Irish Surnames used as First Names

 








 

 

Recently, using Irish last names has become very popular. This is especially true in the USA, where names like Kelly and Shannon have been popular for years, and names like Braden and Kennedy are zooming up the charts. Here is a list of surnames you might like to use for first names. Most Irish surnames, in their Gaelic form, start with Ó, Mac, or occasionally de (which indicates a name of Norman origin). Ó means 'grandson of', Mac means 'son of' and de means 'of'. What follows is usually a personal name or occasionally a place name. I have listed the meaning of the name, though, for example, the name O'Neill would mean "grandson of Niall"-- I have listed what "Niall" would mean.
name
Irish spelling
meaning
Adair
Ó Daire
usually Scottish- this name is sometimes found in Ireland. "son of Daire ('fruitful')"
Bannon
Ó Banáin
meaning is obscure- possibly 'white' or dervied from 'woman'
Bardon
Ó Bardáin
"a bard"
Beckett
?
this is an English name of Norman origin but usually associated with the Irish writer Samuel Beckett
Begley
Ó Beaglaioch
beag "little" + laoch "hero"
Beglan
Ó Beigleighinn
beag "little" + 'leighinn "scholar; schooling"
Bergin
Ó hAimeirgin
"wondrous birth"
Berrigan
Ó hAimeirgin
"wondrous birth"
Blake
de Blaca
Norman name- derived from 'black'
Braden
Ó Bradáin
"a salmon"
Bradigan
Ó Bradagáin
perhaps 'spirited'
Brady
Mac Bradaigh
perhaps 'spirited'
Bragan
Ó Bragáin
meaning is unknown
Branigan
Ó Branagáin
bran "raven" + diminutive ending
Brennigan
Ó Branagáin
bran "raven" + diminutive ending
Brannagh
Ó Breathnach
" a Welshman"
Brannan, Brannon
Ó/Mac Branáin
bran "raven" + diminutive ending
Bree
Ó Breaghdha
from Bregia in Co. Meath
Bray
Ó Breaghdha
from Bregia in Co. Meath
Breen
Ó/Mac Braoin
"moisture; drop"
Brennan
Ó Braonáin
possibly 'sorrow'
Breslin
Ó Breasláin
possibly 'strife'
Brogan
Ó Brogáin
possibly related to Brocc, meaning "badger."
Cabe
Mac Caba
"a cape"
Cadden
Mac Cadáin
possibly, "wild goose."
Cagney
Ó Caingne
"tribute" or "exaction"
Cahey/Caughey
Mac Eachaidh
possibly; "youthful one"
Callahan/Callaghan Ó Ceallacháin possibly, "strife."
Callan Ó Cathaláin "strong in battle"
Callinan
Ó Callanáin
?
Canavan
Ó Ceanndubháin
possibly from ceann "head" + dubh "black" + diminutive ending
Carey
Ó Ciardha/Mac Fhiacra
dark/ son of the battle-king
Carley
Mac Fhearghaile
fear "man" + gal "valor"
Carlin/Carolan
Ó Cairealláin
from cearbh "hacking"-- probably with the implied meaning of a fierce warrior
Casey
Ó/Mac Cathasach/Ceasaigh
"vigilant; watchful"
Cassidy
Ó Caiside
possibly, "curly-haired."
Cavanagh Caomhanach "descendant or follower of St. Caomhán"
Clancy
Mac Fhlannchaidh
flann "red + cath "battle; warrior"
Cody
Mac Oda
"son of Otto"
Collins
Ó Coilean
"whelp"
Coulter
Ó Coltair
from Ballycolter, a place meaning "town of the back country"
Conlan
Ó Connaláin
"lord; great chief"
Connery
Ó Conaire
probably derived from a word meaning "hound"
Corcoran
Mac Corcráin
"purple"
Corey
Mac Godhfraigh
"son of Godfrey"
Corley Mac Thoirdealbhaigh "instigator; abettor"
Cullen
Ó/Mac Cuilinn
"holly"
Curran
Ó Corráin
"spear"
Delaney
