalan is a rare Irish name derived from the somewhat-less-rare Bartholomew. Nearly 30 baby boys were named Bartholomew in the US last year, but none were named Parthalan.

Proinsias

Proinsias is a traditional Irish masculine name, the Gaelic form of Francis. It derives from the Latin 'Franciscus,' meaning 'Frenchman' or 'free one.' Pronounced approximately as 'PRIN-shish' or…

Paddy

Diminutive of Patrick, Irish

"noble, patrician"

Because it's a generic (and often derogatory) term for an Irishman, Paddy fell out of use as a diminutive or given name, though actress Mare Winningham used it not long ago.

P'adraic

Irish variation of Patrick

This form, common in Ireland, could create confusion.

Parthalán

Irish

"plowman"

Familiar in Ireland, strange here.

Pat

Diminutive of Patrick

"noble, patrician"

As seen on SNL, Pat is the ultimate androgynous name . Stick with long form Patrick, and make sure everyone calls him Patrick.

Patsy

English and Irish, diminutive of Patrick

"noble, patrician."

Patsy has been rarely heard for half a century, for either gender, and we're not expecting that to change in the near future..

Peadair

Irish variation of Peter

Peadair is one way to reinvent a classic, though insisting on the authentic pronunciation could cause problems.

Phinean

Spelling variation of Finian, Irish

"fair"

Julia Roberts's choice of Phinnaeus gives a boost to all Ph forms. Or should we say, phorms.

Piran

Cornish

"little dark one"

It may be a longshot – especially since it was given to less than 5 boys in the US in 2021 – but Piran could conceivably be a future Kieran, which is shaping up to being the next Kevin. Piran is the…

Pilib

Irish form of Philip, Greek

"lover of horses"

Rare but occasionally used in Ireland, Pilib is a variation of the classic Phillip. It has appeared throughout Irish history and was notably borne by a 14th century king of the (historical) Kingdom…