320+ Celtic Boys Names With Whimsical Meanings & Unique Spellings

Celtic Boy Names History

Celtic boy names come from rich and diverse cultures that make them precious and unique.

“Celtic” is a group of Indo-European branch languages used mainly in Western Europe during the pre-Roman and Roman times (around 625 BC to 475 AD). It’s comprised mainly of Irish, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, Manx, and Breton (not to be confused with British English; Breton was a language used in Brittany, France). But it can also include Pictish (extinct Brittonic language). (1)(2)

Today, many of these ancient languages are no longer in use or have become mixed with Greek or Latin. You’ll also find modern, anglicized (made into English) forms of these baby names. (1)(2)

For example, “Kevin” came from “Caoimhín,” while “Colin” came from “Coileáin.”

The ancient names that remain in use in modern times have retained their classic spellings and pronunciations.

In the examples above, “Caoimhín” is pronounced as “kwee-veen” and “Coileáin” as “kweel-awn.”

Don’t be surprised to find many Irish boy names because Irish is one of the main languages in the Celtic group. (1)(2)

Many names also have links to saints, warriors, and kings of the many ancient kingdoms that no longer exist in modern times. (1)(2)

What Makes Celtic Baby Boy Names Different From Other Names?

Celtic boy names have unique spellings and pronunciations, such as having extra vowels (see samples below). Yet, due to colonization, many of these names also have roots in other languages. (1)(2)

Examples include:

“Ailfrid” as a variant of the English boy name “Alfred”
“Gearoid” is a variant of the Germanic boy name “Gerard”
“Grioghar” is a variant of the Greek boy name “Gregory”
“Peadar” is a variant of the Greek biblical boy name “Peter”

Below are 320+ rare boy names with Celtic origins, many of which have unique spellings and whimsical meanings.

We’ve arranged them into fun and cool categories, including the following:

Adorable & Cute Celtic Boy Names
Celtic Baby Boy Names With Beautiful Meanings
Celtic Mythology & Mystical Names
Celtic Versions Of Popular Boy Names
Color-Inspired Celtic Boy Names
Nature-Inspired Celtic Boy Names
Powerful & Strong Celtic Baby Boy Names

The Best Celtic Boys Names For Your Little One

The Most Popular Names

Aengus

Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, and Irish name for boys
Pronounced as “ang-gus”
Often spelled as “Angus” outside Ireland
“One strength” or “one choice”
After the Celtic god of love and poetry and also the folk musician Aengus Finnan

Aodh

Celtic, Irish, and Scottish Gaelic boy name
Pronounced as “ay”
Name that means “fire”
One-syllable boy name after the powerful god of the underworld in Celtic and Irish mythology

Aodhan

Old Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “ay-dawn”
“Little fire,” “bringer of fire,” or “fiery”
Often spelled as “Aidan,” “Aedan,” or “Aiden” in English-speaking countries

Aodhfionn

Old Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “ay-fee-yun”
Also spelled as “Aodhfin” or “Aodhfinn”
Three-syllable boy name meaning “white fire”

Ardan

Celtic boy name
Pronounced as “ar-dawn”
“High ambition,” “high aspiration,” or “valley of the eagle”
Can be a short form or variant of “Ardanach”

Artur

Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, and Portuguese boy name
Pronounced as “ar-toor”
Can also be spelled as “Artair”
Powerful name meaning “bear,” “noble,” “courageous,” or “noble bear” as a variant of “Arthur”

Calhoun

Celtic and Scottish boy name
Pronounced as “kal-hoon”
“War hound” or “from the narrow woods”

Caoimhín

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “kwee-veen”
“Noble at birth,” “handsome,” or “kind” as a variant of another Irish name “Kevin”

Clancy

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “clan-see”
“Son of the red warrior”

Craig

Celtic, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “kreyg”
Modern earthy name meaning “rock” or “rocky”
Famous namesakes include British singer-songwriter Craig David

Donnacha

Celtic, Irish, and Scottish boy name
Pronounced as “done-ack-kah”
Can be shortened to “Don”
“Dark chief,” “brown-haired warrior,” or “noble and strong”
Also after the son of Brian Boru, a High King of Ireland

