Irish Dog Names

  1. Enya
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "fire"
    • Description:

      This phonetic Anglicization of the Irish name Eithne was made familiar by the single-named Irish singer and composer. St. Eithne was the daughter of a king and an early Irish convert to Christianity.
  2. Kevin
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "handsome"
    • Description:

      Kevin came to the US with the large wave of Irish Immigrants after World War I, hitting the US Top 1000 list for the first time in 1921 and never leaving.
  3. Darcy
    • Origin:

      Irish or French
    • Meaning:

      "dark one, or from Arcy, or from the fortress"
    • Description:

      Delicate ballerina name with grace, charm, and heft courtesy of Jane Austen's Mr.
  4. Lennon
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "lover"
    • Description:

      A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon, an Irish name for girls as well as boys with a wonderful meaning on many levels. Lennon first came to notice when Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit used it for their son in 1999, and singer-musician Adam Pascal followed their lead two years later.
  5. Brody
    • Origin:

      Irish, English, and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "broad eye or broad island"
    • Description:

      The energetic Brody is a name that claims different meanings and origins depending on whether you're looking at its Irish, Scottish, or English history -- and Eastern Europeans claim a version too. An alternate spelling is Brodie.
  6. Fallon
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "leader"
    • Description:

      Fallon is one of several boyish surname names introduced in the over-the-top 1980s nighttime soap Dynasty: they sounded cutting-edge at the time, but no longer.
  7. Grady
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "noble, illustrious"
    • Description:

      Following in the footsteps of popular brother Brady, Grady is another lively, ebullient Irish surname name. The O'Gradys (originally O Gradaugh) were an ancient clan that produced an impressive number of bishops.

      Perhaps the most remarkable O'Grady descendant is Muhammad Ali, whose mother's maiden name was Grady.

  8. Mac
    • Origin:

      Scottish or Irish
    • Meaning:

      "son of"
    • Description:

      In Ireland and Scotland, Mac and Mc mean "son of"; here, Mac is a generic fella, or a short form cooler than either Matt or Max. Mac can be a nickname of any longer Mac or Mc starting name such as McCoy or Macalister. If you want to make it feel more complete, you can always spell it Mack.
  9. Oisin
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little deer"
    • Description:

      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 changed into a deer. A legendary war hero and poet, Oisin had a name that is also reminiscent in sound of the ocean. Pronounced correctly, this name has an attractive sheen.
  10. Finley
    • Origin:

      Irish and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "fair-haired hero"
    • Description:

      This was a 100 percent boys’ name until celebs Jason Sehorn and Angie Harmon bestowed it on their daughter, recently followed by Lisa Marie Presley, who used it for one of her (female) twins. Finlay is also now among the most popular unisex names.
  11. Cullen
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "holly tree"
    • Description:

      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.
  12. Brady
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "broad meadow or large-chested"
    • Description:

      The Irish name given to Miranda Hobbes's son on the dearly departed Sex and the City is a friendly and energetic choice. You well might want to make your son part of the Brady bunch.
  13. Malachy
    • Origin:

      Irish version of Malachi, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "second"
    • Description:

      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.

  14. Fitz
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "son of"
    • Description:

      Any number of Fitz names -- Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick, Fitzroy, Fitzwilliam -- have been used as Christian names, in fact Fitzwilliam was the given name of the dashing Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Fitz can be a short form of any of them and is often, like Mac, a nickname drawn from a surname.
  15. Dallas
    • Origin:

      Place name, surnamed and Irish
    • Meaning:

      "skilled"
    • Description:

      A laid-back cowboy name which feels both cool and gentle, Dallas has ranked in the US Top 500 since records began in 1880. Never super popular but surprisingly never out of style, Dallas is given to nearly 1400 boys in the US every year.
  16. Seamus
    • Origin:

      Irish variation of James
    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"
    • Description:

      Parents who have tired of Sean are now contemplating Seamus, the Irish form of James, which has a lot more substance and verve.
  17. Shay
    • Origin:

      Irish, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "stately, gift"
    • Description:

      A variant spelling of either Irish Shea or Hebrew Shai, Shay feels at once vintage and modern.
  18. Keegan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "son of Egan"
    • Description:

      Keegan is one of a clan of spirited Irish surnames starting with K and ending with 'n'--this one with the cheery double 'e' in the middle-- that are appealing to an increasing number of parents. It derives from Mac Aodhagáin, meaning "son (or descendant) of Aodhagán," a diminutive of the Irish name Aodh--pronounced Aye.
  19. Ferris
    • Origin:

      Irish, English
    • Meaning:

      "strong man or ironworker"
    • Description:

      It’s been more than three decades since Ferris Bueller took his famous day off in the cult classic 1986 teen comedy movie, but we think the time for this name could and should be now! Especially with the recent rise of the hero's girlfriend, Sloane, up the baby name rankings. Half preppy, half rugged, it boasts that stylish S ending and has a cozy, retro feel.
  20. Crosby
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "village with crosses"
    • Description:

      Crosby is an attractively laid-back Irish surname with retro musical associations to Bing and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and with a jaunty air. Crosby Braverman was the name of a character on the TV show Parenthood, played by Dax Shepard.