Niamh
From the noun niamh (“brightness, lustre, sheen”), from Middle Irish níam (“brilliance, beauty”), itself from Old Irish ném (“lustre”).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends H
Names documented in Irish
Explore names with source-linked origins, etymologies, and pronunciations. Open a name to see its language context and regional pronunciation variants.
Explore names by language and tradition91 names · Page 2 of 2. Origin labels follow the cited name sense; earlier roots and uncertain meanings are explained on each name page.
Nioclás
From Ancient Greek Νικόλαος (Nikólaos), from νίκη (níkē, “victory”) + λαός (laós, “people”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
Nollaig
From Old Irish Notlaic, from Latin nātālīcia (“a birthday party”), from nātālis (“natal”), from nātus (“born”). Compare Welsh Nadolig, Breton Nedeleg and French Noël.
- Gender
- neutral
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends G
Nóra
Apheretic form of Onóra, from Latin Honora.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
Nuala
From Irish: either a shortened form of Fionnuala, alternative form of Fionnghuala, or an alternative form of Úna. A shortened from of Fionnuala, from Old Irish Finnguala, from…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
Odhrán
From Old Irish Odrán, originally from odur + -án. By surface analysis, odhar (“dun”) + -án (diminutive suffix).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
Oscar
Exact origin uncertain. Resuscitated by James Mcpherson in The Works of Ossian (1765). Napoleon, an admirer of the Ossianic poems, chose it for his godson Oscar Bernadotte, who…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
Pádraig
From Latin Patricius, likely via Old Welsh. Replaced Old Irish Cothraige, a much earlier borrowing as shown by the replacement of Latin p with c.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends G
Parthalán
From Middle Irish Partholón, from Latin Bartholomaeus, from Ancient Greek Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaîos), from Aramaic בר תלמי (bar tolmai, “son of Talmai; son of Ptolemy”);…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
Peadar
From Old Irish Petur, from Latin Petrus, from Ancient Greek Πέτρος (Pétros), from πέτρος (pétros, “stone, rock”). From Old Irish Petur, from Latin Petrus, from Ancient Greek…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
Peige
Borrowed from English Peggy.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
Pilib
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Φίλιππος (Phílippos, “fond of horses”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends B
Pól
From Old Irish Pól, from Latin Paulus.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
Risteard
Borrowed from Middle English Rycharde, from Old French Richard, from Frankish *Rīcohard (literally “powerful leader”), from Proto-Germanic *rīkô (“ruler, chief, leader”) +…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends D
Ruadhán
From Old Irish Rúadán, from Primitive Irish ᚏᚑᚇᚐᚌᚅᚔ (rodagni, genitive). By surface analysis, ruadh (“red, auburn”) + -án.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
Ruairí
From Old Irish Ruaidrí. Cognate with Scottish Gaelic Ruairidh and Manx Ruaree.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Í
Sadhbh
From Middle Irish Sadb, from Old Irish Sadb, from Proto-Celtic *swadwā, feminine derivative of *swādus (“sweet”).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends H
Séamas
Borrowed from English James, from Middle English James, from Old French James, from Vulgar Latin Iacomus, variant form of Latin Iacobus, from Ancient Greek Ἰακώβ (Iakṓb), from…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
Seán
Borrowed from Old French Jehan, from Latin Iōhannēs, from Ancient Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), contraction from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (yōḥānān, literally “God is gracious”). Doublet of Eoin.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends N
Seoirse
From Old Northern French Georges, from Latin Geōrgius, from Ancient Greek Γεώργιος (Geṓrgios).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
Seosamh
Borrowed from Old French Joseph, from Latin Iōsēphus, from Ancient Greek Ἰωσήφ (Iōsḗph), Ἰώσηπος (Iṓsēpos), from Hebrew יוֹסֵף (Yosef, literally “(God) shall add”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends H
Síle
From Middle Irish Síle, from Anglo-Norman Cecile, from Latin Caecilia.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
Siobhán
From earlier Sibán, from Anglo-Norman Jehane or Jehanne, from Old French Jehanne, from Medieval Latin Johanna, variant of Joanna, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
Sorcha
Borrowed from Irish and Scottish Gaelic Sorcha (literally “light, radiant”). From sorcha (“bright, clear, conspicuous”), from Old Irish sorchae (“bright, luminous”). From…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
Stiofán
From Latin Stephanus, from Ancient Greek Στέφανος (Stéphanos), assimilated to the suffix -án.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
Tadhg
From Middle Irish Tadg (whence also Old Norse Taðkr), from the common noun tadg (“poet”), from pre-Goidelic *tazgos, from Proto-Celtic *taskos (“badger”). Cognate with Manx…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends G
Toirdhealbhach
Derived From Middle Irish Tairdelbach, from tairdelb (“promotion, furthering”), thus originally a by-name meaning “instigator”.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends H
Tomás
Derived from Ancient Greek Θωμᾶς m (Thōmâs), from Aramaic תאומא (“twin”). Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese Thomas, from Latin Thōmās m, from Ancient Greek Θωμᾶς m…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
Uilliam
From Middle Irish Uilliam, from Middle English William, from Anglo-Norman Willame, from Proto-Germanic *Wiljahelmaz.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
Uinseann
From Latin Vincentius, from vincēns (“conquering”), from the verb vincō. Cognate with, perhaps from or reinforced by French Vincent.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
Victeoiria
From Latin Victōria, from victōria (“victory”).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends A