NiamhWitch's Personal Name List

Aengus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Medieval Irish
Rating: 58% based on 8 votes
Older form of Aonghus.
Áine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: A-nyə(Irish)
Rating: 55% based on 10 votes
Means "radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Anne.
Alasdair
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish Gaelic [1]
Rating: 69% based on 8 votes
Scottish Gaelic form of Alexander.
Alastríona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: ə-ləs-TRYEE-nə, A-ləs-tryee-nə
Rating: 90% based on 7 votes
Feminine form of Alastar.
Arianrhod
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: ar-YAN-rawd(Welsh)
Rating: 48% based on 5 votes
Probably means "silver wheel" from Welsh arian "silver" and rhod "wheel". According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi [1], Arianrhod was the mother of the twins Dylan and Lleu Llaw Gyffes, whom she spontaneously birthed when she stepped over a magical wand. It is speculated that in earlier myths she may have been a goddess of the moon.
Arianwen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: ar-YAN-wehn
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Derived from Welsh arian "silver" and gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint, one of the supposed daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.
Artair
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish Gaelic [1]
Pronounced: AHR-tər
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Scottish Gaelic form of Arthur.
Arthur
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
Pronounced: AHR-thər(English) AR-TUYR(French) AR-tuwr(German) AHR-tuyr(Dutch)
Rating: 60% based on 7 votes
The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements *artos "bear" (Old Welsh arth) combined with *wiros "man" (Old Welsh gur) or *rīxs "king" (Old Welsh ri). Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius.

Arthur is the name of the central character in Arthurian legend, a 6th-century king of the Britons who resisted Saxon invaders. He may or may not have been based on a real person. He first appears in Welsh poems and chronicles (perhaps briefly in the 7th-century poem Y Gododdin and more definitively and extensively in the 9th-century History of the Britons [1]). However, his character was not developed until the chronicles of the 12th-century Geoffrey of Monmouth [2]. His tales were later taken up and expanded by French and English writers.

The name came into general use in England in the Middle Ages due to the prevalence of Arthurian romances, and it enjoyed a surge of popularity in the 19th century. Famous bearers include German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), mystery author and Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), and science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008).

Branwen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: BRAN-wehn(Welsh)
Rating: 60% based on 6 votes
Means "white raven" from Old Welsh bran "raven" and gwen "white, blessed". According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi [1] she was the daughter of Llŷr. After she was mistreated by her husband Matholwch, the king of Ireland, she managed to get a message to her brother Brân, the king of Britain. Brân launched a costly invasion to rescue her, but she died of grief shortly after her return.
Brigid
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Rating: 78% based on 6 votes
Irish variant of Brighid (see Bridget).
Brigit
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Old Irish [1], Irish Mythology
Rating: 65% based on 6 votes
Old Irish form of Bridget.
Calum
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish Gaelic
Pronounced: KAL-əm
Rating: 60% based on 4 votes
Scottish Gaelic form of Columba.
Caoimhe
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KEE-vyə
Rating: 76% based on 7 votes
Derived from Irish caomh meaning "dear, beloved, gentle".
Carys
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: KAHR-is
Rating: 60% based on 6 votes
Derived from Welsh caru meaning "love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.
Ceridwen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: keh-RID-wehn
Rating: 58% based on 5 votes
Possibly from cyrrid "bent, crooked" (a derivative of Old Welsh cwrr "corner") combined with ben "woman" or gwen "white, blessed". According to the medieval Welsh legend the Tale of Taliesin (recorded by Elis Gruffyd in the 16th century) this was the name of a sorceress who created a potion that would grant wisdom to her son Morfan. The potion was instead consumed by her servant Gwion Bach, who was subsequently reborn as the renowned bard Taliesin.

This name appears briefly in a poem in the Black Book of Carmarthen in the form Kyrridven [1] and in a poem in the Book of Taliesin in the form Kerrituen [2]. Some theories connect her to an otherwise unattested Celtic goddess of inspiration, and suppose her name is related to Welsh cerdd "poetry".

