150 Irish boy names - how to say them and their meanings
Looking for a name with Irish heritage for your baby boy? We've compiled a list of 150 of the best baby boy names with Irish origins to help you decide, including traditional Irish boys names, unusual Irish names, cool Irish boys' names and cute Irish boys' names - all with their meaning and pronunciation
Irish boy names, with their delightful intonation and rhythmic syllables are a brilliant choice for your new baby's first name, whether you have family links to the Emerald Isle or simply love the land of saints, scholars, green rugged landscapes, shamrocks and myths and legends.
Choosing from the many gorgeous Irish boy names can be tricky though, so to help you on your quest to find the perfect Irish name for your little babai we've done the legwork and rounded up 150 of the best Irish boys' names, each with their own meaning and, most importantly – for names with difficult Irish spellings – their pronunciation! Are you considering an Irish name for your baby girl? Discover our Irish girls names which have a charming musical quality with soft sounds reflecting the melodious intonation and rhythm of the Irish accent and Gaelic language.
For more baby name inspiration, check out our articles on Scottish girls' names and their meanings, featuring charming and historic choices, and African baby names for boys and girls, filled with vibrant and meaningful options.
We've divided them up into helpful categories, including popular Irish boys' names, unusual Irish boys' names, cute Irish boys' names and short Irish boys' names to help you whittle down your shortlist and make a final decision that you'll love forever.
Most popular Irish boys' names
The official lists of baby names in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland feature quite a few Irish names or their anglicised versions. We searched through the latest data on the top 100 most popular baby boy names as registered by The Office For National Statistics, The National Records of Scotland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency to find the Irish names that are loved by parents outside the Emerald Isle. Top of the list is Oscar, which consistently makes it into the top 10 every year, with Irish names like Finley, Rory and Liam featuring slightly further down.
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1. Oscar
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: spear of god
- Trend: moving up
2. Finley or Finlay
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: fair-haired hero
- Trend: moving down
3. Rory
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: red
- Trend: moving up
4. Rowan
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: little redhead
- Trend: moving up
5. Liam
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: with gilded helmet
- Trend: moving up
6. Riley
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: brave
- Trend: moving down
7. Finn or Fionn
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: fair
- Trend: moving down
8. Brody
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: ditch or muddy place
- Trend: moving up
Common Irish boys' names
These Irish names might not feature in the top 100 names for 2023, but you'll recognise them instantly as names that have been and continue to be very popular with parents. Some names like Barry, Brian and Neil were very popular with previous generations, but are now losing their appeal. Common Irish names such as Conor, Patrick and Ryan however are rising back up the charts.
9. Aidan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: small fire
- Also: Aiden, Edan
10. Barry
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: spear
- Also: Barrie
11. Brian
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: high, noble
12. Ciaran (keer-awn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little and black
- Also: Kieran, Kieron and Cieran
13. Colin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: young one
14. Conor
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: lover of wolves
15. Declan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: man of prayer, full of goodness
16. Darren
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: small and great
17. Dermot
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: free man
- Also: Diarmaid and Diarmait
18. Eamonn (ay-mon)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: wealthy protector
- Also: Eamon
19. Fergus
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: strong man
20. Neil
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: champion, passionate
21. Patrick
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: nobleman
- Also: Pádraig (paud-rig)
22. Ryan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little king
23. Seamus (shay-mus)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: supplanter; Irish form of James
- Also: Seamas
24. Tadhg (tie-g)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: poet
Old Irish boys' names
With its rich history and links to folklore, Ireland has a wealth of gorgeous traditional names to choose from for a baby boy. Many are derived from historical figures or saints, while some reference places of birth or a certain occupation. If you love the idea of your baby's name having links to Irish culture from centuries ago or important figures in history then this list is for you. Although be warned: these traditional Irish names can be hard to spell and your son might have to teach people how to pronounce his name!
