Donna f EnglishFrom Italian
donna meaning
"lady". It is also used as a feminine form of
Donald.
Donovan m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Donndubháin, itself derived from the given name
Donndubán. This name is borne by the Scottish folk musician Donovan Leitch (1946-), known simply as Donovan.
Dougal m ScottishAnglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name
Dubhghall meaning
"dark stranger", from Old Irish
dub "dark" and
gall "stranger". This name was borne by a few medieval Scottish chiefs.
Douglas m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means
"dark river", derived from Gaelic
dubh "dark" and
glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to
glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is
Dùghlas or
Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.
Doyle m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Dubhghaill, itself derived from the given name
Dubhghall. A famous bearer of the surname was Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories.
Duane m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Dubháin, itself derived from the given name
Dubhán. Usage in America began around the start of the 20th century. It last appeared on the top 1000 rankings in 2002, though the variant
Dwayne lingered a few years longer.
Dubhán m Irish (Rare)From Old Irish
Dubán meaning
"little dark one", derived from
dub "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a few early saints.
Dubhshláine m Old IrishDerived from Old Irish
dub "dark, black" and either
slán "challenge, defiance" or
Sláine, the Irish name of the River Slaney.
Dubthach m Old IrishOld Irish name derived from
dub "dark, black" in combination with a second element of unknown meaning. This was the name of a 6th-century saint, a bishop of Armagh. It also appears in Irish legend as a companion of
Fergus mac Róich.
Duff m English (Rare)From a Scottish or Irish surname, derived from Anglicized spellings of Gaelic
dubh meaning
"dark".
Duncan m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name
Donnchadh, derived from Old Irish
donn "brown" and
cath "battle". This was the name of two kings of Scotland, including the one who was featured in Shakespeare's play
Macbeth (1606).
Dwayne m EnglishVariant of
Duane, with the spelling altered due to the influence of
Wayne. A notable bearer is the American actor Dwayne Johnson (1972-), known as The Rock when he was a professional wrestler.
Dymphna f History (Ecclesiastical), IrishForm of
Damhnait. According to legend, Saint Dymphna was a young 7th-century woman from Ireland who was martyred by her father in the Belgian town of Geel. She is the patron saint of the mentally ill.
Eachann m Scottish GaelicFrom the Old Irish name
Echdonn meaning
"brown horse", from
ech "horse" and
donn "brown". This name was historically common among the chiefs of Clan MacLean. It has sometimes been Anglicized as
Hector.
Éibhear m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Éber, meaning uncertain. According to Irish legend this name belonged to two of the sons of Míl, Éibhear Dunn and Éibhear Finn, the first of the Gaels to conquer Ireland.
Éireann f Irish (Rare)From
Éireann, the genitive case of Irish Gaelic
Éire, meaning "Ireland". It is commonly Anglicized as
Erin.
Eithne f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPossibly from Old Irish
etne meaning
"kernel, grain". In Irish mythology Eithne or Ethniu was a Fomorian and the mother of
Lugh Lámfada. It was borne by several other legendary and historical figures, including a few early saints.
Emer f Irish MythologyMeaning unknown. In Irish legend she was the wife of
Cúchulainn. She was said to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, needlework, wisdom and chastity.
Énna m Old IrishPossibly from Old Irish
én meaning
"bird". This was the name of several Irish kings and heroes. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint who built the monastery of Killeany on Aran.
Ennis m EnglishFrom an Irish surname that was derived from
inis meaning
"island".
Eochaidh m Medieval IrishFrom the Old Irish name
Eochaid meaning
"horseman", derived from
ech "horse". This name was borne by many historical and legendary Irish kings.
Eoghan m Irish, Irish MythologyPossibly means
"born from the yew tree", from Old Irish
eó "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.
Erin f English, IrishAnglicized form of
Éireann. It was initially used by people of Irish heritage in America, Canada and Australia. It was rare until the mid-1950s.
Ériu f Irish MythologyFrom the name of an Irish goddess, who according to legend gave her name to Ireland (which is called
Éire in Irish). In reality, the goddess probably got her name from that of the island, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.
Étaín f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPossibly derived from Old Irish
ét meaning
"jealousy, passion". In Irish legend she is the subject of the 9th-century tale
The Wooing of Étaín. She was the wife of Midir, but his jealous first wife Fuamnach transformed her into a fly. She was accidentally swallowed, and then reborn to the woman who swallowed her. After she grew again to adulthood she married the Irish high king Eochaid Airem, having no memory of Midir. Midir and Étaín were eventually reunited after Midir defeated Eochaid in a game of chess.
