Irish Boy Names A to C

A diminutive form of the name Aed meaning “fire” and would imply “born of fire.”

From aon “excellent” and gus “strength, vigor.” Aengus was the god of love and of youth.

Aidan in Irish is Aedan, pronounced AID-an, meaning “born of fire.”

Aiden in Irish is Aedan, pronounced AID-an, meaning “born of fire.”

From an old Irish word meaning “white,” the 6th century St. Ailbe was associated with the monastery at Emly in County Tipperary.

From the Irish ailleacht “beauty.” Ailill was the young husband of Queen Maebh, chosen by her because he was “a man without meanness, fear or jealousy, a match for my own greatness.”

Alby in Irish is Ailbe, pronounced ALL-bay, meaning “white.”

Alroy is linked with the Irish rua (older ruadh), “red, red-haired,” through Irish surnames.

From ardanach meaning “high aspiration.” Ardan was one of the sons of Usna who helped Deirdre escape to Scotland so that she would not be forced to marry King Conchobhar MacNessa.

In Ireland a separate name from Arthur it comes from an ancient word for “a bear,” used in the sense of “outstanding warrior” or “champion.”

Arthur in Irish is Art, pronounced ART, meaning “champion.”

Bairre in Irish is Finbar, pronounced FIN-bar, meaning “fair-haired.”

Barra in Irish is Finbar, pronounced FIN-bar, meaning “fair-haired.”

Barry in Irish is Finbar, pronounced FIN-bar, meaning “fair-haired.”

The name of one of the twelve apostles, it is the Irish form of the Hebrew name Bartholomew “Son of Talmai.”

Bert in Irish is Bartley, pronounced BART-lee.

Bertie in Irish is Bartley, pronounced BART-lee.

Bradan comes from the Irish word bradán, “salmon.” The salmon has a special place in Irish myth.

Braden in Irish is Bradan, pronounced BRAY-dawn, meaning “salmon.”

Brandan in Irish is Breandan, pronounced BREN-dawn.

Brandon in Irish is Breandan, pronounced BREN-dawn.

There are at least seventeen saints who bear the name but St. Breandan the Navigator is probably the best known.

Brendan in Irish is Breandan, pronounced BREN-dawn.

From brigh “high, noble, strong.”

Cabhán is an Irish word meaning “hollow,” and An Cabhán is the Irish name of Cavan, the Ulster county and its county town.

From coinneach “attractive person,” “pleasant person.” A sixth-century Irish missionary St. Canice founded churches in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Caolán comes from caol “slender, narrow” with the diminutive -án, so “slender one.” Rev.

Carney comes mainly from the Irish surname Ó Cearnaigh, “descendant of Cearnach,” a personal name meaning “victorious.”

Carrick comes from the Irish carraig, “rock.” It is best known as a place-name element, as in Carrickfergus (Carraig Fhearghais, “Fergus’s rock”) and Carrick-on-Suir (Carraig na Siúire).

Carroll in Irish is Cearul, pronounced KAR-ul, meaning “sharp, cutting.”

From cath “battle” and all “mighty” and signifies “a great warrior.”

Cavan in Irish is Cabhan, pronounced KAV-an, meaning “hollow.”

Cearul is a simplified spelling of Cearbhall, from the Old Irish Cerball, probably from cerb “sharp, cutting.” It was once a common Irish name and was borne by several medieval kings.

Charles in Irish is Cathal, pronounced KA-hal, meaning “great warrior.”

From cian “ancient, enduring.”

From ciar “dark” and the diminutive -in it means “little dark one.” Popular for over 1500 years, at least 26 saints have borne the name.

Cille means “associated with the church.”

Clearie is a spelling of Cleary, from the Irish surname Ó Cléirigh, “descendant of Cléireach.” Cléireach means “clerk” or “cleric,” a churchman and, by extension, a scholar.

Clooney is an Irish surname used as a first name. It is an anglicized form of Ó Cluanaigh, “descendant of Cluanach,” an old surname of South Leinster.

Coilín is a variant of the old Irish name Coileán, which means “whelp.” In modern Irish coileán means a pup or cub, and also a youth.

Colin in Irish is Coilin, pronounced KOH-lin, meaning “whelp, pup.”

A Gaelic form of the Latin columba meaning “dove.” St. Columba of Iona or Colmcille colm + cille or “dove of the church” was a prince of the O’Neill clan, a great poet and scholar.

From the same root as Colm, it means “little dove” and has developed into a separate name from Colm and there are said to be 350 saints of the name.

Means friendship or could be from con “a hound,” as applied to a swift-footed warrior, and all “great, mighty.”

An old name from con “a hound” or “swift-footed warrior” and in the form conan means “little warrior.” Conan Maol (“Bald Conan”) was one of the warrior-band, the Fianna.

Means “lover of hounds.” Conchobhar MacNessa was the king of Ulster and, according to legend, was born on the same day as Christ.

From conn “chief” + laoch “hero” meaning “highest chief.”

Connell in Irish is Conall, pronounced KUN-al, meaning “mighty hound.”

Connor in Irish is Conchobhar, pronounced CON-r, meaning “lover of hounds.”

Conor in Irish is Conchobhar, pronounced CON-r, meaning “lover of hounds.”

From old Irish corbmac “son of the charioteer.” Cormac Mac Airt was probably the most famous of the ancient kings of Ireland.

Craig in Irish is Carrick, pronounced KAR-ik, meaning “rock.”

From cron “brown, sallow, dark-skinned.”

Cúan comes from cú “hound, wolf” with the diminutive -án, so “little hound” or “little wolf.” Written Cuan, without a fada, it is also the everyday Irish word for a harbor or haven.