50 Gaelic Baby Names: Meanings & Origins

If you’ve ever been a bit confused about the difference between Irish, Scottish, Gaelic, and Celtic, you’re not alone. If you were to look at a tree diagram, you’d see Celtic at the top with two families underneath: Brythonig and Goidelic.

The latter is where you'll find a trio of three primary languages: Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx.

While both Scottish and Irish Gaelic languages technically come from the same lineage, each has their own dialect and vocabulary.

Below we’ve rounded up 50 Gaelic boys and girls names that come from both.

Popular Gaelic Baby Names: Meanings and Origins
Aidan	Little fire	Gaelic, Scottish
Blaire	Dweller on the plain	Gaelic, Scottish
Brody	Broad eye	Gaelic, Scottish
Casey	Brave in battle	Gaelic, Irish
Kennedy	Helmeted leader	Gaelic, Irish
Nora	Honor, light	Gaelic, Irish
Owen	Of noble descent	Gaelic, Irish
Riley	From a rye meadow	Gaelic, Irish
Ryan	Royal	Gaelic, Irish
Quinn	Wise and reasonable	Gaelic, Irish

Popular Gaelic Baby Names for Girls

See below for popular and unique Gaelic baby names for girls along with their meanings, origins, and other interesting information.

Ailsa

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: Elf victory
Famous Namesakes: Scottish economist Ailsa McKay
Peak Popularity: The name Ailsa isn’t very popular in the United States, but is quite common in Scotland. There isn’t enough information to determine when the name reached peak popularity, and only six baby girls given the name in the U.S. in 2019.

Fun Fact: Ailsa Craig is the name of an island located at the western edge of Scotland.

Aisling

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Fantasy, dream
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Aislin, Aislinn, Ashling
Famous Namesakes: United States actress Aisling Sistrunk; Irish-English actress Aisling Loftus
Peak Popularity: This name hasn't been very popular in the United States. Only 34 baby girls named Aisling in the U.S. in 2019.

Blair

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: dweller on the plain
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Blaire, Blare, Blayr, Blayre
Famous Namesakes: Australian Olympic swimmer Blair Catherine Evans; Miss Alaska USA 2007 Blair Chenoweth
Peak Popularity: This name was quite popular in the U.S. from the mid '70s to mid '90s. In recently years, Blair reached peak popularity in 2020, when it ranked 669 on the list of most popular baby names.

Bevin

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Fair Lady, White Lady, Lady with a sweet song
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Bébhinn, Bébhionn, Bébinn, Béibhinn, Vivian, Vivi, Vivyan
Famous Namesakes: United States Actress Bevin Prince, Character on TV’s “One Tree Hill,” Bevin Mirskey
Peak Popularity: This name, like many others on this list, isn’t popular in the United States. There isn’t enough information to determine when this name achieved peak popularity. There were exactly 5 baby girls who received the name Bevin in 2019.

Catriona

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Pure and chaste
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Caitria, Caitríona, Catrina, Caitrìona
Famous Namesakes: Canadian Olympic speed skater Catriona LeMay Doan; English actress Catriona MacColl
Peak Popularity: Only 3 babies received the name in 2020 in Ireland. It isn't popular stateside either.

Fun Fact: This name is a variation on Katherine.

Casey

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Brave in battle
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Kacey, Kacie, Kaycee, Kasey
Famous Namesakes: United States criminologist and legal analyst Dr. Casey Jordan; Australian pop singer ("Australian Idol") Casey Donovan
Peak Popularity: This name began surging in popularity in the early ‘70s, and peaked in 1987. It has been a common name in the U.S. since then.

Deirdre

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Broken-hearted
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Deidra, Deidre, Deitra
Famous Namesakes: United States actresses Deirdre Lovejoy and Deirdre O'Connell; United States cyclist Deirdre "Dede" Demet Barry
Peak Popularity: The name rose in popularity during the '40s, peaked in 1961, and then waned. Only 17 girls received the name in the U.S. in 2019.

