Irish Last Names (With Meanings and Popularity)

Molloy

Irish

"a venerable chieftain"

There are many dynamic three-syllable Irish surnames; this is one of the rarer two-syllable ones. Molloy is the title of a 1951 novel by Samuel Beckett, initially written in French. Another Beckett…

Morley

English

"moor, meadow clearing"

Gently pleasant English family name long associated with 60-Minuteman Morley Safer.

Morrissey

Irish

"descendant of Muiris"

When British rocker Steven Patrick Morrissey decided to use his last name alone, it became a viable option for baby namers, a lot cooler than Morris or Maurice, with the nice three-syllable lilt of…

Mulligan

Irish

"descendent of the bald-headed"

Less appealing than some other Irish surnames, such as Malone and Sullivan, unless used as a tribute to jazz musician Gerry. There could be some Mulligan stew teasing.

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'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'bryan

O'Bryan is a masculine surname-turned-first-name with Irish origins. It's derived from the Gaelic 'Ó Briain,' meaning 'descendant of Brian.' The original surname honors Brian Boru, a renowned High…

O'callahan

Irish

"son of the church lover"

One of the most usable of the fashionable O'Names.

O'casey

Irish surname

To modernize and add some oomph to the dated CASEY, add an O'-and also honor the great Irish playwright Sean.

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'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…

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.