Murtagh: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Murtagh is an Irish boy's name meaning “skilled in the ways of the sea.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- Skilled in the ways of the sea
- Gender
- Boy
How do you pronounce Murtagh?
Murtagh is pronounced MUR-tah. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Murtagh mean?
From muir “sea” and ceardach “skilled” implying “skilled in the ways of the sea.” The name of three High Kings and one of the greatest Irish military commanders known as “Murtagh of the Leather Cloak,” he set out in mid-winter, wearing leather cloaks against the bitter cold, and turned back the maurauding Vikings. He beat the invaders in a sea battle on Strangford Lough in 926, took and burned Viking Dublin in 939, ravaged the Norse settlements in the Scottish Isles with an Ulster fleet in 801 and died in combat in 803, presumably wearing all his cloaks.
How popular is Murtagh in Ireland?
Murtagh wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 1973, when 3 baby boys got the name. It was most popular in 1965, when 4 baby boys were named Murtagh, No. 222 that year. The most babies got the name in 1966: 4. It first appears in the records in 1965, with 4 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 3 | No. 320 |
| 1972 | 3 | No. 307 |
| 1966 | 4 | No. 229 |
| 1965 | 4 | No. 222 |
Murtagh 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 Murtagh, letter by letter.
- MMuin, vine
- UÚr, heather
- RRuis, elder
- TTinne, holly
- AAilm, pine
- GGort, ivy
- HUath, hawthorn
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Murtagh
Questions about Murtagh
- How do you pronounce Murtagh?
- Murtagh is pronounced MUR-tah. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- What does Murtagh mean?
- Murtagh means “skilled in the ways of the sea.”
- Is Murtagh a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Murtagh is a boy's name.