Fionn

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “fee-yun”
Can also be spelled as “Finn”
“Fair-haired” or “white”
Mythical boy name after the powerful Irish warrior Fionn Mac Cumhaill (also called “Finn McCool”), who became the wisest in Ireland after tasting the legendary Salmon of Knowledge

Flynn

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “fleen”
“Son of ruddy man (reddish complexion)” or “descendant of Flann”

Keith

Old Celtic, Gaelic, and Scottish boy name
Pronounced as “keeth”
“From the battleground” or “wood”

Liam

Old Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “lee-yam”
“Protection,” “helmet of will,” or “guardian”
It isn’t on the top 5 names in Ireland but ranks as the #1 most popular boy name in the US (3)(4)
Famous namesakes include Northern Irish actor Liam Neeson

Niall

Celtic and Old Irish boy name
Pronounced as “nee-yall”
Also a variant of “Niadh”
“Champion” or “cloud
After Irish singer-songwriter Niall Horan

Oscar

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “os-kar”
“Friend of the deer,” “champion warrior,” or “God spear”
Mythical name after one of the grandsons of Fionn Mac Cumhaill
Historical name after the prolific Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde from the 1880s
Tough boy name after Puerto Rican professional boxer Oscar Collazo and American former professional boxer Oscar De La Hoya

Pádraig

Celtic, Irish, and Latin boy name
Pronounced as “pah-drig”
Can also be spelled as “Pádraic,” “Páidí,” or the modern form “Patrick”
“Of the patrician class,” “noble,” or “nobleman”
The most famous namesake is Ireland’s patron saint, St. Patrick

Rian

Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “rye-yan”
“Little king”
Variant of the modern Irish name “Ryan”

What Are Unusual Celtic Boy Names?

Aghy (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ag-hee”) – “Friend of horses”

Ahane (Celtic, Irish, and Japanese boy name; pronounced as “ah-hah-nee”) – “From the little ford” or “a large hill”

Aralt (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ay-ralt”) – “Leader” or “army ruler”

Braon (Celtic, Old Irish, and Scottish Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “bray-on”) – “Rain,” “moisture drops,” “sorrow,” or “descendant of Braonán”

Cinneide (Celtic, Scottish, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “see-nie-deh”) – “Helmeted” or “armored head” as a variant of “Kennedy” (English form)

Coileáin (Celtic, Gaelic, Scottish, and Old French boy name; pronounced as “kweel-awn”) – “Trickster,” “young pup,” “whelp,” or “cub”; can also be spelled as “Cailean,” “Cuilen,” or the modern variations “Colin” and “Collin”

Conchobhar (Celtic boy name; pronounced as “con-uh-chur”; can also be spelled as “Conchubhar”) – “Lover of canines”; famous namesakes include Conchobar mac Nessa, one of the High Kings of Ulster in Irish mythology

Eimar (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ay-mar”) – “Swift”

Fearghal (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “fer-ghal” and can also be spelled as “Fergal”) – “Man of valor,” “brave,” or “manly”; historic namesakes include Fearghal Ó Taidg an Teaghlaigh, a badass boy name after the King Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair of Connacht’s bodyguard

Hurley (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “hur-lee”) – “Sea tide” or “sea valor”

Iniss (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “eeh-niss” and is also spelled as “Innis” or “Inys”) – “From the river island”

Lochlainn (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “lok-lane” – “Land of the Vikings” or “one who dwells at the fjord-land”

What Are Unique & Rare Irish & Celtic Male Names?

Ainmuire (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ayen-mire” and is also spelled as “Ainmire”) – “Great lord”; famous namesakes include Saint Ainmire and King Ainmuire mac Sétnai, one of Ireland’s High Kings who ruled in the 560s

Annaduff (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ah-nah-duff”) – “From the black marsh”

Ardagh (Celtic and Irish Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “aar-dag”) – “From the high field”

Arthgallo (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “art-gha-loh”) – “High honor”; also spelled as “Ardal” or “Artegal”

Assan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ah-san”) – Name that means “water” (waterfall)

Báire (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “bah-ree” and can also be spelled as “Barry”) – “Fair-haired”

Caolán (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kee-leen”) – “Fine” or “slender lad”