... [more] Étan f Irish MythologyPossibly a variant of
Étaín. In Irish mythology she was the daughter of Dian Cécht, the god of healing.
Faolán m Irish (Rare)Means
"little wolf", derived from Old Irish
fáel "wolf" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an Irish saint who did missionary work in Scotland.
Farrell m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Fearghail, derived from the given name
Fearghal.
Fearchar m Scottish GaelicScottish Gaelic form of the Old Irish name
Ferchar, from
fer "man" and
carae "friend". This was the name of early kings of Dál Riata (sometimes as
Ferchar).
Féchín m Old IrishMeans
"little raven" from Old Irish
fiach "raven" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an Irish saint of the 7th century, the founder of the monastery at Fore. He died of the yellow plague.
Fedelm f Irish Mythology, Old IrishPossibly a feminine form of
Feidlimid. This name is borne by several women in Irish legend including Fedelm Noíchrothach, a daughter of
Conchobar the king of Ulster. It was also the name of a few early saints.
Feidlimid m & f Old Irish, Irish MythologyTraditionally said to mean
"ever good", it might be related to Old Irish
feidil "enduring, constant". This was the name of three early kings of Munster. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint, typically called Saint Felim. In Irish legend, it was the name of the father of
Deirdre.
Fergal m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"man of valour", derived from the Old Irish elements
fer "man" and
gal "valour". This was the name of an 8th-century king of Ireland. As well as the Old Irish form of the name, this is the usual Anglicization of the Modern Irish form
Fearghal.
Fergus m Irish, Scottish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"man of vigour", derived from the Old Irish elements
fer "man" and
guss "vigour, strength, force". This was the name of several early rulers of Ireland and Dál Riata, as well as many characters from Irish legend. Notably it was borne by the hero Fergus mac Róich, who was tricked into giving up the kingship of Ulster to
Conchobar. However, he remained loyal to the new king until Conchobar betrayed
Deirdre and
Naoise, at which point he defected to Connacht in anger. The name was also borne by an 8th-century saint, a missionary to Scotland.
... [more] Fiachna m Irish Mythology, Old IrishDerived from Irish
fiach meaning
"raven". This is the name of several characters from Irish legend. It was also borne by Fiachna mac Báetáin, a 7th-century king of Dál Araide.
Fiachra m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Fiachrae, possibly from
fiach "raven" or
fích "battle" combined with
rí "king". This was the name of several legendary figures, including one of the four children of
Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners: a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France, usually called Saint Fiacre.
Finbar m IrishAnglicized form of Irish
Fionnbharr, Old Irish
Finnbarr, derived from
finn "white, blessed" and
barr "top, head". Saint Finbar of Cork was a 6th-century bishop who supposedly performed miraculous cures. The Isle of Barra off Scotland was (probably) named for him.
Fingal m LiteratureMeans
"white stranger", derived from the Old Irish elements
finn "white, blessed" and
gall "foreigner, stranger". This was the name of the hero in the Scottish author James Macpherson's 1761 poem
Fingal, which he claimed to have based on early Gaelic legends about
Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Finley m & f EnglishVariant of
Finlay. This is by far the preferred spelling in the United States, where it has lately been more common as a feminine name.
Finnegan m English (Modern)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Fionnagáin, itself derived from the given name
Fionnagán, a diminutive of
Fionn. This is the surname of a relatively minor character in James Joyce's novel
Finnegans Wake (1939), the title of which was based on a 19th-century Irish ballad called
Finnegan's Wake.
Finnian m IrishDerived from Old Irish
finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints, including the founders of monasteries at Clonard and Movilla (both 6th century).
Fintan m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPossibly means either
"white fire" or
"white ancient" in Irish. According to legend this was the name of the only Irish person to survive the great flood. This name was also borne by many Irish saints.
Fiona f Scottish, EnglishFeminine form of
Fionn. This name was (first?) used by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in his poem
Fingal (1761), in which it is spelled as
Fióna.
Fionn m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom the Old Irish name
Finn, derived from
finn meaning
"white, blessed". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as
Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of
Oisín and grandfather of
Oscar.
Fionnlagh m Scottish GaelicMeans
"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 f Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"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.
Flanagan m English (Rare)From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Flannagáin, itself from the given name
Flannagán, which was derived from Irish
flann "blood red" and a diminutive suffix.
Flann m & f Irish, Old IrishMeans
"blood red" in Irish. This was the name of a 9th-century high king of Ireland.
Flynn m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Floinn, which was derived from the given name or byname
Flann. A famous bearer of the surname was American actor Errol Flynn (1909-1959). As a given name, it grew in popularity after it was featured as a character in the Disney movie
Tangled in 2010.
