Conchobhar: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Conchobhar is an Irish boy's name meaning “lover of hounds.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- Lover of hounds
- Gender
- Boy
- English forms
- Conor, Connor
How do you pronounce Conchobhar?
Conchobhar is pronounced CON-r. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Conchobhar mean?
Means “lover of hounds.” Conchobhar MacNessa was the king of Ulster and, according to legend, was born on the same day as Christ. Conchobhar, an uncle of Cuchulainn (read the legend), loved Deirdre and wished to marry her. But she fled with his nephew Naoise and his brothers. Conchobhar gave chase and althought he promised to forgive them, he killed Naoise and her abductors. In the battle a sling-shot lodged in his brain which doctors could not remove and on hearing of the crucifixion of Christ he over-exerted himself in his rage and the sling-shot fell out and he died. In 2003 it was the fourth most popular baby name for boys in Ireland.
How popular is Conchobhar in Ireland?
Conchobhar 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.
Conchobhar 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 Conchobhar, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- OOnn, gorse
- NNion, ash
- CColl, hazel
- HUath, hawthorn
- OOnn, gorse
- BBeith, birch
- HUath, hawthorn
- AAilm, pine
- RRuis, elder
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Conchobhar
Questions about Conchobhar
- How do you pronounce Conchobhar?
- Conchobhar is pronounced CON-r. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- What does Conchobhar mean?
- Conchobhar means “lover of hounds.”
- Is Conchobhar a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Conchobhar is a boy's name.
- What is Conchobhar in English?
- The English forms of Conchobhar are Conor and Connor.
- Is Conchobhar a rare name?
- Yes. Fewer than three boys a year are registered as Conchobhar in Ireland, too few to appear in the Central Statistics Office's tables.