Donella

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: Ruler of the world
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Donalda, Donaldina, Donelle, Donna
Famous Namesakes: United States environmental scientist Donella Meadows
Peak Popularity: This name is quite rare in the United States. Fewer than five baby girls were given the name in 2019.

Duana

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Song
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ana
Famous Namesakes: U.S. screenwriter Duana Taha
Peak Popularity: Duana isn’t very popular in the United States. In 2019, fewer than five girls were given the name.

Edna

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Delicate
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Aithne, Eithne, Ena, Enya, Ethna, Ethne, Etna
Famous Namesakes: United States novelist Edna Ferber, United States poet Edna St. Vincent Millay
Peak Popularity: The name Edna was given heavily from 1880 to 1980, but hasn’t seen much use since the early 1980s. Edna reached peak popularity in the United States in 1918 and only 79 girls were given the name in 2019.

Emer

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: Quick, swift
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Eimhir, Eimear, Éimhear
Famous Namesakes: British actress Emer Gwynne Morganna Kenny
Peak Popularity: This name is quite rare. Fewer than five U.S. babies were named Emer in 2019.

Enya

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Little seed or kernal
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Aithne, Edna, Eithne, Ena, Ethna, Ethne, Etna
Famous Namesakes: Irish singer-songwriter Enya
Peak Popularity: Enya hasn't been a very popular name in the United States. In 2019, about 25 girls were so named.

Fergie

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Vigorous
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ferguson, Fergus
Famous Namesakes: United States pop singer Stacy Ann Ferguson (Fergie) Duhamel; Duchess of York Sarah Margaret Ferguson (Fergie).
Peak Popularity: Fergie hasn't been a very popular name in the United States. In 2019, about 25 girls were so named.

Ireland

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Homage to Ireland
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Eireann, Erin, Ériu, Erin
Peak Popularity: This name picked up traction in the United States in the 1990s and continued rising in popularity through 2010. In 2019, about 200 baby girls were given the name.

Killian

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Little church
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cillian, Cillín, Kilian, Kylian, Lian
Peak Popularity: Though it's risen a bit in popularity in the last couple decades, Killian hasn't been super common in the U.S. In 2019, only 16 girls were given the name.

Keely

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Beautiful
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Keeley, Keeleigh
Famous Namesakes: United States TV journalist Keely Shaye Smith
Peak Popularity: Keely saw a small rise in popularity in the U.S. in the early '70s, but has otherwise been relatively uncommon.

Kennedy

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Helmeted leader
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Kennedi, Kennedee, Kennedey, Kennedie
Famous Namesakes: United States fashion journalist Kennedy Fraser
Peak Popularity: Kennedy started to become more common as a girls name in the '90s and has continued to rise in popularity. In 2000, it was at 172 and had reached 72 by 2020.

Kevina

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Lively, beloved
Alternative Spellings & Variations:
Peak Popularity: The name isn’t popular in the United States. Fewer than five baby girls were given the name in 2019.

Fun Fact: As you might have guessed, this name is the feminine version of Kevin.

Maeve

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Intoxicating woman
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Maedhbh, Maebh, Madb, Medb
Famous Namesakes: British diplomat Maeve Geraldine Fort; United States actress Maeve Anne Quinlan
Peak Popularity: The name didn’t begin to rise in popularity in the United States until the mid '90s. It reached peak popularity in the U.S. in 2020 at 173, up from 778 in 2020.

Maille

Origin: Gailic, Irish, French
Meaning: Pearl
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Molly, Mailleigh, Malley, Mally, O'Mally
Peak Popularity: Maille is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It does not rank on the top 1000 baby names list.

Fun Fact: Maille is the name of a three-century-old French company known for its specialty mustards.

