Irish Dog Names
Updated Wed Feb 14 2024
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Irish dog names have long been popular thanks to their accessibility, familiarity, and friendly spirit. The Irish nickname Molly has been among the top female dog names for decades.
Along with Molly, other Irish dog names in the dog Top 100 include Finn, Murphy, Riley, and Brody. Amusing Irish names that may be more appropriate for a dog than a baby include Tipper, Scully, Pegeen, and Kermit.
Irish names for dogs might be a nod to your dog's breed, as in Irish Setter or Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. Or maybe you've got a red-haired dog that looks Irish and so needs an Irish name. Or it might be you who's Irish or who simply loves names from the Emerald Isle.
These Irish dog names are perfect for any kind of puppy or dog. The Irish names for pups here are ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Finn
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"fair or white"Description:
Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as well for his wisdom and generosity.
- Rowan
Origin:
Scottish and IrishMeaning:
"rowan tree; little redhead"Description:
With its gentle sounds and earthy vibes, the name Rowan feels like a fusion of different styles. A word name, a surname, and a gender-neutral name, Rowan is rustic but trendy, blending the vibes of both Owen and Oakley.
- Liam
Origin:
Irish short form of WilliamMeaning:
"resolute protection"Description:
Liam is the top boys' name in the US, holding the Number 1 spot for the past seven years and also ranking as one of the most popular boys' names around the western world.
- Ronan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"little seal"Description:
Ronan is the compelling legendary name of twelve Irish and Scottish saints that is now drawing some deserved attention; this cousin of the ascending Roman and Rowan was chosen by actor Daniel Day-Lewis and his writer-director wife Rebecca Miller in 1998, and more recently by actress Catherine Bell.
- Nolan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"champion"Description:
The friendly and sporty feeling Nolan blends some of the best qualities of other popular boy names. With the gentle but energetic sounds of Noah, a hint of the classic Nicholas, and the cool, surname-style vibe of Greyson or Colton, it makes for a familiar and grounded choice.
- Molly
Origin:
Diminutive of Mary, HebrewMeaning:
"bitter"Description:
Molly is one of the original nickname names, ALWAYS ranking among the US Top 500 girl names since statistics began, in 1880. Molly peaked in 1991 only to rise just as high again in 2011, and though softening retains a good measure of popularity and charm.
- Flynn
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"descendant of the red-haired one"Description:
Flynn, a charming Irish surname, is still used only quietly, despite its easygoing, casual cowboy charm, unlike Finn which is a star of this genre. Flynn was the choice of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr for their baby boy, and is also the middle name -- used as his first -- of a son of Miranda's fellow supermodel Elle Macpherson, of Gary Oldman's son Gulliver and Marley Shelton's daughter West.
- Fia
Origin:
Irish or Portuguese or ItalianMeaning:
"wild or weaver"Description:
Fia may be most notable at this moment as the Anglicized version of the Irish Fiadh, one of the fastest-rising names in the Republic of Ireland. The meaning of Fia or Fiadh is sometimes given as "deer" but that's in the sense of a wild deer, as the name relates to the ancient word for wild.
- Declan
Origin:
Irish, meaning unknown, possible "man of prayer"Meaning:
"man of prayer"Description:
Declan is the Anglicized form of the Irish name Deaglán. St. Declan was one of the first missionaries to bring Christianity to Ireland, preceding St. Patrick. Originally from Wales, he founded the monastery of Ardmore in Ireland.
- Riley
Origin:
English, IrishMeaning:
"rye clearing; courageous"Description:
Riley—an upbeat, friendly surname name—is red hot for girls and still going strong for boys. If you haven't been spending much time around babies recently, you may be surprised to learn that Riley is the most popular girls' name starting with R and also the Number 1 Irish name for girls in the US.
- Oona
Origin:
Irish, variation of UnaMeaning:
"lamb"Description:
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 right for playing Talisa of Volantis in HBO's "Game of Thrones." The double-o beginning gives their name a lot of oomph.
- Sullivan
Origin:
Irish surnameMeaning:
"black-eyed one"Description:
Sullivan is a jaunty Celtic three-syllable name, with a real twinkle in its eye. It was immortalized in the 1930s classic film Sullivan's Travels and was chosen for one of Patrick Dempsey's twin boys. Nickname Sully is equally jaunty.
- Ivo
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"yew wood, archer"Description:
Ivo is an unusual, catchy name with the energetic impact of all names ending in 'o'. Hardly heard in the U.S., it is used a bit more frequently in England, as is the related Ivor, a favorite of such novelists as Evelyn Waugh and P.G. Wodehouse. Ivo is currently most popular in the Netherlands.
- Cormac
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"charioteer"Description:
Both offbeat and upbeat, this evocative traditional Irish name that runs through Celtic mythology is known here via award-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy (born Charles). The author's adopted name is related to Cormac Mac Airt, one of the great legendary high kings of Ireland.
- Rafferty
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"floodtide, abundance, prosperity"Description:
Jaunty and raffish, Rafferty is one of the most engaging of the Irish surnames, used by Jude Law and Sadie Frost for their son. Fortunately, it doesn't still go by its original form: O'Raighbheartaigh.
- Rory
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"red king"Description:
Rory is a buoyant, spirited name for a redhead with Celtic roots. The name Rory is getting more popular overall, but for the past few years has been trending decidedly toward the boys' side -- however, it's been rising to new heights for girls in recent years.
- Bridget
Origin:
Anglicized variation of Gaelic BrighidMeaning:
"strength or exalted one"Description:
Bridget is the Anglicized form of Brigid, an Irish-Gaelic name that was derived from the word brígh, which means "strength."
- Roan
Origin:
Spelling variation of RowanMeaning:
"little redhead"Description:
Warm-hued spelling spin on Rowan that was chosen by Sharon Stone for one of her three young sons.
- Orla
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"golden princess"Description:
Orla is an Irish name closely associated with the high king Brian Boru, as it was the name of his sister, daughter and niece. It was very popular in the Middle Ages – the fourth most popular name in twelfth century Ireland – and has become popular again in Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales today. In Irish, the name is commonly spelled Orlaith or Orlagh.
- Murphy
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"sea warrior"Description:
This jaunty Celtic surname -- the most common family name in both Ireland and the US -- is totally viable as a first. The arguably most famous Murphy is TV's Murphy Brown, and indeed the name is twice as common for baby girls as for baby boys today. But still, it's solidly gender neutral and works equally well for all sexes.