Fergal: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Fergal is an Irish boy's name meaning “brave, valorous.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- Brave, valorous
- Gender
- Boy
How do you pronounce Fergal?
Fergal is pronounced FER-gull. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Fergal mean?
Fergal comes from the Old Irish fer “man” and gal “valor,” so “man of valor” or “brave man.” Fearghal is the modern Irish spelling, and Farrell is another English form. Patrick Woulfe described it in 1923 as an ancient and once very common name, especially among families such as the O’Farrells, O’Neills and O’Rourkes.
Fergal mac Máele Dúin was High King of Ireland from 710 until 722, when he and many Uí Néill nobles were killed at the Battle of Allen in County Kildare. The eighth-century Irish priest Fearghal, known abroad by the Latin name Virgilius, became bishop of Salzburg, was an early astronomer and was made a saint in 1233.
Sources: Behind the Name, Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Wikipedia.
How popular is Fergal in Ireland?
Fergal wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2023, when 4 baby boys got the name. It was most popular in 1970, when 153 baby boys were named Fergal, No. 46 that year. The most babies got the name in 1972: 170. The records go back to 1964, when 35 baby boys were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 | No. 660 |
| 2022 | 4 | No. 657 |
| 2020 | 3 | No. 741 |
| 2018 | 5 | No. 572 |
| 2015 | 4 | No. 615 |
| 2014 | 7 | No. 468 |
| 2013 | 5 | No. 534 |
| 2012 | 14 | No. 310 |
| 2011 | 8 | No. 435 |
| 2010 | 7 | No. 448 |
| 2009 | 12 | No. 322 |
| 2008 | 15 | No. 287 |
| 2007 | 9 | No. 342 |
| 2006 | 13 | No. 257 |
| 2005 | 10 | No. 268 |
| 2004 | 22 | No. 171 |
| 2003 | 15 | No. 200 |
| 2002 | 16 | No. 193 |
| 2001 | 23 | No. 150 |
| 2000 | 22 | No. 155 |
| 1999 | 18 | No. 167 |
| 1998 | 26 | No. 133 |
| 1997 | 24 | No. 149 |
| 1996 | 23 | No. 153 |
| 1995 | 38 | No. 122 |
| 1994 | 39 | No. 115 |
| 1993 | 34 | No. 124 |
| 1992 | 43 | No. 115 |
| 1991 | 44 | No. 111 |
| 1990 | 50 | No. 104 |
| 1989 | 35 | No. 122 |
| 1988 | 55 | No. 95 |
| 1987 | 63 | No. 92 |
| 1986 | 53 | No. 102 |
| 1985 | 62 | No. 92 |
| 1984 | 59 | No. 94 |
| 1983 | 74 | No. 83 |
| 1982 | 84 | No. 82 |
| 1981 | 82 | No. 83 |
| 1980 | 85 | No. 81 |
| 1979 | 91 | No. 83 |
| 1978 | 104 | No. 75 |
| 1977 | 122 | No. 70 |
| 1976 | 146 | No. 63 |
| 1975 | 147 | No. 59 |
| 1974 | 168 | No. 58 |
| 1973 | 153 | No. 60 |
| 1972 | 170 | No. 53 |
| 1971 | 139 | No. 59 |
| 1970 | 153 | No. 46 |
| 1969 | 103 | No. 65 |
| 1968 | 82 | No. 70 |
| 1967 | 49 | No. 88 |
| 1966 | 55 | No. 85 |
| 1965 | 46 | No. 87 |
| 1964 | 35 | No. 93 |
Fergal 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 Fergal, letter by letter.
- FFearn, alder
- EEadhadh, aspen
- RRuis, elder
- GGort, ivy
- AAilm, pine
- LLuis, rowan
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Fergal
Questions about Fergal
- How do you pronounce Fergal?
- Fergal is pronounced FER-gull. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- What does Fergal mean?
- Fergal means “brave, valorous.”
- Is Fergal a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Fergal is a boy's name.