Clodagh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KLAW-də
Rating: 78% based on 5 votes
From the Clodiagh, a small river in County Waterford, Ireland. It was first used as a given name by Clodagh Beresford (1879-1957), daughter of the Marquess of Waterford.
Conan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Rating: 45% based on 4 votes
Means "little wolf" or "little hound" from Irish "wolf, hound" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early saints, including a 7th-century bishop of the Isle of Man. It appears in Irish legend as a companion Fionn mac Cumhaill. A famous bearer of it as a middle name was Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories. It is also the name of the hero of the Conan the Barbarian series of books, comics and movies, debuting 1932.
Déaglán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Original Gaelic form of Declan.
Declan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: DEHK-lən(English)
Personal remark: Prefer the Deaglan spelling
Rating: 72% based on 6 votes
Anglicized form of Irish Deaglán, Old Irish Declán, which is of unknown meaning. Saint Declan was a 5th-century missionary to the Déisi peoples of Ireland and the founder of the monastery at Ardmore.

In America, this name received boosts in popularity from main characters in the movies The Jackal (1997) and Leap Year (2010).

Deirdre
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: DIR-drə(English) DIR-dree(English) DYEHR-dryə(Irish)
Rating: 56% based on 5 votes
From the Old Irish name Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from der meaning "daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after Conchobar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover Naoise.

It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 20th century, influenced by two plays featuring the character: William Butler Yeats' Deirdre (1907) and J. M. Synge's Deirdre of the Sorrows (1910).

Elowen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Cornish
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Means "elm tree" in Cornish. This is a recently coined Cornish name.
Eoghan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: ON(Irish) O-ən(Irish)
Rating: 85% based on 4 votes
Possibly means "born from the yew tree", from Old Irish "yew" and the suffix gan "born". Alternatively, it might be derived from the Latin name Eugenius. It was borne by several legendary or semi-legendary Irish figures, including a son of the king Niall of the Nine Hostages.
Ewan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish
Pronounced: YOO-ən(English)
Rating: 82% based on 5 votes
Anglicized form of Eòghann.
Fia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish (Modern, Rare)
Pronounced: fyee-ə
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Allegedly derived from Irish fia "deer" (via Old Irish fíad "wild animals, game, especially deer", ultimately from fid "wood").
Finley
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FIN-lee
Rating: 68% based on 4 votes
Variant of Finlay. This is by far the preferred spelling in the United States, where it has lately been more common as a feminine name.
Fionnlagh
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish Gaelic
Rating: 78% based on 4 votes
Means "white warrior", derived from Old Irish finn "white, blessed" and láech "warrior". An earlier form was Findláech — this was the name of the father of the 11th-century Scottish king Macbeth.
Fionnuala
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Rating: 75% based on 4 votes
Means "white shoulder" from Old Irish finn "white, blessed" and gúala "shoulder". In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for a period of 900 years.
Galahad
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Arthurian Romance
Pronounced: GAL-ə-had(English)
Rating: 75% based on 4 votes
From earlier Galaad, likely derived from the Old French form of the biblical place name Gilead. In Arthurian legend Sir Galahad was the son of Lancelot and Elaine. He was the most pure of the Knights of the Round Table, and he was the only one to succeed in finding the Holy Grail. He first appears in the 13th-century French Lancelot-Grail Cycle.
Guinevere
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arthurian Romance
Pronounced: GWIN-ə-vir(English)
Personal remark: Prefer Gwenhwyfar
Rating: 63% based on 6 votes
From the Norman French form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar meaning "white phantom", ultimately from the old Celtic roots *windos meaning "white" (modern Welsh gwen) and *sēbros meaning "phantom, magical being" [1]. In Arthurian legend she was the beautiful wife of King Arthur. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, she was seduced by Mordred before the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. According to the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, she engaged in an adulterous affair with Sir Lancelot.

The Cornish form of this name, Jennifer, has become popular in the English-speaking world.

Gwendolen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: GWEHN-də-lin(English)
Rating: 45% based on 4 votes
Possibly means "white ring", derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" and dolen meaning "ring, loop". This name appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century chronicles, written in the Latin form Guendoloena, where it belongs to an ancient queen of the Britons who defeats her ex-husband in battle [1]. Geoffrey later used it in Vita Merlini for the wife of the prophet Merlin [2]. An alternate theory claims that the name arose from a misreading of the masculine name Guendoleu by Geoffrey [3].

This name was not regularly given to people until the 19th century [4][3]. It was used by George Eliot for a character in her novel Daniel Deronda (1876).