25. Ailbe (all-bay)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: white, rock
26. Aodhán (ay-awn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: small fire; Old Irish version of Aidan
27. Bréanainn (breh-neen)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: king
28. Breandan (bren-dawn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: prince
29. Cairbre (kar-bruh)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: ruler of the chariot
30. Caoimhín (kee-veen)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: handsome, kind
31. Cathal (ka-hull)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: battle, rule
32. Cian (kee-uhn)
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: ancient
33. Ciarán (keer-awn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little dark one
34. Cillian (kill-ee-an)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: church
35. Conan (kow-nuhn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: hound or wolf
36. Cormac (cor-mack)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: son of the charioteer
- Also: Cormack and Cormick
37. Dáithi (daw-hee)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: swift, nimble
38. Darragh (dare-ra)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: oak
39. Desmond
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: from South Munster
40. Éanna (ya-na)
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: bird-like
41. Eoghan (yew-en)
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: born of yew
42. Feidlimid (fay-lim)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: ever good
- Also: Féilim
43. Fintan (fint-an)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: white fire
44. Gearóid (gar-roid)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: brave with a spear
45. Gobán (go-bin)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: smith, metal-worker
46. Oisín (ush-een)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little deer, fawn
47. Riordan (ree-or-dan)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: royal poet
48. Ruadhán (roo-awn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: red-haired
Strong Irish boy names
Due to the lilting, musical quality of the Irish language and accent, Irish names tend to sound soft, pretty and cute rather than particularly strong. However, if you want your son to have a strong name that will make a statement and have a sense of power and authority to them then these names below, with powerful meanings and bold sounds, will certainly fit the bill nicely.
49. Cahir (kaw-heer)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: warrior
50. Conall (kun-al)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: a brave man
51. Conrí (cun-ree)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: a brave man
52. Conroy
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: wise
53. Devlin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: brave
54. Donal
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: mighty
55. Farrell
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: warrior
56. Fergal
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: brave
57. Ferris
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: strong man
58. Gannon
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: fair-skinned
Unusual Irish boys names
Looking for rare Irish boys' names that stand out for the crowd and won't be seen on many school registers? Some of these names have always been rare and unique, while others have had moments of popularity generations ago but are now back to being unusual and unheard. Whichever name you choose from this list, you can be sure your baby boy will have a special name that marks him out as unique.
59. Abbán (ay-bahn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little abbot
60. Ardghal (AHR-dahl)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning:
61. Bairrfhionn (bar-fyun)
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: marksman
62. Cairbre (kar-bruh)
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: chariot driver
63. Calhoun (kal-hoon)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: from the forest
64. Caiside (kas-a-dee)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: cover, curly-haired
65. Calbhach (kal-vahk)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: bald
66. Caomhán (kwee-vaughn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: handsome
67. Cashel (kah-shul)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: a stone fort
68. Cavan (k-av-an)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: grassy hill
69. Ceallach (kall-ach)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: war, strife
70. Cearbhall (key-ARE-vol)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: manly
71. Colman
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: keeper of doves
72. Comhghall (cow-all)
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: fellow hostage
73. Corcoran
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: red-faced
74. Dubhán (dove-awn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: dark, black
75. Fiachra (feer-krah)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: crow, raven
76. Gallagher
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: foreign helper
77. Garret
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: spear strength
- Also: Garrett
78. Gillespie
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning:‘son of the bishop’s servant
79. Keefe
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning:‘handsome and noble
80. Meallán (mal-awn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning:‘little pleasant one
81. Riagán (ri-a-gan)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning:‘little king
82. Ruadh (ru-add)
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: russet, copper-coloured
83. Torin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: chief
84. Ultan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: from Ulster
Cute Irish names for boys
There's no denying that the Irish accent is lovely to listen to and many of the words derived from the Gaelic language have a gorgeous cadence and dreamy musical quality. So if you're looking for a super cute name for your son, it's an excellent idea to look to Ireland for inspiration. The charming names on this list, like Paddy, Rafferty and Tiernan, will bring a smile to your face every time you say them, and are fitting for your new cute-as-a-button addition.
