Malachy

Irish version of Malachi, Hebrew

"second"

Malachy Origin and Meaning

The name Malachy is a boy's name of Irish origin meaning "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, lends the biblical name a more expansive, almost boisterous image. Malachy is one of the Irish baby names that manages to strike the golden mean between familiarity and distinctiveness.

Malachy is also the anglicized version of Melaghlin, one of St. Patrick's first companions. It was borne by the High King Malachy, who defeated the Vikings at the Battle of Tara in 980. St. Malachy was a reformer who reorganized the church in Ireland after the Viking raids.

Another origin, via a somewhat circuitous route, is from the surname Mac Seachnaill, "son of Seachnall", the Irish form of Secundus.

Irish actor Cillian Murphy has a son named Malachy.

Malachy Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

# 679 on Nameberry

Malachy Popularity

• 679 Nameberry 2024
• 794 England 2016

20 Names Similar to Malachy

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Malachy.

• Malachi
• Lorcan
• Morrison
• Cillian
• Oisin
• Colm
• Tiernan
• Vaughn
• Jedidiah
• Conall
• Brick
• Torin
• Eamon
• Caoimhe
• Diarmaid
• Seamus
• Finbar
• Cian
• Piers
• Calloway

Famous People Named Malachy

• Saint Malachy 11th century Irish Archbishop of Armagh
• Malachy Gerard McCourt Irish,American actor and writer
• Malachy Bowes Daly Canadian politician, former lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia
• Malachy Ó Caollaidhe Irish Archbishop of Tuam
• Malachy Salter Canadian merchant and politician
• Malachy Postlethwayt English author of "The Universal Dictionary of Trade and Commerce"
• Malachy Coney Northern Irish comics writer and artist

Malachy in Pop Culture

• Malachy Doyle character on TV's "Republic of Doyle"
• Malachy "Mal" Fisher character on British soap "Hollyoaks"
• Malachy "Buck" Mulligan character in "Ulysses" by James Joyce