Gwenllian
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: gwehn-SHEE-an
Rating: 50% based on 4 votes
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, blessed" and possibly lliain meaning "flaxen, made of linen" or lliant meaning "flow, flood". This name was used by medieval Welsh royalty, notably by a 12th-century princess of Deheubarth who died in battle with the Normans. It was also borne by the 13th-century daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of Gwynedd.
Gwyneira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: gwi-NAY-ra
Rating: 54% based on 5 votes
Means "white snow" from the Welsh element gwyn meaning "white, blessed" combined with eira meaning "snow". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Iain
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish Gaelic [1]
Pronounced: EE-an
Rating: 74% based on 5 votes
Scottish Gaelic form of Iohannes (see John).
Ianto
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: YAN-taw
Rating: 0% based on 1 vote
Diminutive of Ifan.
Isla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: IE-lə
Rating: 68% based on 6 votes
Variant of Islay, typically used as a feminine name. It also coincides with the Spanish word isla meaning "island".
Iwan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh, Polish
Pronounced: IW-an(Welsh) EE-van(Polish)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Modern Welsh form of Ieuan, a medieval Welsh form of Iohannes (see John). It is also a Polish form of Ivan.
Llewellyn
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: loo-EHL-in(English)
Rating: 48% based on 4 votes
Variant of Llewelyn.
Llewelyn
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh
Rating: 48% based on 4 votes
Variant of Llywelyn influenced by the Welsh word llew "lion".
Llyr
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh Mythology
Rating: 83% based on 4 votes
Unaccented variant of Llŷr.
Llywelyn
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: shə-WEH-lin(Welsh) loo-EHL-in(English)
Rating: 40% based on 4 votes
Probably a Welsh form of an unattested old Celtic name *Lugubelinos, a combination of the names of the gods Lugus and Belenus, or a compound of Lugus and a Celtic root meaning "strong". Alternatively it may be derived from Welsh llyw "leader". This was the name of several Welsh rulers, notably the 13th-century Llywelyn the Great who fought against the English.
Lugh
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish Mythology
Rating: 70% based on 4 votes
Probably an Irish form of Lugus. In Irish mythology Lugh Lámfada was a divine hero who led the Tuatha Dé Danann against his grandfather Balor and the Fomorians. Lugh killed Balor by shooting a stone into his giant eye.
Lughaidh
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish Mythology
Pronounced: LOO-ie(Irish) LOO-ə(Irish)
Rating: 73% based on 4 votes
From Old Irish Lugaid, a combination of the name of the mythological figure Lugh and Old Irish dech "honour, better" [1]. This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including the king Lugaid mac Con.
Macha
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: MAH-khah
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Possibly from Proto-Celtic *makajā "plain (level country)". In Irish legend this was the name of a war goddess, sister of the Morrígan and the Badb. She was the legendary founder of Eṁain Ṁacha, seat of the Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa, and her name survives in the Irish place name Armagh which was originally Ard Mhacha "Macha's height".
Maebh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: MEEV
Rating: 75% based on 4 votes
Variant of Maeve.
Maeve
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: MAYV(English)
Rating: 82% based on 5 votes
Anglicized form of the Irish name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband Ailill fought against the Ulster king Conchobar and the hero Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.
Mairead
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Scottish Gaelic [1]
Pronounced: MA-ryəd
Rating: 58% based on 4 votes
Scottish Gaelic form of Margaret.
Máirín
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: MA-ryeen
Rating: 80% based on 5 votes
Irish diminutive of Mary.
Mairwen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Rating: 83% based on 4 votes
Combination of Mair and Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed".
Mallaidh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Rating: 78% based on 4 votes
Irish form of Molly.
Méabh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: MYEW(Irish) MYEHV(Irish)
Rating: 75% based on 4 votes
Modern Irish form of Medb (see Maeve).
Moira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Scottish, English
Pronounced: MOI-rə(English)
Rating: 75% based on 4 votes
Anglicized form of Máire. It also coincides with Greek Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.
Morrígan
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish Mythology
Rating: 70% based on 4 votes
Means either "demon queen" or "great queen", derived from Old Irish mor "demon, evil spirit" or mór "great, big" combined with rígain "queen". In Irish mythology Morrígan (called also The Morrígan) was a goddess of war and death who often took the form of a crow.
Muireann
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Rating: 63% based on 4 votes
Variant of Muirenn.
Órlaith
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: OR-lə(Irish)
Rating: 73% based on 4 votes
Means "golden ruler", from Old Irish ór "gold" combined with flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This name was borne by several medieval Irish royals, including a sister of the king Brian Boru.
Owain
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh, Arthurian Romance
Pronounced: O-wien(Welsh)
Rating: 60% based on 4 votes
From an Old Welsh name (Ougein, Eugein and other spellings), which was possibly from the Latin name Eugenius. Other theories connect it to the Celtic roots *owi- "sheep", *wesu- "good" or *awi- "desire" combined with the Old Welsh suffix gen "born of". This is the name of several figures from British history, including Owain mab Urien, a 6th-century prince of Rheged who fought against the Angles. The 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes adapted him into Yvain for his Arthurian romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Regarded as one of the Knights of the Round Table, Yvain or Owain has since appeared in many other Arthurian tales, typically being the son of King Urien of Gore, and the errant husband of Laudine, the Lady of the Fountain.

