690+ Irish Names (With Meanings and Popularity)
- Rohan
Origin:
Variation of Rowan, Irish and Scottish, or HindiMeaning:
"rowan tree, little redhead, or sandalwood"Description:
Rohan is an Indian name, but may also be a variation of the Irish surname Rowan, sometimes used for girls.
- Keeley
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"slender"Description:
One of the more feminine Irish surnames.
- Allan
Origin:
Spelling variation of AlanMeaning:
"handsome, cheerful"Description:
This extra-L variation of Alan isn't quite as popular in the US as the original. Both spellings remain popular in Ireland and England.
- Rogan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"redhead"Description:
Rogan makes a great, roguish alternative for the more popular Logan, Ronan and Rowan.
- Doyle
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"black stranger"Description:
Dark horse Irish surname.
- Sullivan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"dark eyes"Description:
Stylish and boyish but could work for a girl -- especially one with brown eyes -- and Sully is a quirky and jaunty nickname.
- Eavan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"beautiful sheen"Description:
Anglicized spelling of the difficult-to-decipher Gaelic Aoibheann, the name of several Irish princesses, this name rhymes with Steven. Eavan Boland is a distinguished Irish poet who teaches at Stanford University.
- Rylee
Origin:
Spelling variation of RileyDescription:
The -ee suffix is decisively feminine, so it's no surprise that male usage of this name lags behind female usage.
- Kady
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"first"Description:
Kady, though it has an authentic Irish meaning, may also be a variation of Katy short form of Kadence, or combination of initials K. and D. Though Kady is more distinctive, everyone will just hear it as Katy.
- Donahue
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"dark fighter"Description:
This genial Irish surname feels much more current than Donald.
- Talula
Origin:
Variation of Tallulah or TalullaDescription:
Talula might be a streamlined spelling of either the Native American Tallulah or the Irish Talulla -- and very few namers know the difference as they sound identical. Investigate further and you decide, or you can just consider Talula a relative of both.
- Mab
Origin:
Irish, EnglishMeaning:
"intoxicating"Description:
An Anglicized form of Medb borrowed by both Shakespeare and Percy Bysshe Shelley for the of queen of the fairies. Perfect if you want something both adventurous and simple - though you could use it as a nickname for Mabel, Mirabel, Mabli, or Amabel too.
- Bronagh
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"sorrow"Description:
Bronagh, along with Anglicized form Brona, is a popular name in Ireland. It's the name of a sixth century mystic as well as a modern television character on Penny Dreadful.
- Ceara
Origin:
Spelling variation of Irish CiaraDescription:
Even though the pronunciation of Ceara and the more usual Ciara is KEER-a, most Americans would tend to mispronounce this spelling variation as Sierra.
- Carey
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"dark, black"Description:
Carey is a surname name that works equally well on babies of all genders - Jazz great Carey Bell and motorcross champion Carey Hart are just two examples of how handsome this name can be for a boy.
- Behan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"bee"Description:
An Anglicized derivative of the Gaelic name Beatha, meaning "life," best known as the surname of Irish playwright Brendan Behan.
- Myrna
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"festive; affection, endearment"Description:
An anglicized spelling of Muirne, the name of the mother of Finn mac Cool in Irish legend, Myrna has a unique sound and two possible meanings, both of which are positive. Actress Myrna Loy was a notable bearer and her fame caused a spike in popularity of the name, when it reached the US Top 150 in the 1930s.
- Quillan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"cub"Description:
If you like Dylan but find it too popular, Quillan could be a distinctive alternative.
- Derry
Origin:
Diminutive or Derek or Dermot or Irish place-nameMeaning:
"like an oak"Description:
With the fashions for tree names, place names, and nickname names, Derry is a three-way winner.
- Covy
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"victorious"Description:
Variously spelled Covy and Covey, this is a surname derived from the first name Cobthach. Like cousins Coby and Cody, it has an energetic nickname feel.