Myrna

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Merry
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Morna, Murna, Muirne
Famous Namesakes: United States actress Myrna Adele Loy; Miss USA 1953 Myrna Hansen
Peak Popularity: The name Myrna was commonly used in the U.S. from the late 1800s through the 1970s. Since then, it hasn't been used much. It peaked in 1938 when 1800 girls were so named; in 2019 only 19 girls received the name.

Nora

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Honor, light
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Nóra, Norah, Lenora, Lenore, Nell, Nelle, Norah, Leanora, Ella, Ellen, Noor, Noortje, Leonora, Lora
Famous Namesakes: Indian Actress and Dancer Nora Fatehi; United States film director and producer Nora Ephron
Peak Popularity: Nora has been a relatively common name in the United States since the late 1800s. It reached peak popularity in the U.S. in 2017 at 30.

Riley

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: From a rye meadow
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Rylee, Ryleigh, Rylie
Famous Namesakes: United States actress Riley Elizabeth Weston; United States Gymnast Riley Shannon McCusker
Peak Popularity: As a girl’s name, Riley didn't see much use before the late 1980s. It did start gaining traction in the U.S. in the '90s, however, and has continuously risen in popularity since then. In 2020, it was the 33rd most popular name.

Oona

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Lamb
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Una, Ola, Oonagh
Famous Namesakes: Oona Castilla Chaplin, a Spanish actress and granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin
Peak Popularity: This name hasn't been very popular in the United States. In 2019, about 70 babies were given the name.

Fun Fact: Oona Castilla Chaplin, granddaughter of famous comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977), starred in Game of Thrones as Talisa of Volantis.

Quinn

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Wise and reasonable
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Quin
Famous Namesakes: United States actress Quinn Shephard
Peak Popularity: This name was popular in the U.S. in the ‘90s and ‘00s. It reached peak popularity in 2017, at 76. In 2020, it ranked 85.

Popular Gaelic Baby Names for Boys

Below are 25 popular and unique Gaelic baby names for boys along with their meanings, origins, and other interesting information.

Aidan

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: Little fire
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Aden, Aiden, Aydan, Ayden Aodhán, Edan, Aodhán, Edan
Famous Namesakes: United States actor Aidan Daley Mitchell; Irish Actor Aidan Gillen
Peak Popularity: Aidan was a relatively rare name in the U.S. until the late 1980s. Since then, it's become increasingly popular, reaching a peak in 2003 when over 10,000 babies were so named.

Alastair

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: Defender
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alistaire, Allister, Alasdair
Famous Namesakes: Alistair Cooke, British-born American writer
Peak Popularity: Alastair has remained a relatively uncommon name in the United States. In 2019, only 62 boys were given this name.

Fun Fact: This name is a variation of the Greek name Alexander.

Angus

Origin: Gealic, Scottish
Meaning: Strength
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Gus, Aonghas, Aonghus, Aengus, Aonghus
Famous Namesakes: Angus Alan Douglas, the 15th Duke of Hamilton and 12th Duke of Brando
Peak Popularity: This name has been uncommon, but was used a bit more prior to the '50s. At its peak in 1926, about 90 people were given the name.

Brody

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: Broad eye
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Brodie
Famous Namesakes: U.S. reality TV star Brody Jenner, Australian singer-songwriter Brody Dalle
Peak Popularity: Brody experienced a rapid spike in popularity from the late '90s to the 2010s peaking at around 6000 names in a given year. In 2019, about 2000 boys were given the name.

Fun Fact: Brody is also the name of a Scottish castle located in Moray, Scotland. It was built in 1567 and has been well-preserved.

Cian

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Ancient
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Kian, Kean, Keane, Cianán, Keenan
Famous Namesakes: Irish footballer Cian Thomas Bolger; Irish rugby union player Cian Healy
Peak Popularity: Cian isn't very popular in the United States. Only 127 baby boys were given the name in 2019.