Caomh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “keh-yev”) – “Gentleness,” “lovable,” “friendship,” “kindness,” “friend,” or “hospitality”

Cleary (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “klare-ree”) – “Learned one” or “wise”

Dubhghall (Celtic and Scottish boy name; pronounced as “doo-gal” and can also be spelled as “Dougal”) – “Stranger with dark hair” or a black boy name meaning “dark stranger”

Elhe (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “eee-lee”) -“Legend name”

Farry (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “far-ray”) – “Manly”

Mainchin (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “main-chin”) – “Little monk”

Celtic Baby Boy Names Inspired By Famous Cultural & Historical Figures

Brian

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “bry-yan”
Can also be spelled as “Bryan”
Masculine name meaning “noble” or “high”
Famous namesakes include Brian Boru, one of the notable figures in ancient Irish history as one of the High Kings of Ireland (King of Munster)

Ciarán

Celtic and Old Irish boy name
Pronounced as “keer-awn”
Can also be spelled as “Kieran” or “Kyran”
Cute Gothic name meaning “little dark-haired one” or “little dark one”
Famous namesakes include Ciarán the Elder, one of the “Twelve Apostles of Ireland”

Colmán

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “kohl-ah-mawn”
Can also be spelled as “Coleman”
“Little dove” or a black boy name meaning “dark-skinned”
Famous namesakes include Saint Colmán of Cloyne (known for his poetic prowess) and Colmán mac Cobthaig (Irish king)

Conán

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “cone-nan”
“Little wolf” or “small hound”
Despite the cutesy meaning, it’s a powerful boy name after Conán mac Lia, one of the members of the warrior band known as The Fianna (they were said to be the fiercest, bravest warriors in Ireland)

Finbarre

Celtic and Old Irish boy names
pronounced as “finn-bar”
Can also be spelled as “Fionnbharr,” “Finbar,” or “Finnbar”
“Blonde” or “fair-headed one”
Notable namesakes include St. Finbar of Cork, founder of a monastery that grew and became the city of Cork

Powerful & Strong Celtic Baby Boy Names

Aineislis

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “ah-nish-lish”
“Glorious stand,” “someone who achieves glory or fame,” “glory and fame,” or “enduring glory”

Alabhaois

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “ah-luh-weesh”
“Famous soldier” or “famous warrior” as a variant of the French boy name “Louis”

Alsandair

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “ahl-san-dee-yur”
“Defender of men” as a variant of the Greek name “Alexander”

Bedivere

Celtic and Welsh boy name
Pronounced as “beh-dee-veer”
“Birch man”
After one of the valiant knights of the round table in Arthurian legend

Caith

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “kayth”
“From the battlefield”

Cathal

Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name
Pronounced as “cah-hall”
Can also be spelled as “Cahal”
Tough boy name meaning “battle strong,” “rule,” or “battle”
Famous namesakes include several royalties in ancient Celtic history, such as Cathal mac Conchobair (King of Connacht) and Cathal Cú-cen-máthair (King of Munster)

Cathmor

Celtic and Gaelic boy name
Pronounced as “kath-moor”
“Great warrior” or “great fighter”

Connacht

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “kaa-nuhkt”
Can also be spelled as “Connolly”
“Brave” or “wise”

Fionnán

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “fee-yoh-nan”
Can also be spelled as “Finnian” or “Finian”
“Courageous one” or “little fair one”
Famous namesakes include St. Finnian (early Irish saint and founder of Ireland’s Clonard Abbey in County Meath)

Celtic Boys Names For Warriors

Alphonsus (Celtic, Irish, Spanish, Old German, and Italian boy name; pronounced as “al-fon-sus”) – “Ready for battle”

Amnchadh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “am-chak”) – “Brave”

Anluan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “an-lon” and can also be spelled as “Anlon”) – “Warrior,” “hero,” or “champion”

Art (Celtic and English boy name) – “Champion,” “noble man,” “bear,” or “bear man”; famous namesakes include the powerful High Kings of Ireland Art mac Lugdach and Art mac Cuinn as well as American singer Art Garfunkel of the folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel

Gwythyr (Celtic and Welsh boy name; pronounced as “gwy-ther”) – “Champion,” “victor,” or “legendary son of Greidyawl”; also considered a form of the Latin boy name “Victor”

What Are Irish Warrior Names For Boys?