Garbhán m IrishFrom Old Irish
Garbán meaning
"little rough one", derived from
garb "rough" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint.
Glenda f EnglishProbably a feminine form of
Glenn using the suffix
da (from names such as
Linda and
Wanda). This name was not regularly used until the 20th century.
Glenn m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic
gleann "valley". It was borne by the American actor Glenn Ford (1916-2006), whose birth name was Gwyllyn. A famous bearer of the surname was American astronaut John Glenn (1921-2016). The name peaked in popularity in 1962 when he became the first American to orbit the earth.
... [more] Gobán m Irish (Rare)From Old Irish
Gobbán, derived from
gobae "smith" and a diminutive suffix. It could also be a derivative of the name of the Irish smith god
Goibniu (from the same root). This was the name of a few early saints, such as a 7th-century abbot of Killamery. In later folklore, the smith god and the saints seem to have conflated into the legendary figure Gobán Saor ("Gobán the builder"), a master architect and builder of churches.
Gobnait f IrishFeminine form of
Gobán. This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint, the founder of a monastery at Ballyvourney.
Goibniu m Irish MythologyDerived from Old Irish
gobae meaning
"smith". In Irish mythology this was the name of a divine metalsmith and weapon maker of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He also provided them with feasts that protected them from old age. He may be derived from an earlier Celtic smith god (seen also in Gaulish
Gobannos and Welsh
Gofannon).
Gormlaith f Old IrishDerived from Old Irish
gorm "blue" or "illustrious" and
flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of several medieval Irish royals, including the wife of the 11th-century king
Brian Boru.
Gráinne f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPossibly derived from Old Irish
grán meaning
"grain" or
gráin meaning
"hatred, fear". In the Irish legend
The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne she escaped from her arranged marriage to
Fionn mac Cumhaill by fleeing with her lover
Diarmaid. Another famous bearer was the powerful 16th-century Irish landowner and seafarer Gráinne Ní Mháille (known in English as Grace O'Malley), who was sometimes portrayed as a pirate queen in later tales.
Granuaile f HistoryFrom Irish
Gráinne Mhaol meaning "bald
Gráinne". This was another name of Gráinne Ní Mháille, given in reference to her close-cropped hair as a young woman.
Iarlaithe m Old IrishFrom an Old Irish element of unknown meaning combined with
flaith "ruler, sovereign". Saint Iarlaithe was the founder of a monastery at Tuam in the 6th century.
Íde f IrishFrom Old Irish
Íte, possibly derived from
ítu meaning
"thirst". This was the name of a 6th-century Irish nun, the patron saint of Killeedy.
Ireland f English (Modern)From the name of the European island country, derived from Irish Gaelic
Éire, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.
Kayce m & f English (Modern)Variant of
Casey or
Case (depending on the pronunciation). It was popularized by the character Kayce Dutton (pronounced like Casey) from the television series
Yellowstone (2018-).
Keefe m English (Rare)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Caoimh, derived from the given name or byname
Caomh.
Keegan m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic
Mac Aodhagáin, which was derived from the given name
Aodhagán, a double diminutive of
Aodh.
Kelly m & f Irish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Irish given name
Ceallach or the surname derived from it
Ó Ceallaigh. As a surname, it has been borne by actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).
... [more] Kennedy f & m English, IrishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic
Ó Cinnéidigh, itself derived from the given name
Cennétig. The name has sometimes been given in honour of assassinated American president John F. Kennedy (1917-1963). It was popularized as a name for girls by Lisa Kennedy Montgomery (1972-), known simply as Kennedy, the host of the television program
Alternative Nation on MTV from 1992 to 1997.
Kenneth m Scottish, English, Swedish, Danish, NorwegianAnglicized form of both
Coinneach and
Cináed. This name was borne by the Scottish king Kenneth (Cináed) mac Alpin, who united the Scots and Picts in the 9th century. It was popularized outside of Scotland by Walter Scott, who used it for the hero in his 1825 novel
The Talisman. A famous bearer was the British novelist Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932), who wrote
The Wind in the Willows.
Kermit m EnglishFrom a rare (Americanized) Manx surname, a variant of the Irish surname
Mac Diarmada, itself derived from the given name
Diarmaid. This was the name of a son of Theodore Roosevelt born in 1889. He was named after a relative of his mother, Robert Kermit. The name is now associated with Kermit the Frog, a Muppet created by puppeteer Jim Henson in 1955.
Kerry m & f EnglishFrom the name of the Irish county, called
Ciarraí in Irish Gaelic, which means "
Ciar's people".
