400+ Irish Last Names (With Meanings and Popularity)

The mythological Morrigan was the ancient goddess of war, often symbolized by a crow. Besides being a name, this is also used as a proper noun preceded by an article: the Morrigan, defined as a monster in female form. The meaning of Morrigan has been related to both terror and greatness. While some relate the name to Morgan of the Arthurian legends, Morrigan and Morgan are actually unrelated.

Craig is a single-syllable baby-boomer name, still common in its native Scotland, but most modern Americans would prefer something like Kyle.

Simple, usable surname choice.

One of the first of the appealing Irish surnames to take off in this country, this boys’ name has long outgrown its "Mellow Yellow" association, which came via the single from a sixties singer-songwriter named Donovan.

Talented actress Rooney Mara (originally born Patricia Rooney) has single-handedly transformed this Gaelic surname into a wearable and elegant girls' name. Often said to mean "red-haired", the original surname, rendered as O' Ruanaidh, actually means "descendent of the champion". Trivia note: the most famous Rooney, Mickey Rooney, was originally born Joseph Yule.

This friendly Irish surname is catching on with girls, perhaps due to the easy Callie nickname.

Lane is a unisex name equally accessible to boys and girls. Breezy, cool and contemporary, it might equally put in mind country lanes and banks of wildflowers.

While Larkin takes this name from bird to surname, there are actually more female Larkins these days than male, and it's a name that works as well for either gender. It has the literary connection to poet Philip Larkin too.

A few decades back, this name -- which hardly shows its Irish roots -- evoked a man in a gray flannel suit; now, though still upscale, it's more likely to be attached to a female.

Makenna can be considered a member of the McKenna, Mackenna, Mckenzie and Mckayla family: surname style names that are popular for girls. It translates to "son of Kenneth", or taking Kenneth's meaning into account, "son born of fire". This particular spelling peeked in 2010 when it reached #201 on the US charts, and while it remains in the Top 500, it has declined in popularity in recent years.

This surname name popularized for girls by TV's Murphy Brown back in the 80's and 90's still has some breezy energy. Almost 400 baby girls were named Murphy in 2021, versus just over 200 baby boys, making the name solidly gender neutral.

Cullen is an appealing Irish surname name that upped its cool factor considerably when it became the Twilight family name of Edward et al. It's considerably less popular than it was at its peak in 2010, but is still widely used.

Fallon was one of the first of the unisex surname names, but thanks to "Dynasty" in the 1980s it now has a feminine image. For a boy, try Phelan instead.

Tully is a relaxed, rarely used Irish surname possibility which might provide an alternative to Tommy, Eli, or Troy. It has a long history of usage and a number of meanings, depending on which root you follow.

This unisex name, the seventh most popular surname in Scotland, can make a more unusual Cameron alternative. It is represented on the girls' side by TV news correspondent Campbell Brown, for whom it was a family name, Brown was born Alma Dale Campbell, Alma Dale being her grandmother's name,and Campbell her mother's maiden name.

One of the original unisex Irish surname names, energetic Casey bounced onto the scene in the 1960s, then peaked in the 1980s for both boys and girls. Today Casey is having a resurgence for both girls and boys and re-entered the charts on the girls' side, likely due to the character Kayce Dutton (pronounced like Casey) on the hit show Yellowstone.

This ultrapopular boys' name is rapidly becoming a hot name for girls; admired for its buoyant Irish spirit.

Kellan Lutz is the attractive young actor who plays Emmett Cullen in the Twilight series.

Connelly is an open, inviting, and rarely used Irish surname that can make a perfect alternative to the overused Connor or Colin for a boy.

This Anglicized form of Bearach or short form of Finbarr was in the Top 200 in the USA for 50 years until the early 80s when it rapidly fell out of favor. Barry has not yet found popularity in the modern era - but that may well change as people rediscover their love of classic figures like musician Barry White, baseballer Barry Bonds or even Barack Obama, whose nickname as a young man was Barry.