Peg Coughlan - Irish Names for Children: Baby Names from Ireland

[Also Aongus and Aonghus] The Irish equivalent of the popular Scots name Angus, though that spelling is also found in Ireland. The name could mean one choice or sole vigour. In Celtic mythology he was the god of love, the son of Dagda (the Irish Zeus) and Boann, after whom the river Boyne was named. He is usually pictured with four birds circling his head, representing his kisses. The name was borne by several Irish heroes and by saints, notably engus the Culdee.

[Also edn] A diminutive of Aodh and meaning little flame. It was the name of several Irish saints, most famously Aidan of Lindisfarne. After serving as a monk in Iona he was sent to help convert the heathen Anglo-Saxons in Northumbria. He established his monastery on the tidal island of Lindisfarne and made it the centre for the evangelisation of the northern part of England. He died in 651. One interesting result is that the name is not uncommon in England.

[Also Ailbhe] This name, which was given to boys and girls, may mean white. Saint Ailbe of Emly (d. 527), who was consecrated bishop in Rome, was a near-contemporary of Saint Patrick, and played an important part in Christianising the south of Ireland. He was known as the Patrick of the south or the other Saint Patrick. The name is sometimes given in English as Alby and is used as the Irish form of Albert, without much authority.

[Also Andri] The Irish form of the biblical Andrew which meant manly in the original Greek.

Though more common in the Scots vocative form Alastair this Irish name is the equivalent of Alexander (Greek: defender of man).

The Gaelicised form of Anthony. The names great and continuing popularity is comparatively recent and originated from the cult of St Anthony of Padua (11951231), the Portuguese Franciscan. It was originally the Roman nomen Antonius, as in Cleopatras friend Marcus Antonius. One famous holder of the name was the blind Mayo poet Antaine Reachtabhra (17841835) who wrote among many other poems Mise Raifteir an File.

[Also ed] The word means fire and is taken without warranty as the Irish version of the English name Hugh. In the form ed, it was a very common name in early Ireland. A number of Irish saints were called by it and in the early seventeenth century it was the name given to the twin thorns in Elizabeth Is side: Aodh Nill of Tr Eoghin and Aodh Ruadh Dnaill of Tr Conaill.

The name may mean great valour or notable warrior and is most commonly found in County Monaghan, where it was a popular forename with MacMahons and MacArdles. It is anglicised as Arnold.

The word means bear but it is also used figuratively in names as meaning warrior. In Britain it is used as a diminutive of Arthur but there is no connection, that word coming from the Latin Artorius or Artos and referring to the mythic hero of Camelot. Art appears in semi-mythical form as the high king father of Cormac, the patron of the Fianna.

A name in its own right but now most frequently used as a pet form of Finnbarr. At the time when biblical names were common it (like Bart) was a relief diminutive of Bartholomew.

[Also Brnainn] The name came from Wales when breenhin (prince) was latinised into Brendanus and imported into Ireland at the time of the establishment of Irish monasticism. Of the many Irish saints who bore the name the most famous is the Tralee-born Brendan the Voyager (c. 486578) who founded the monastery of Clonfert and whose name is associated with the tenth-century wonder tale