Padraig
pronounced PAW-drigFrom the Latin patricius “nobly born.” The patron saint of Ireland, it is hard to differentiate between fact and myth.
No. 185 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 26 baby boys.
More about PadraigIrish Names Starting with P
9 Irish names beginning with P for boys, with what each one means and how to say it.
Updated November 2026
Irish boy names starting with P
Paidi
pronounced PAW-deePáidí is a pet form of Pádraig, the Irish form of Patrick, which comes from the Latin Patricius, “nobly born” or “of the patrician class.”
No. 12 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 239 baby boys.
More about PaidiPatrick in Irish is Padraig, pronounced PAW-drig, meaning “nobly born.”
No. 25 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 183 baby boys.
More about PatrickPeadar
pronounced PAD-arPeadar is the Irish form of Peter, used in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic.
No. 232 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 20 baby boys.
More about PeadarAdvertisements
Pearse
pronounced PEERSComes from the Norman French name “Piers” and is still very popular as it is given to honor Patrick Pearse, one of the leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916 when Ireland won its independence from England.
No. 509 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 6 baby boys.
More about PearsePeter in Irish is Peadar, pronounced PAD-ar, meaning “the rock.”
No. 152 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 34 baby boys.
More about PeterPhelan in Irish is Faolan, pronounced FWAIL-awn, meaning “little wolf.”
Rare in Ireland: fewer than three baby boys a year get the name.
More about PhelanPhelim is an English spelling of Feidhlim, meaning “ever good.” Feidhlim is said FAIL-im.
Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2015.
More about PhelimAdvertisements
Proinsias
pronounced PRON-she-issProinsias is the Irish form of Francis, from the Late Latin Franciscus, “Frenchman.”
Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 1982.
More about ProinsiasThere are 9 Irish boy names starting with P here. The ones readers look up most are Peadar, Padraig and Proinsias.
Most popular in Ireland in 2025
The P names on this page that the most babies were given in 2025, by the Central Statistics Office’s ranking.