Irish Names Starting with R

Radha comes from the Irish word radharc, “sight, vision, view.”

Comes from ri “sovereign, king” and the diminutive -in and means “the king’s child” or may come from riogach “impulsive, furious.” Regan may be used for a boy or a girl.

Ríadh is one of the newest Irish girls’ names, and dictionaries and name references give no settled meaning for it. It shares its ending and sound pattern with Fiadh.

Riona in Irish is Rionach, pronounced REE-in-ock, meaning “queenly.”

From rionach meaning “queenly.” In legend Rionach was the wife of “Niall of the Nine Hostages” and as such is the maternal ancestor of many of the great Irish family dynasties.

Róise is an Irish form of Rose, and it has long been linked with rós, the Irish word for the flower.

From the Latin name Rosa and means “little rose.” Records show that the name has been in use in Ireland since the sixteenth century.

Rosaleen in Irish is Roisin, pronounced ro-SHEEN, meaning “little rose.”

Ryanne is a modern feminine form of Ryan, created in English rather than in Irish. Ryan comes from the Irish surname Ó Riain, “descendant of Rian.”

Raymond in Irish is Redmond, pronounced RED-mond, meaning “counsellor, protector.”

An Irish version of the Germanic ragan + mund “counsellor, protector.” Particularly popular in Northern Ireland where Redmond O’Hanlon was a charismatic outlaw, the Irish “Robin Hood.”

Reilly is an Irish surname used as a first name. It is an English form of Ó Raghallaigh, “descendant of Raghallach.”

Rían is an old Irish name of uncertain meaning.

From ri “king” and bardan “poet” it means “royal poet.” In Irish tradition the poet was very highly regarded in any royal household as he acted as scholar, historian and advisor to the king.

From ron “a seal.” Legend tells of a seal who is warned never to stray too close to the land.

Ruadhán comes from ruadh “red” with the diminutive -án, so “little red one.” Its anglicized form is Rowan.

Ruari is a simplified spelling of the Irish Ruairí (also Ruaidhrí), from the Old Irish Ruaidrí: rúad “red” and rí “king,” so “red king.”