Colm

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Dove
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Calum, Colin, Callum, Coleman
Famous Namesakes: Irish actor Colm Wilkinson; United States actor Colm Feore; Irish singer of band Celtic Thunder Colm Keegan
Peak Popularity: The name has been used in Ireland for quite some time, but isn't very popular stateside. In 2019, there were a total of 15 boys who received the name in the U.S.

Corey

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: God’s peace, chosen one
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cory, Kory, Kori
Famous Namesakes: U.S. Actor Corey Feldman; Canadian actor Corey Haim
Peak Popularity: Corey peaked in popularity during 1977 when 6,044 people received this name in the United States. In 2020, it ranked 525.

Fun Fact: The name Corey is derived from the gaelic word, Coire, which translates to "in a Caidron” or “in a hollow.”

Cormac

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Son of the raven
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cormag
Famous Namesakes: United States novelist and playwright Cormac McCarthy
Peak Popularity: This ancient Irish name has never been very popular in the United States. About 140 baby boys were given the name in the U.S. in 2019.

Craig

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: Rock
Famous Namesakes: U.S. actor Craig Robinson; Scottish television personality Craig Ferguson,
Peak Popularity: Craig was a particularly popular name in the 1950s through '80s. It's still in the top 1000 but has seen a steep decline. In 2000, it ranked 340 and was down to 986 in 2020.

Desmond

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: of the world
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Desmonde, Des
Famous Namesakes: Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu
Peak Popularity: Desmond has seen a small and steady popularity since the 1960s. In 2019, about 850 boys were given the name.

Fun Fact: Desmond is also the name of a Southern Irish city.

Duncan

Origin: Galeic, Scottish
Meaning: Dark warrior
Famous Namesakes: Duncan Hines, a U.S. entrepreneur who invented the eponymous line of sweets
Peak Popularity: Duncan experienced a small peak in popularity in the 1990s. In 1997, 644 boys were given the name. More recently, it's been in decline, dropping from 447 in 2020 to 978 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Duncan is technically the Anglicized variation of the Gaelic name "Donnchadh.” Also, there is a town in Texas called “Duncanville.”

Finley

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: Fair hero or Fair one
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Finly, Fin, Finn
Peak Popularity: Finley experienced a very small peak in popularity in the '00s and '10s. In 2019, about 1200 boys were given the name. In 2020, it ranked 304.

Glenn

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Valley
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Gleann, Glen, Glenna
Famous Namesakes: U.S. trombonist Glenn Miller, Candian classical pianist Glenn Gould,
Peak Popularity: The name Glenn had been popular in the U.S. for over a century. It peaked in 1962 and remained in the top one thousand until the late 2000s.

Fun Fact: The name Glenn is derived from the Gaelic word “gleann,” which means valley.

Kade

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: From the wetlands
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cade, Caden, Caid, Caide, Kaden, Kayd, Khade
Peak Popularity: Kade has slowly risen in popularity since the late 1980s. In 2019, over 800 boys were given the name.

Keenan

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Ancient one, old soul
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Keenen, Kenan
Famous Namesakes: U.S. actor Keenan Thompson; U.S. actor and comedian Keenan-Ivory Wayans
Peak Popularity: The name Keenan saw a peak in popularity in the United States in the '90s and '00s. It's now in decline, going from 532 in 2000 to 990 in 2020.

Lennon

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Cloak, little cape
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lenin, Lenn, Lenny, Len, Lennen
Famous Namesakes: Beatles singer John Lennon (surname), Canadian singer Lennon Stella of country duo Lennon & Maisy.
Peak Popularity: Lennon hasn't been a popular name in the United States, but it’s seen a very small peak in the 2010s and 2020s. In 2019, about 340 boys were given the name Lennon.

Fun Fact: Lennon is the Anglicized variation of the Gaelic term "Lonáin.” This word stems from the diminutive of "lon," which means blackbird.

