Ailill: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Ailill is an Irish boy's name meaning “elf.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Meaning
- Elf
- Gender
- Boy
How do you pronounce Ailill?
Ailill is pronounced ALL-yill. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Ailill mean?
Ailill, also spelled Ailell or Oilioll, is an Old Irish man’s name that appears often in early Irish history and legend. Behind the Name gives its meaning as “elf.” Several early Irish kings bore it, as did two 6th-century saints who were bishops of Armagh.
In the Ulster Cycle, Ailill mac Máta was king of Connacht and husband of Queen Medb (Maeve). In The Cattle Raid of Cooley (Táin Bó Cúailnge), Medb says she chose him because he was without meanness, jealousy or fear. When they compared their wealth and he proved richer by one bull, she set out to win the bull Donn Cúailnge, and the raid on Ulster followed. A different Ailill, son of Eochaid Mugmedón, was a half-brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages.
Sources: Behind the Name, Wikipedia, CELT, University College Cork, Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923).
How popular is Ailill in Ireland?
Ailill is rare in Ireland. Since 1964, fewer than three baby boys a year have been registered with the name, so it doesn't appear in the Central Statistics Office's baby name tables.
Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025 and its boys' names table.
Ailill in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Ailill, letter by letter.
- AAilm, pine
- IIodhadh, yew
- LLuis, rowan
- IIodhadh, yew
- LLuis, rowan
- LLuis, rowan
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Ailill
Questions about Ailill
- How do you pronounce Ailill?
- Ailill is pronounced ALL-yill, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Ailill mean?
- Ailill is an Irish boy's name meaning “elf.” In Irish legend, Ailill was the husband of Queen Maebh, and their quarrel over which of them was richer led to the Cattle Raid of Cooley.
- Is Ailill a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Ailill is a boy's name.
- Is Ailill a rare name?
- Yes. Fewer than three boys a year are registered as Ailill in Ireland, too few to appear in the Central Statistics Office's tables.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA50 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Behind the Name, Wikipedia, CELT, University College Cork and Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923). How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com