Aindreas (Celtic and Irish name; pronounced as “ayn-dree-yas”) – “Warrior” or “man” as a variant of the Greek boy name “Andrew”

Ceallachan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “si-yael-lah-kan”) – “Bright-headed warrior”

Cathaoir (Celtic and Irish Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “kah-theyr” and is also spelled as “Cahir”) – “Warrior”

Conlaoch (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kawn-lah” and can also be spelled as “Connla”) – “Highest chief,” “hero,” or “heroic warrior”

Lorcan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “lor-kan”) – “Little fierce one,” “little wild one,” or “brave warrior”; famous namesakes include Lorcan mac Lachtnai, the King of Munster from c.856 to c.942 and the grandfather of Brian Boru (legendary High King of Ireland)

Lughaidh (Celtic, Irish, and German name for boys; pronounced as “loo-gee”) – “Famous fighter”

What Are Scottish Boy Names For A Warrior?

Duncan (Celtic, Scottish, and English boy name; pronounced as “doon-can”) – “Brown battle”

Feargus (Celtic, Scottish, Irish, and proto-Scots Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “fear-gus” and can also be spelled as “Fergus”) – “Masculine one” or “strong one”; one of the oldest and most popular names in Ireland and Scotland

Celtic Mythology & Mystical Names

Bradán (Celtic, Gaelic, and OId Irish boy name; pronounced as “bray-dawn,” and is also spelled as “Bradáin,” “Bradáin,” or the modern version “Braden”) – “Salmon” after the legendary “Salmon of Knowledge” that made the ancient warrior Fionn wisdom (he’s also referred to in myths as the “wisest man in Ireland”)

Cormac (Old Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kor-mak” and can also be spelled as “Corbmac” or “Cormick”) – “Son of the charioteer” or “raven” (considered a mythical creature by the Celts); also after Cormac Mac Airt, one of the High Kings of Ireland

Daghda (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “dah-jah” and is also spelled as “Dagda”) – “Good god” or “the great god”; after the king of the gods in Irish mythology

Gruagh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “g-rua-gh”) – “Giant”

Irial (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “eeh-ree-yal”) – “Elf”

Molan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “moh-lan”) – “Servant of the storm”

Spiritual Celtic Boys Names

Abbán

Celtic boy name
Pronounced as “ab-awn”
Can also be spelled as “Eibbán”
“Abbot (priest)” or “father”
After the Irish saint Abbán moccu Corbmaic linked to St. Patrick

Ambros

Celtic and OId Irish boy name
Pronounced as “am-bross”
“Divine” or “immortal” as a variant of the Greek boy name “Ambrose”

Anntoin

Celtic and OId Irish boy name
Pronounced as “awn-ton”
“Priceless” or “beyond praise” as a variant of the Latin boy name “Anton”

Breanndán

Celtic and OId Irish boy name
Pronounced as “brenn-dan”
Also spelled as “Brendan,” “Breandan,” or “Brandon”
Name that means “prince” or “king”
Famous namesakes include St. Brendan of Clonfert, the Irish monk who wrote “The Voyage of St. Brendan the Abbot”

Carthach

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “kar-tak”
Can also be spelled as “Carthage”
“Loving”
After St. Carthach (Irish saint), founder of an early 7th-century monastery built at Lismore, County Waterford in Ireland

Colmcille

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “kom-sill”
“Dove of the church”

Deaglan

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “dehk-lun”
Can also be spelled as “Declan”
“Full of goodness” or “man of prayer”
After Saint Declán, a 5th-century Irish saint who founded a monastery in Ireland

Ernan

Celtic and English boy name
Pronounced as “air-nen”
“Wise one” or “iron”
After several Irish Saints, including St. Ernan, an uncle of St. Columba

Killian

Celtic and Irish unisex name
Pronounced as “kill-lee-yan”
Can also be spelled as “Cillian”
“Little church,” “bright-headed,” or “strife”
Famous namesakes include Saint Killian, a Christian missionary to Germany in the 7th century

