Irish Boy Names Starting with R

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

No. 509 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 6 baby boys.

Redmond means “counsellor, protector.”

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2018.

Reilly is an Irish surname used as a first name. It is an English form of Ó Raghallaigh, “descendant of Raghallach.” The meaning of Raghallach itself is unknown, so the popular gloss “courageous, valiant” has no sound basis. The O’Reillys were a powerful family of the same stock as the O’Rourkes.

Not in Ireland's 2025 tables (fewer than three babies); last recorded in 2023.

Rían is an old Irish name of uncertain meaning. It is traditionally said to mean “little king,” from rí “king” with a diminutive ending, while others link it to the Old Irish word rían, “sea” or “path.” Neither explanation is proven: the historian John Ryan of University College Dublin wrote that the name seems so ancient that its meaning was lost before records began.

No. 1 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 490 baby boys.

Riordan means “royal poet.”

Rare in Ireland: fewer than three baby boys a year get the name.

Ronan means “seal.”

No. 86 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 67 baby boys.

Ruadhán comes from ruadh “red” with the diminutive -án, so “little red one.” Its anglicized form is Rowan. St. Ruadhán (died 584) founded the monastery of Lorrha in north County Tipperary and is counted among the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, the twelve saints who studied under St. Finnian of Clonard.

No. 120 for boys in Ireland in 2025, with 46 baby boys.

Ruari is a simplified spelling of the Irish Ruairí (also Ruaidhrí), from the Old Irish Ruaidrí: rúad “red” and rí “king,” so “red king.” Its anglicized form is Rory, and Scottish Gaelic has Ruairidh and Ruaraidh. The best-known bearer is Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (Rory O’Connor), king of Connacht and the last High King of Ireland.

No. 67 for boys in Ireland in 2025 (spelled Ruairí), with 85 baby boys.