Irish folklore and mythology are full of strong kings, formidable warriors, and incredible giants. Why wouldn’t you want to name your baby boy after them?
Ancient names have a timeless quality that means they won’t go out of style. For plenty to choose from, there is no better place to look than Irish mythology. So, here are ten Irish legends to name your baby boy after.
Names from Irish mythology vary in meaning from ‘strength’ to ‘fire’ to ‘handsome’. So, if you want to give your little one a strong, fiery, or handsome-sounding name, you’ve come to the right place.
10. Aodhán – meaning ‘full of fire’
If you’re thinking of Irish legends to name your baby boy after, you need to consider Aodhán, the seventh-century Irish monk and saint.
Meaning ‘little fire’ and a diminutive of Aodh, variations of this Irish moniker include Aidan, Edan, and Áedán.
9. Diarmaid – meaning ‘without envy’
Diarmaid, Diarmuid, or Diarmait is one of the most popular boy names from Irish mythology. The name means ‘without envy’, and it was the name of a demigod in the Fenian Cycle who became the lover of Gráinne.
The name also later became the name given to several Irish kings.
8. Niall – meaning ‘champion’
The name Niall comes from Niall Noígíallach, or Niall of the Nine Hostages, an Irish king whose ancestors ruled the northern half of Ireland from the sixth to the tenth century.
Meaning ‘champion’, Niall is the perfect name for your successful baby boy.
7. Cian – meaning ‘ancient’
Maybe not the first meaning that comes to mind when you think of a baby boy is the meaning of the Irish name Cian, which is ‘ancient’.
In Irish mythology, Cian was the mythical ancestor of the Cianachta and the son-in-law of Brian Boru, the Irish king who ended the rule of the Uí Néill.
6. Conchúr – meaning ‘hound, dog, wolf’
Conchúr is the modern form of the ancient Irish names Conchobar and Conchobhar and the Irish variant of the English Conor.
Meaning ‘wolf kin’, ‘lover of wolves’, or ‘lover of hounds’, the most famous figure with this name from Irish mythology is Conchobar mac Nessa, the King of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle.
5. Aengus – meaning ‘vigour’ or ‘true strength’
Aengus, meaning ‘vigour’ or ‘true strength’, is the name of one of the most well-known Irish legends to name your baby boy after.
Aengus was the son of Dagda and Boann and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Variations of Aengus include Aonghus, Óengus, or Angus.
4. Oisín – meaning ‘little deer’
Derived from Old Irish ‘os’ meaning ‘deer’ and combined with a diminutive suffix, the name Oisín is presumed to mean ‘little deer’.
In Irish mythology, Oisín was a warrior of the Fianna and a poet. He is most well-known as the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the lover of Niamh, with whom he left for Tír na nÓg, the Land of Youth.
3. Conall – meaning ‘strong wolf’
According to Irish mythology, Conall Cernach was a hero of the Ulaid in the Ulster Cycle.
Conall made a pact with the legendary Irish hero Cúchulainn, that whoever was killed first, the other would avenge him before nightfall.
So, when Cúchulainn was killed by Lugaid mac Con Roí and Erc mac Cairpri Conall pursued them, taking both their heads.
This Irish name has various meanings, including ‘strong wolf’, ‘strong in battle’, ‘high’, and ‘mighty’.
2. Fiachra – meaning ‘raven’
The Irish name Fiachra is derived from the Irish word ‘fiach’, meaning ‘raven’.
A great name for a baby boy, Irish mythology states that Fiachra was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for 900 years by their stepmother Aoife.
1. Fionn – meaning ‘fair’, ‘handsome’, or ‘bright’
Perhaps the most well-known of the Irish legends to name your baby boy after is Fionn Mac Cumhaill.
Fionn Mac Cumhaill was a legendary Irish warrior and hunter from the Fenian Cycle. He came to be known after eating the Salmon of Knowledge and later led the Fianna, a band of Irish warriors.
One of the most well-known stories of Fionn Mac Cumhaill is the tale of the creation of the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland when Mac Cumhaill drove the giant Benandonner out of Ireland.