Malcolm

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish
Meaning: Follower or Devotee of St. Columba
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Máel Coluim
Famous Namesakes: NFL football player Malcolm Floyd; United States Activist Malcolm X
Peak Popularity: The name Malcolm has been relatively popular in the United States, first gaining traction in the early 1910s. The name reached peak popularity in the U.S. in 1928, when about 666 boys were given the name. In 2000, it ranked 368 and was up to in 290 2020.

Neil

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Passionate, champion, cloud
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Niall, Neill, Neal
Famous Namesakes: U.S. actor Neil Patrick Harris; U.S. Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond; U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong
Peak Popularity: Neil was particularly popular from the 1940s through the 1980s. It reached its peak in 1953 when around 2,000 boys were given this name. Neil ranked 749 in 2020.

Owen

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Of noble descent
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Eógan, Eógan, Eoghan, Eoghan, Euan, Ewan, Ewen
Famous Namesakes: United States Actor Owen Cunningham Wilson, United States football players Owen Gerald Daniels and Owen Marecic
Peak Popularity: The name has been used consistently in the U.S. since the late 1800s. Owen dramatically increased in popularity around the late 1980s through early ‘90s and reached peak popularity as recently as 2019 when over 9,323 boys were so named.

Ronin

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Joyful song
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ron, Ro
Peak Popularity: Ronin has experienced a very small peak in popularity since the '10s. In 2020, it ranked 388 and 786 boys were given the name.

Rooney

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Red-haired
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Roon, Roone, Rune
Famous Namesakes: U.S. Actress Rooney Mara
Peak Popularity: This name has not been popular in the United States. Only 21 baby boys were given the name in 2019.

Rory

Origin: Gaelic, Scottish, Irish
Meaning: Red-haired king
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Raure, Aurora
Famous Namesakes: U.S. actor Rory Culkin; U.S. filmmaker and daughter of JFK, Rory Kennedy
Peak Popularity: Rory has seen small and steady popularity since the 1950s. In 2020, it ranked 33o and 989 boys were given the name.

Ryan

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: royal, a king’s descendant
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ryean, Ryanne, Rian, Ry, Ryen
Famous Namesakes: U.S. Olympian swimmer Ryan Lochte; U.S. television host Ryan Seacrest; U.S. Actor Ryan Reynolds
Peak Popularity: Ryan has been an exceptionally popular name over the last century in the United States. It saw a peak in the mid-80s when around 30,000 boys were given the name. It's since dropped in popularity. In 2020, 5,286 boys were given the name.

Sean

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Gracious god
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Seán, Shane, Shaun, Shawn, Shayne
Famous Namesakes: United States actor Sean Patrick Flanery; United States Rapper Sean John Combs (Diddy)
Peak Popularity: This name is quite common in the U.S. It began rising in the early '50s and reached its peak popularity in 1990 when over 12,000 individuals were so named.

Seamus

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Replacement, bonus
Alternative Spellings & Variations: James, Jamie, Shay, Shea
Famous Namesakes: Irish poet Seamus Heaney; U.S. actor Seamus Dever
Peak Popularity: Seamus started peaking slightly in the late '90s and has remained steady since then. In 2019, about 200 boys were given the name.

Fun Fact: This name is a variation on the Hebrew name, James.

Sullivan

Origin: Gaelic, Ireland
Meaning: Eyes like a hawk, dark eyed
Peak Popularity: Sullivan has experienced a very small peak in popularity since the '10s. In 2020, 763 boys were given the name.

Fun Fact: This name is commonly seen as a surname. Actress Susan Sullivan and TV host Ed Sullivan are two examples.

Tyrone

Origin: Gaelic, Irish
Meaning: Of the earth
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Tyron
Famous Namesakes: U.S. actor Tyrone Power
Peak Popularity: Tyrone was particularly popular in the United States from the 1940s through the 1990s with a peak of 2531 names in 1970. It's since dwindled in popularity; in 2019 only 159 boys were given the name.

2 Sources

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