Cormac: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Cormac is an ancient Irish boy’s name of uncertain meaning, explained by Patrick Woulfe as “chariot-son” or “charioteer.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Gender
- Boy
- Also spelled
- Cormack, Cormick
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 141 for boys (2025)
How do you pronounce Cormac?
Cormac is pronounced KOR-mak. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. Other spellings: Cormack and Cormick.
What does Cormac mean?
Cormac is an ancient Irish name from the Old Irish Corbmac, and its meaning is uncertain. Patrick Woulfe, writing in 1923, explained it as “chariot-son,” “charioteer” or “son of Corb”; Behind the Name links it to corb “chariot, wagon” and macc “son.” Woulfe recorded it in many families, including the MacCarthys, MacDermotts and O’Donnells, and noted that it was usually anglicised Charles.
It was borne by Cormac mac Airt, the high king at Tara remembered for wise and just judgments. He may have been a real person; the Annals of the Four Masters date his reign to 226–266. In legend, Manannán mac Lir gave him a cup that broke when three lies were spoken over it and became whole again after three truths, and it vanished when he died.
Sources: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name, Wikipedia.
Cormac in Irish legend
Grainne was the daughter of Cormac MacAirt, the high king of Ireland. No woman could compare to her beauty.
Read The Pursuit of Diarmuid and GráinneHow popular is Cormac in Ireland?
In 2025, 38 baby boys in Ireland were named Cormac, which made it No. 141 that year. That's down from No. 89 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 2005, when 183 baby boys were named Cormac, No. 39 that year. The most babies got the name in 2006: 185. The records go back to 1964, when 39 baby boys were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | No. 141 |
| 2024 | 37 | No. 139 |
| 2023 | 43 | No. 131 |
| 2022 | 46 | No. 130 |
| 2021 | 39 | No. 150 |
| 2020 | 50 | No. 122 |
| 2019 | 64 | No. 106 |
| 2018 | 52 | No. 122 |
| 2017 | 75 | No. 97 |
| 2016 | 85 | No. 83 |
| 2015 | 84 | No. 89 |
| 2014 | 102 | No. 76 |
| 2013 | 115 | No. 68 |
| 2012 | 116 | No. 68 |
| 2011 | 141 | No. 59 |
| 2010 | 139 | No. 58 |
| 2009 | 159 | No. 58 |
| 2008 | 167 | No. 54 |
| 2007 | 153 | No. 53 |
| 2006 | 185 | No. 42 |
| 2005 | 183 | No. 39 |
| 2004 | 147 | No. 51 |
| 2003 | 118 | No. 56 |
| 2002 | 127 | No. 52 |
| 2001 | 113 | No. 59 |
| 2000 | 126 | No. 54 |
| 1999 | 115 | No. 55 |
| 1998 | 91 | No. 61 |
| 1997 | 114 | No. 65 |
| 1996 | 126 | No. 59 |
| 1995 | 129 | No. 58 |
| 1994 | 99 | No. 70 |
| 1993 | 98 | No. 71 |
| 1992 | 110 | No. 68 |
| 1991 | 88 | No. 71 |
| 1990 | 90 | No. 78 |
| 1989 | 79 | No. 82 |
| 1988 | 75 | No. 81 |
| 1987 | 64 | No. 90 |
| 1986 | 88 | No. 78 |
| 1985 | 74 | No. 86 |
| 1984 | 86 | No. 75 |
| 1983 | 70 | No. 89 |
| 1982 | 99 | No. 79 |
| 1981 | 83 | No. 82 |
| 1980 | 104 | No. 77 |
| 1979 | 111 | No. 74 |
| 1978 | 83 | No. 82 |
| 1977 | 70 | No. 95 |
| 1976 | 83 | No. 86 |
| 1975 | 90 | No. 82 |
| 1974 | 79 | No. 90 |
| 1973 | 95 | No. 83 |
| 1972 | 86 | No. 83 |
| 1971 | 82 | No. 87 |
| 1970 | 76 | No. 84 |
| 1969 | 64 | No. 87 |
| 1968 | 53 | No. 87 |
| 1967 | 50 | No. 86 |
| 1966 | 41 | No. 95 |
| 1965 | 41 | No. 92 |
| 1964 | 39 | No. 87 |
Cormac 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 Cormac, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- OOnn, gorse
- RRuis, elder
- MMuin, vine
- AAilm, pine
- CColl, hazel
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Cormac
Questions about Cormac
- How do you pronounce Cormac?
- Cormac is pronounced KOR-mak, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Cormac mean?
- Cormac is an ancient Irish boy’s name of uncertain meaning, explained by Patrick Woulfe as “chariot-son” or “charioteer.” In Irish legend, Cormac mac Airt was a High King of Ireland and the father of Gráinne.
- Is Cormac a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Cormac is a boy's name.
- How popular is Cormac in Ireland?
- In 2025, Cormac was No. 141 for boys in Ireland, with 38 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 2005, at No. 39.
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