Ó Dubhshlaine
possibly "dark health" or refers to the river Slaney
Devlin
Ó Dobhailein
"unlucky; unfortunate"
Dillon
Diolun/deLeon
hiberno-norman name- perhaps relating to lions or the place name Lyons
Donegan
Ó Donnagáin
either "brown" or "king; lord"
Donovan
Ó Donnabháin
"dark brown"
Doran
Ó Deoráin
"exiled person"
Doyle
Ó Dubhghaill
"dark stranger"
Duane/Dwayne
Ó Dubhan
"dark haired"
Duff
Dubh
"dark; black, dark-haired"
Duffy
Ó Dubhthaigh
"dark; black, dark-haired"
Dugan
Ó Dubhgáin
"dark; black, dark-haired"
Dwyer
Ó Duibhir
"black; dark-haired + yellow; tawny"
Egan
Mac Aodhagáin
"fire"
Fagan
Ó Faodhagáin
meaning is uncertain. It may come from a Norman name.
Fallon
Ó Fallamhán
"leader"
Farrell
Ó Fearghal
"valorous"
Farren
Ó Faracháin
May come from Norman French fer, meaning "iron," denoting someone with iron-grey hair.
Finnegan
Ó Fionnagáin
"white; fair-haired"
Fitzgerald
Mac Geralt
norman name- son of Gerald
Flannery
Ó Flannabhra
"red eyebrows"
Flynn
Ó Floinn
"bright red"
Gillan
Ó Giolláin
"lad"
Gowan Ó/Mac Gabhann "smith"
Grady
Ó Grádaigh
"illustrious"
Hagan
Ó hAgáin
"young' youthful"
Hanlon
Ó hAnluan
"champion"
Hayes
Ó hAodha
"fire"
Hogan
Ó hOgain
"young; youthful"
Kavanagh
Caomhanach
descendant or follower of St. Caomhán
Kearney
Ó Catharnaigh/Ó Cearnaigh
either "fox" or "victorious"
Keegan
Mac Aodhagain
"fire"
Keenan
Ó Cianáin
"ancient; enduring"
Kelly
Mac Ceallach
possibly, "bright-headed" or "strife"
Kennan
Mac Fhionnáin
"fair-haired"
Kennedy
Ó Cinnéde
"ugly head"
Kerrin
Ó Ciaráin    
"black; dark-haired"
Kiley/Kiely
Ó Cadhla
"beautiful"
Kinsella
Cinnsealach
"proud"
Kirby
Ó Ciarmhaic
ciar "dark; black" + mac "son"
Lacy
deLeis
norman name-- probably from a place name in France
Larkin
Ó Lorcáin
from lorc, "silent" or "cruel; fierce"
Lavery/ Lowery
Ó Labhradha
"spokesman" or "herald"
Leary
Ó Laoghaire
"keeper of calves"
Lennon/Lennan
Ó Leannáin
"sweetheart; lover"
Madigan
Ó Madagáin
"little dog"
Maguire
Mag Uidhir
"dun colored"
Malone
Mal Eoin
"servant of St. John"
Malinn, Milynn
Maoilfhinn
"fair-haired chief"
MacKenna
Mac Cionaith
"born of fire"
Meara, Mara
Ó Meadhra
"merry"
Meegan
Ó Miadhagáin
"honorable"
Morrissey Ó Muirgheasa "sea action"
Murphy
Ó Murchu
"hound of the sea"
Murray
Ó Muireadhach
"sea battler", "skilled in seacraft"
Nolan
Ó Nualláin
nuall either "noble, famous; champion" or "shout" [possibly denoting a town crier"
Pierce/Pearse
Ó/Mac Piarais
descendant of Peter
Quillan
Ó Cuileann
"holly"
Quinn
Ó Cuinn
"counsel"
Quinlan
Ó Caoinlean
"beautiful shape"
Regan/Reagan
Ó Riagáin
either from "king" or riodhgach "furious; impulsive"
Reilly
Ó Raghallaigh
possibly, "valiant"
Ryan
Ó Riáin
"king" + diminutive ending
Scully
Ó Scolaighe
"town crier" or "scholar"
Shanley Mac Seanlaoich sean "old; ancient" + laoch "hero"
Shannon
Seanáin
from sean "old; ancient"
Sheridan
Ó Sirideáin
possibly either from siride "elf"-- a pet name for someone with elf-like characteristics, or síor :eternal" + dan "treasure," or from a word meaning "searcher."
Sullivan
Ó Suileabháin
possibly, "dark-eyed," "one-eyed" or "hawk-eyed"
Tracy
Ó Treasaigh
"warlike; fierce"
Vaughan
Ó Beacháin
"beech tree"