Conall: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Conall is an ancient Irish boy’s name of debated meaning, explained as “high-mighty” or as “rule of a wolf.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Gender
- Boy
- English forms
- Connell
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 97 for boys (2025)
How do you pronounce Conall?
Conall is pronounced KUN-al. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. Other spellings: Connall.
What does Conall mean?
Conall is an ancient Irish name, anglicised Connell, whose exact meaning is debated. Patrick Woulfe, writing in 1923, traced it to an early Celtic form meaning “high-mighty.” Behind the Name instead derives it from Old Irish cú “hound, dog, wolf” and fal “rule,” giving “rule of a wolf.” Woulfe counted eight saints called Conall in the Martyrology of Donegal.
In the Ulster Cycle, Conall Cernach, whose obscure epithet is usually translated “victorious,” is a hero of the Ulaid. He and Cú Chulainn swore to avenge each other, and after Cú Chulainn’s death Conall hunted down the killers, Lugaid mac Con Roí and Erc mac Cairpri, and took both their heads. One story even claims he witnessed the Crucifixion.
Sources: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name, Wikipedia.
How popular is Conall in Ireland?
In 2025, 59 baby boys in Ireland were named Conall, which made it No. 97 that year. That's up from No. 140 ten years earlier. The most babies got the name in 2021: 63. It first appears in the records in 1966, with 4 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 | No. 97 |
| 2024 | 36 | No. 144 |
| 2023 | 45 | No. 127 |
| 2022 | 44 | No. 135 |
| 2021 | 63 | No. 101 |
| 2020 | 34 | No. 165 |
| 2019 | 28 | No. 191 |
| 2018 | 25 | No. 216 |
| 2017 | 45 | No. 138 |
| 2016 | 48 | No. 136 |
| 2015 | 45 | No. 140 |
| 2014 | 48 | No. 132 |
| 2013 | 46 | No. 138 |
| 2012 | 48 | No. 146 |
| 2011 | 38 | No. 177 |
| 2010 | 40 | No. 169 |
| 2009 | 31 | No. 185 |
| 2008 | 36 | No. 176 |
| 2007 | 33 | No. 166 |
| 2006 | 40 | No. 135 |
| 2005 | 32 | No. 148 |
| 2004 | 21 | No. 177 |
| 2003 | 30 | No. 138 |
| 2002 | 17 | No. 185 |
| 2001 | 14 | No. 191 |
| 2000 | 21 | No. 158 |
| 1999 | 22 | No. 149 |
| 1998 | 22 | No. 145 |
| 1997 | 17 | No. 174 |
| 1996 | 21 | No. 156 |
| 1995 | 20 | No. 155 |
| 1994 | 12 | No. 184 |
| 1993 | 23 | No. 151 |
| 1992 | 13 | No. 188 |
| 1991 | 9 | No. 205 |
| 1990 | 15 | No. 175 |
| 1989 | 11 | No. 184 |
| 1988 | 6 | No. 235 |
| 1987 | 10 | No. 197 |
| 1986 | 11 | No. 192 |
| 1985 | 7 | No. 218 |
| 1984 | 5 | No. 250 |
| 1983 | 12 | No. 192 |
| 1982 | 11 | No. 196 |
| 1981 | 5 | No. 260 |
| 1980 | 5 | No. 264 |
| 1979 | 4 | No. 292 |
| 1978 | 16 | No. 170 |
| 1977 | 6 | No. 253 |
| 1976 | 6 | No. 241 |
| 1975 | 11 | No. 204 |
| 1974 | 6 | No. 251 |
| 1973 | 5 | No. 268 |
| 1972 | 6 | No. 238 |
| 1971 | 3 | No. 304 |
| 1970 | 3 | No. 305 |
| 1969 | 3 | No. 291 |
| 1968 | 5 | No. 222 |
| 1967 | 4 | No. 245 |
| 1966 | 4 | No. 229 |
Conall 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 Conall, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- OOnn, gorse
- NNion, ash
- AAilm, pine
- LLuis, rowan
- LLuis, rowan
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Conall
Questions about Conall
- How do you pronounce Conall?
- Conall is pronounced KUN-al, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Conall mean?
- Conall is an ancient Irish boy’s name of debated meaning, explained as “high-mighty” or as “rule of a wolf.”
- Is Conall a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Conall is a boy's name.
- What is Conall in English?
- The English form of Conall is Connell.
- How popular is Conall in Ireland?
- In 2025, Conall was No. 97 for boys in Ireland, with 59 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. That's the highest it has ever ranked.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA50 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name and Wikipedia. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com