Names › Origins & themes › Irish, Scottish & Welsh (Celtic) Names
Irish, Scottish & Welsh (Celtic) Names
Names from the Celtic languages — Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh — plus surname names taken from Irish and Scottish clans. Many Irish names reached English through anglicised spellings (Ó Cuinn → Quinn, Ó Nualláin → Nolan); where a meaning is uncertain we say so on the name page rather than guess.
Irish given names (13)
- Liam — “short form of William — 'will, protection'” (Irish) · Irish short form of William
- Maeve — “she who intoxicates” (Irish) · Irish Medb, legendary queen of Connacht
- Finn — “fair, white” (Irish) · Irish fionn, “fair, white”
- Rory — “red king” (Irish) · Irish Ruaidhrí, “red king”
- Kieran — “little dark one” (Irish) · Irish Ciarán, “little dark one”
- Ronan — “little seal” (Irish) · Irish rón, “little seal”
- Declan — “uncertain; perhaps 'full of goodness'” (Irish) · Irish saint Declán
- Kevin — “kind birth; handsome” (Irish) · Irish saint Cóemgen of Glendalough
- Aiden — “little fire” (Irish) · Irish Aodhán, “little fire”
- Kian — “ancient, enduring” (Irish)
- Oscar — “deer friend (traditional)” (Irish) · son of Oisín in Irish legend
- Nora — “short form of Honora ('honour') or Eleanor” (Irish / Latin)
- Alana — “child (Irish); awakening (Hawaiian)” (Irish / Hawaiian)
Irish surname names (12)
- Quinn — “descendant of Conn ('chief')” (Irish) · Ó Cuinn
- Nolan — “descendant of Nuallán ('champion' or 'noble')” (Irish) · Ó Nualláin
- Ryan — “descendant of Rian (possibly 'little king')” (Irish) · Ó Riain
- Riley — “descendant of Raghallach; or 'rye clearing'” (Irish / English)
- Kennedy — “helmeted head (traditional)” (Irish)
- Reagan — “descendant of Riagán (possibly 'little king')” (Irish)
- Sloane — “descendant of Sluaghadhán (from sluagh, 'host, army')” (Irish)
- Brayden — “descendant of Bradán (salmon)” (Irish)
- Connor — “lover of hounds” (Irish) · Conchobhar, king of Ulster in legend
- Desmond — “man from South Munster” (Irish) · Deasmhumhain, “South Munster”
- Brody — “muddy place; or descendant of Bruaideadh” (Scottish / Irish)
- Rowan — “little red one; rowan tree” (Irish / English)
Scottish & Gaelic (15)
- Isla — “from the island of Islay” (Scottish) · the island of Islay
- Fiona — “fair, white” (Scottish Gaelic) · popularised by Scottish writer William Sharp
- Callum — “dove (from Columba)” (Scottish Gaelic) · Gaelic Calum, from Columba, “dove”
- Ian — “God is gracious (form of John)” (Scottish Gaelic) · Gaelic Iain, form of John
- Logan — “little hollow” (Scottish Gaelic)
- Cameron — “crooked nose” (Scottish Gaelic) · clan Cameron
- Mackenzie — “son of Coinneach ('handsome')” (Scottish Gaelic)
- Carson — “uncertain origin” (Scottish)
- Knox — “round hill” (Scottish)
- Maisie — “pearl (diminutive of Margaret)” (Scottish)
- Elsie — “diminutive of Elizabeth” (Scottish)
- Paisley — “from the town of Paisley” (Scottish)
- Colin — “victory of the people (from Nicholas); young pup (Cailean)” (Greek / Scottish Gaelic)
- Archie — “genuine and bold (from Archibald)” (Germanic (via Scottish))
- Dallas — “meadow dwelling” (Scottish)
Welsh, Breton & Arthurian (11)
- Dylan — “son of the sea; great tide” (Welsh) · Welsh legend: son of the sea
- Owen — “possibly 'well-born' (from Eugenius)” (Welsh) · Welsh Owain
- Evan — “God is gracious (form of John)” (Welsh) · Welsh form of John
- Rhys — “ardour, enthusiasm” (Welsh) · Welsh rhys, “ardour”
- Megan — “pearl (diminutive of Margaret)” (Welsh) · Welsh pet form of Margaret
- Gwendolyn — “white ring; blessed bow” (Welsh) · Welsh gwen, “white, blessed”
- Arthur — “uncertain; perhaps 'bear'” (Celtic (uncertain)) · the legendary king; origin uncertain
- Tristan — “uncertain; linked to Latin tristis ('sad')” (Celtic) · hero of Tristan and Isolde
- Imogen — “probably 'maiden' (from Innogen)” (Celtic (via Shakespeare))
- Harvey — “battle-worthy” (Breton) · Breton Haerviu
- Gael — “a Gael; possibly from Breton Judicaël” (Breton / Celtic)
More lists: Names meaning love, grace & hope · Biblical names · Royal names · Irish, Scottish & Welsh names · Names meaning light · Nature names · Names meaning strength · names by origin
Sources: the Bible (book and chapter given where useful), standard royal histories, and name references such as Behind the Name and the Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Only names with full pages on this site are listed.