85. Aran
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: peaked island
86. Arin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: enlightened
87. Breccan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: freckled, speckled
88. Caelan (kay-lan)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: slender
89. Cary
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: dark brown
- Also: Carey
90. Casey
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: vigilant in war
91. Conán
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: high
92. Corey
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: ‘ravine’
- Also: Cory
93. Derry
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: oak wood
94. Faolán (fee-lawn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little wolf
95. Finnian
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: fair
96. Flynn
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: descendant of the red-haired one
97. Larkin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: rough, fierce
98. Lonan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: blackbird
99. Lorcan
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: little fierce one
100. Paddy
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: noble, regal; shortened form of Patrick
101. Niall (nye-al)
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: champion
102. Nolan (no-len)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: champion
103. Rafferty
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: prosperity wielder
104. Ronan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little seal
105. Strachan (stra-kn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: minstrel
106. Tiernan (tier-nan)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little lord
Short Irish boys' names
Perhaps you've got a long surname, or you prefer short, punchy names that are quick to say, easy to write and will be nice and simple for your child to learn. Whatever the reason, this next list is for you. Some of these names are shortened versions of much longer Irish names, but most are just short and sweet names in their own right with lovely meanings like dove, little wolf and stately one.
107. Bran
- Origin: Irish/ Scottish
- Meaning: bramble, raven
108. Ciar (keer)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: Black
109. Colm
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: a dove
110. Conn
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: wisdom
- Also: Con
111. Cúán (kew-in)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little wolf
112. Dara
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: oak wood
113. Eoin (oh-inn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: God is gracious
114. Kian
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: ancient
115. Keir
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: dark, black
116. Ler
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: the sea
117. Orin
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: pine tree
118. Sean (shawn)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: god is gracious; Irish form of John
- Also: Shaun and Shawn
119. Shea (shay)
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: stately one
Modern Irish boys' names
Many Old Irish names are long, extremely difficult to spell and have accents galore. Many of them sound absolutely beautiful though so this list contains some traditional Irish names that have been given a modern, anglicised spelling, that'll make life much easier for you and your son. An easy way to create a modern-sounding, edgy and strong name is to use a surname as a first name. As you'll see in this list there are also many surnames that are now becoming increasingly popular as first names such as Donovan, Grady and Murphy.
120. Brendan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: prince
121. Brady
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: broad meadow
122. Broderick
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: brother
123. Caley
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: slender
124. Carey
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: descendant of Ciardha
125. Cassidy
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: clever
126. Clancy
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: red-haired warrior
127. Cody
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: a helpful person
128. Crosby
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: a helpful person
129. Cullen
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: holly tree
130. Dacey
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: southerner
131. Daley
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: a meeting
- Also: Daly
132. Devin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: poet
133. Dillon
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: loyal
134. Donovan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: dark-haired
135. Ennis
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: from the island
136. Galvin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: bright
137. Grady
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: noble, illustrious
138. Keegan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: son of Egan
139. Keenan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: ancient
140. Kevin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: handsome
141. Lennon
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: lover
142. Madden
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little dog
143. Malone
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: devotee of St John
144. Murphy
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: sea warrior
145. Redmond
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: wise protector
146. Shane
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: God is gracious
147. Sullivan
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: dark eyes
148. Tierney
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: descendant of a lord
149. Tully
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: flood, peaceful, hill
150. Tyrone
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: land of the yew tree
What are the most popular boys' names in Ireland?
Here are the 10 most popular boy names in Ireland, according to the official list from the Central Statistics Office of Ireland in 2023.
As you'll see they're not exclusively Irish in origin, with new parents in Ireland being inspired by popular names such as James, Noah and Daniel, all of which are Hebrew.
- Jack. Origin: English/ Celtic; Meaning: healthy, strong
- Noah. Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: rest, to comfort
- James. Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: supplanter
- Rían. Origin: Irish; Meaning: little king
- Oisín. Origin: Irish; Meaning: fawn, little deer
- Fionn. Origin: Irish; Meaning: fair-haired
- Tadhg. Origin: Irish; Meaning: poet
- Liam. Origin: English; Meaning: helmet of will
- Cillian. Origin: Irish; Meaning: bright-headed
- Daniel. Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: God is my judge
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