International Baby Names · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
130+ Unique Irish Names
Across 8 pages
of 8
Keenan
Irish
"ancient"
A lively boys' name that works well for girls.
Kellan
Spelling variation of Kellen
"swamp; slender"
Kellan Lutz is the attractive young actor who plays Emmett Cullen in the Twilight series.
Larkin
Irish
"rough, fierce"
The additional syllable makes Lark a masculine surname name, borne by poet Philip Larkin.
Lonan
Manx, Irish
"little blackbird"
Typically spelled as Lonán in Ireland, Lonan is its Manx form, though it could also be considered the anglicized form too. The name comes from the Irish lon meaning "blackbird", paired with a…
Lorcan
Irish
"little, fierce"
Lorcan is a name rich in Irish history as belonging to several kings, including the grandfather of the most famous high king of Ireland, Brian Boru. Lorcan O'Toole, known in English as Laurence…
Madigan
Irish
"little dog"
An unusual, energetic surname choice that would make a good Madison alternative. Madigan was a typical police detective series of the 1970s, starring Richard Widmark.
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…
Maire
Finnish, Irish variation of Mary
"sweet; drop of the sea, bitter"
Both Maire and Mare have begun making inroads with parents seeking novel yet authentic ways of honoring an ancestral Mary. The Finnish variation derives from the word mairea , meaning "sweet."
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,…
Meabh
Irish
"she who intoxicates"
Meabh, the native Irish spelling of Maeve, is in the Top 100 in Ireland and becoming more popular here in its Anglicized form. Outside of Ireland, life will be easier with the Maeve spelling of this…
Mirren
Scottish
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Mirren is a lively and attractive Scottish name, popular in its native country but best known outside Scotland as the surname of the English actor Dame Helen Mirren. It is thought to be a Scottish…
Moira
Irish, variation of Mary
"bitter; beloved; drop of the sea"
Well-established Irish and Scottish name that has never really caught on across the pond. Remembered by an older generation as the beautiful red-haired ballerina in the film The Red Shoes , Moira…
Naoise
Irish
Now used as a unisex name, Naoise was originally a masculine name. It belonged to a handsome young warrior in Irish legend, lover of the tragic Deirdre, who killed herself after Naoise was murdered…
Niamh
Irish Gaelic
"bright"
Niamh, derived from the Old Irish Niam, is an ancient Irish name that was originally a term for a goddess. In Irish myth, one who bore it was Niamh of the Golden Hair, daughter of the sea god, who…
Nuala
Irish, short form of Fionnuala
"white shoulders"
Officially a shortening of the traditional and tricky Gaelic Fionnghuala/Fionnuala, Nuala makes a lovely choice all on its own. Nuala is well-used in Ireland.
Obrien
Irish surname
"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 a behind the times moniker.
Odhran
Irish
"little pale green one"
Odhran, Anglicized as Oran, was the name of an ancient saint. Today, Odhran is among the Top 100 Irish names for boys in Ireland.
Oengus
Irish mythology name, variation of Angus
"one choice"
Oengus is the old Irish form of the name most commonly found in the modern world as Angus, typically Scottish. In Irish mythology, Oengus is the god of youth, love, and poetry.
Oisin
Irish
"little deer"
Oisin is one of the most popular Irish baby names in its native land, though largely unknown in the US. The original Oisin was the mythological son of Finn McCool and Sadb, the goddess who was…
Oona
Irish, variation of Una
"lamb"
Oona is a name made famous by Eugene O'Neill's daughter, who became Charlie Chaplin's wife. One of the original Oona's granddaughters was named after her, and is now an actress famous in her own…