Other notable bearers include Owain the Great, a 12th-century king of Gwynedd, and Owain Glyndwr, a 14th-century leader of the Welsh resistance to English rule.

Pádraig
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: PA-drəg
Rating: 85% based on 4 votes
Irish form of Patrick.
Pádraigín
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: PA-drə-gyeen
Rating: 65% based on 4 votes
Diminutive of Pádraig, also used as a feminine form.
Réaltín
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish (Modern)
Pronounced: RAYL-teen, REHL-teen, REEL-teen
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
From Irish réalt, réalta meaning "star" paired with ín, a diminutive. This is a modern Irish name.
Rhiannon
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: ree-AN-awn(Welsh) ree-AN-ən(English)
Rating: 52% based on 5 votes
Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi [1] as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.

As an English name, it became popular due to the Fleetwood Mac song Rhiannon (1976), especially in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Saoirse
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SEER-shə
Rating: 53% based on 4 votes
Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.
Scott
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Scottish
Pronounced: SKAHT(American English) SKAWT(British English)
Rating: 85% based on 4 votes
From an English and Scottish surname that referred to a person from Scotland or a person who spoke Scottish Gaelic. It is derived from Latin Scoti meaning "Gael, Gaelic speaker", with the ultimate origin uncertain.
Séamus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SHEH-məs
Rating: 83% based on 6 votes
Irish form of James.
Séarlait
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SHEHR-lət
Rating: 78% based on 4 votes
Irish form of Charlotte.
Séarlas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SHEHR-ləs
Rating: 80% based on 4 votes
Irish form of Charles.
Sinéad
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SHI-nyehd
Rating: 64% based on 5 votes
Irish form of Jeannette.
Siobhán
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SHI-wan, SHUW-wan, SHI-van, shə-VAN
Rating: 83% based on 4 votes
Irish form of Jehanne, a Norman French variant of Jeanne.
Síofra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SHEE-frə
Rating: 60% based on 4 votes
Means "elf, sprite" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Taliesin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: tal-YEH-sin(Welsh) tal-ee-EHS-in(English)
Rating: 100% based on 1 vote
Means "shining brow", derived from Welsh tal "brow, head" and iesin "shining, radiant". This was the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century Welsh poet and bard, supposedly the author of the collection of poems the Book of Taliesin. He appears briefly in the Welsh legend Culhwch and Olwen and the Second Branch of the Mabinogi. He is the central character in the Tale of Taliesin, a medieval legend recorded in the 16th century, which tells how Ceridwen's servant Gwion Bach was reborn to her as Taliesin; how he becomes the bard for Elffin; and how Taliesin defends Elffin from the machinations of the king Maelgwn Gwynedd.
Tara 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TAHR-ə, TEHR-ə, TAR-ə
Rating: 60% based on 4 votes
Anglicized form of the Irish place name Teamhair, which possibly means "elevated place". This was the name of the sacred hill near Dublin where the Irish high kings resided. It was popularized as a given name by the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939), in which it is the name of the O'Hara plantation.
Teàrlag
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Scottish Gaelic [1]
Rating: 75% based on 4 votes
Feminine form of Teàrlach. It is sometimes Anglicized as Charlotte.
Uilleam
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish Gaelic [1]
Pronounced: U-lyəm
Rating: 45% based on 4 votes
Scottish Gaelic form of William.
Uilliam
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Rating: 45% based on 4 votes
Irish form of William.
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