Iollan: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Iollan is the name of a son of Fergus mac Róich in Irish legend; the meaning of the name is unknown. Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Gender
- Boy
How do you pronounce Iollan?
Iollan is pronounced UL-an. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Iollan mean?
Iollan, also written Iollann or Illann, is an old Irish name found for men in the medieval Irish annals. Its meaning is unknown. In the Ulster Cycle of legends, Illann the Fair, a son of the former Ulster king Fergus mac Róich, fought to defend Deirdre and the sons of Uisnech after they returned under his father’s protection.
In the version in the Glenmasan manuscript, Fergus took his two sons, Illann and Buinne, to Scotland to bring the exiles home under his protection. At Emain Macha, Buinne accepted land from Conchobar mac Nessa and abandoned them, but Illann swore he would not forsake them while he held his sword. He overcame Conchobar’s son Fiacha in combat before Conall Cernach ran him through with a spear from behind.
Sources: CELT, University College Cork, Wikipedia, medievalscotland.org, Behind the Name.
How popular is Iollan in Ireland?
Iollan wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2013, when 4 baby boys got the name. It was most popular in 2013, when 4 baby boys were named Iollan, No. 605 that year. It first appears in the records in 2011, with 3 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 4 | No. 605 |
| 2011 | 3 | No. 730 |
Iollan 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 Iollan, letter by letter.
- IIodhadh, yew
- OOnn, gorse
- LLuis, rowan
- LLuis, rowan
- AAilm, pine
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Iollan
Questions about Iollan
- How do you pronounce Iollan?
- Iollan is pronounced UL-an, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Iollan mean?
- Iollan is the name of a son of Fergus mac Róich in Irish legend; the meaning of the name is unknown.
- Is Iollan a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Iollan is a boy's name.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA50 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from CELT, University College Cork, Wikipedia, medievalscotland.org and Behind the Name. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com