Do you have ancestors from Ireland? Are you just a really big fan of St. Patrick’s Day? Whatever your reasons, Irish boy names can be an excellent choice for your son. The names we’ve picked out below are likely to sound familiar, yet most people out of touch with Irish culture have no idea they actually originate from the nation.
Sally Rooney’s Normal People was a standout TV show of 2020, and it got plenty of people excited about Ireland – if you’re one of them, the name of Connell is bound to hold special appeal since it’s the name of the hero and protagonist. Plus, Connell means “strong wolf” in Irish, which is a pretty cool origin.
Another popular name is Cian (pronounced kee-an), which means “ancient” in Old Irish. It also has some Gaelic origins.
Rory means “red-haired king” – you’d struggle to find a more unusual name meaning than that! It’s common in both Scotland and Ireland, by men of all hair colors.
Flynn “descendent of Flann” in Old Irish; in turn, that has a meaning related to having a red-haired complexion. If you couldn’t tell already, the Irish aren’t ashamed of their red hair! Flynn is both a surname and first name, but preferably not both at the same time.
St. Declan is an ancient Irish saint dating back to the fifth century known for performing various miracles, and his legacy has lived on via the popular Irish name Declan. Its meaning dates back to “full of goodness” – the name checks out.
Aaron
Meaning: High mountain
Origin: Irish
Aidan
Meaning: Little and Fiery
Origin: Irish
Bard
Meaning: Minstrel, Poet
Origin: Irish
Benen
Meaning: Mild, name of Irish saint
Origin: Irish
Berkeley
Meaning: The Birch Tree Meadow
Origin: Irish
Blaine
Meaning: Slender, Angular
Origin: Irish
Brady
Meaning: Broad Meadow or Large-Chested
Origin: Irish
Brendan
Meaning: Prince, King
Origin: Irish
Brennan
Meaning: Raven, brave, sorrow
Origin: Irish
Brody
Meaning: From the muddy place
Origin: Irish
Burke
Meaning: Burg or fortification
Origin: Irish
Calhoun
Meaning: From the Narrow Forest
Origin: Irish
Callahan
Meaning: Bright-Headed
Origin: Irish
Cashel
Meaning: Stone fort, castle
Origin: Irish
Cilian
Meaning: Little Church
Origin: Irish
Clancy
Meaning: Red warrior
Origin: Irish
Colm
Meaning: Dove
Origin: Irish
Conor
Meaning: Wise, strong willed, hound-lover
Origin: Irish
Cory
Meaning: From the Hollow
Origin: Irish
Cullen
Meaning: Holly Tree
Origin: Irish
Darcy
Meaning: From Arcy
Origin: Irish
Declan
Meaning: Full of Goodness, man of prayer
Origin: Irish
Derry
Meaning: The People’s Ruler
Origin: Irish
Devin
Meaning: Poet
Origin: Irish
Dillon
Meaning: Loyal
Origin: Irish
Donal
Meaning: World Mighty
Origin: Irish
Donnelly
Meaning: Irish surname
Origin: Irish
Eamon
Meaning: Wealthy Protector
Origin: Irish
Eoin
Meaning: God is Gracious
Origin: Irish
Faolan
Meaning: Little Wolf
Origin: Irish
Fergus
Meaning: Man of Force
Origin: Irish
Ferris
Meaning: Rock
Origin: Irish
Finbar
Meaning: Fair-Haired
Origin: Irish
Finn
Meaning: Fair or White
Origin: Irish
Finnegan
Meaning: Little fair one
Origin: Irish
Fintan
Meaning: White Fire or White Bull
Origin: Irish
Flynn
Meaning: Son of the Red-Haired One
Origin: Irish
Gallagher
Meaning: Descendant of Foreign Helper
Origin: Irish
Garret
Meaning: Spear Strength
Origin: Irish
Grady
Meaning: Noble, Illustrious
Origin: Irish
Hugh
Meaning: Mind, Intellect
Origin: Irish
Ivo
Meaning: Yew Wood, Archer
Origin: Irish
Keegan
Meaning: Son of Egan
Origin: Irish
Keenan
Meaning: Ancient
Origin: Irish
Keir
Meaning: Dark, Black
Origin: Irish
Kellen
Meaning: Little Rock
Origin: Irish
Larkin
Meaning: Rough, Fierce
Origin: Irish
Lennon
Meaning: Small Cloak or Cape
Origin: Irish
Liam
Meaning: Resolute Protection
Origin: Irish
Nevin
Meaning: Holy
Origin: Irish