Kevin m English, Irish, French (Modern), German (Modern), Dutch (Modern), Swedish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern), Danish (Modern)Anglicized form of the Irish name
Caoimhín meaning
"beloved birth", derived from Old Irish
Cóemgein, composed of
cóem "dear, beloved, gentle" and
gein "birth". Saint Caoimhín established a monastery in Glendalough, Ireland in the 6th century and is the patron saint of Dublin.
... [more] Kiara f English (Modern)Variant of
Ciara 1 or
Chiara. This name was brought to public attention in 1988 after the singing duo Kiara released their song
This Time. It was further popularized by a character in the animated movie
The Lion King II (1998).
Kyla f EnglishFeminine form of
Kyle, or a combination of the popular phonetic elements
ky and
la.
Kyle m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves from Gaelic
caol meaning
"narrows, channel, strait". As a given name it was rare in the first half of the 20th century. It rose steadily in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, entering the top 50 in most places by the 1990s. It has since declined in all regions.
Kylie f EnglishThis name arose in Australia, where it is said to mean "boomerang" in the Australian Aboriginal language Nyungar. An early bearer was the author Kylie Tennant (1912-1988). It was among the most popular names in Australia in the 1970s and early 80s. It can also be considered a feminine form of
Kyle, or a combination of the popular sounds
ky and
lee, and it is likely in those capacities that it began to be used in America in the late 1970s. A famous bearer is the Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue (1968-).
Lachlan m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of
Lachlann, the Scottish Gaelic form of
Lochlainn. In the English-speaking world, this name was especially popular in Australia towards the end of the 20th century.
Lachtna m Irish (Rare)From Old Irish
Lachtnae meaning
"milk-coloured", from
lacht "milk" (borrowed from Latin). This was the name of a great-grandfather of the Irish king
Brian Boru.
Laoise f IrishPossibly a newer form of
Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of
Lucy or
Louise.
Ler m Irish MythologyMeans
"the sea" in Old Irish. Ler was probably an Irish god or personification of the sea, best known as the father of
Manannán mac Lir.
Lir m Irish MythologyPossibly from the patronymic
Manannán mac Lir, in which case
Lir is the genitive case of the name
Ler. The medieval Irish legend the
Children of Lir tells how Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann had his children transformed into swans by his third wife
Aoife. The legendary characters Lir and Ler seem to be distinct.
Lochlainn m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"Viking, Scandinavian" from Old Irish
Lochlann, a name for Scandinavia. It means "land of the lakes", derived from
loch "lake".
Lóegaire m Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"calf herder", derived from Old Irish
lóeg "calf". In Irish legend Lóegaire Búadach was an Ulster warrior. He saved the life of the poet
Áed, but died in the process. This was also the name of several Irish high kings.
Lommán m Old IrishMeans
"little bare one", derived from Old Irish
lomm "bare" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a nephew of Saint
Patrick.
Lonán m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"little blackbird", derived from Old Irish
lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.
Lorcán m IrishMeans
"little fierce one", derived from Old Irish
lorcc "fierce" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Lorcán was a 12th-century archbishop of Dublin.
Lughaidh m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Lugaid, a combination of the name of the mythological figure
Lugh and Old Irish
dech "honour, better". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including the king Lugaid mac Con.
Luigsech f Old IrishProbably derived from the name of the mythological figure
Lugh. This was the name of an obscure early Irish saint, mentioned in the martyrologies of Tallaght and Gorman.
Mab f LiteratureUsed by William Shakespeare for the queen of the fairies in his play
Romeo and Juliet (1596). Of uncertain origin, it is possibly derived from
Mabel or the Irish name
Medb. After being used by Shakespeare, the name subsequently appeared in other literary works such as Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem
Queen Mab (1813).
Macaulay m English (British)From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Amhalghaidh, itself derived from
Amhalghadh, a given name of unknown meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1861), a British Whig politician and noted historian. The given name is borne by the American former child actor Macaulay Culkin (1980-), who was named after the British politician.
Macbeth m HistoryAnglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic given name
Mac Beatha meaning
"son of life", implying holiness. This was the name of an 11th-century Scottish king who came to power after defeating and killing King
Duncan in battle. Years later he was himself slain in battle with Duncan's son
Malcolm. Shakespeare based his play
Macbeth (1606) loosely on this king's life, drawing from the tales related in
Holinshed's Chronicles (1587).
Macdara m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"son of oak" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara.
Mackenzie f & m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name
Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy
One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.
Máedóc m Old IrishMeaning unknown. Saint Máedóc (also known as Áedán) of Ferns was a 7th-century Irish bishop.
Máel Máedóc m Old IrishMeans
"disciple of Saint Máedóc" in Irish. Saint Máel Máedóc (also known as Malachy) was a 12th-century archbishop of Armagh.