Nechtan

Celtic and Old Irish boy name
“Clean,” “white,” or “pure”
Spiritual name after St. Nectan (St. Patrick’s nephew)
Mystical name after the spring and Irish god of water that gave birth to a river in Leinster, Ireland, called River Boyne

Adorable & Cute Celtic Boy Names

Alban (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “al-ban”) – “Pale,” “white,” or “man from Alba (Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland)”

Ahearn (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ah-hurn”) – “Lord of the horses” or “master of horses”

Bran (Celtic, Welsh, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “brahn” and is also spelled as “Brandan”) – “Broom-covered hill” or “raven”; after the Celtic god of the underworld (the raven is his symbol)

Comhghan (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “koh-may-ghan” and is also spelled as “Cowan,” “Comdhan,” or “Comgan”) – “Co-birth” or “twin”

Conway (Celtic, Welsh, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “con-way”) – “Hound of the plain” or “holy river”; also a country boy name after American singer-songwriter Conway Twitty

Cuanaic (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “kwah-neyk” and can also be spelled as “Cooney”) – “Handsome”

Sé (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic unisex name; pronounced as “shay” and can also be spelled as “Shay” or “Shai”) – “Admirable,” “ingenious,” or “majestic”

Celtic Versions Of Popular Boy Names

Adhamh

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “ad-ham”
“Man of the red earth” as a variant of the Hebrew biblical name “Adam”

Aguistin

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “ah-gu-wees-tin”
“Magnificent” or “great” as a variant of the Spanish boy name “Agustin”

Aidrian

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “ay-dree-uhn”
“Of the Adriatic Sea” or “from Adria” as a variant of the Latin boy name “Adrian”

Ailfrid

Celtic, Irish, and Anglo-Saxon boy name
Pronounced as “eel-frid”
“Magical counsel” or “elf” as a variant of the Old English boy name “Alfred”

Anrai

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “awn-ree”
Can also be spelled as “Annraoi”
“Home ruler” or “rules the home and estate” as a variant of the German boy name “Henry”

Bearnard

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “bear-nard”
“Brave as a bear” as a variant of the German name “Bernard”

Éamonn

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “ay-mon”
Can also be spelled as “Eamon”
“Wealthy protector” as a variant of the Old English boy name “Edmund”
Famous namesakes include former Ireland President Éamon de Valera

Gearoid

Celtic and Teutonic boy name
Pronounced as “gah-rohd”
“Spear strength” as a variant of the Germanic name “Gerard”
Also a magical name after Gearoid Iarla, the Chief Justice for Ireland and 3rd Earl of Desmond, believed to have magical powers and supposedly rides around the ancient lake Lough Gur on a white horse every seven years

Grioghar

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “grig-jher”
Can also be spelled as “Greagoir”
“Watchful” as a variant of the Greek boy name “Gregory”

Peadar

Celtic, Irish, and Scottish Gaelic boy name
Pronounced as “pah-dar”
“Rock” or “stone” as a variant of the Greek biblical boy name “Peter”

Séamus

Celtic and Irish boy name
Pronounced as “shay-mus”
“Supplanter (one who takes over)” or “one who grabs the heel” as a variant of the Hebrew biblical name “James” (which is also a version of “Jacob”)
Also a magical name after the fictional “Harry Potter” character Seamus Finnigan

Tómas

Celtic, Irish, Aramaic, and Greek boy name
Pronounced as “tho-mas”
“Twin”
Variant of the Hebrew name “Thomas”

Celtic Baby Boy Names With Beautiful Meanings

Celtic Boy Names Meaning “Light”

Elouan (Celtic, Breton, Welsh, and French name for boys; pronounced as “eh-lou-an”) – “Light”

Lugh (Celtic and Welsh boy name; pronounced as “loog”) – “Flashing light,” “shine,” or “youthful warrior”; after the Celtic god of justice, nobility, and oath-keeping

Celtic Baby Boy Name That Means “Gift From God”

Seán (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “shawn” and can also be spelled as “Shane” or “Seaghán”) – “God is gracious” or “gift from God” as a variant of the French unisex name “Jean,” a version of the Hebrew name “John”; famous namesakes include Scottish actor Sean Connery and American actor Sean Penn

Celtic Boy Names Meaning “Freedom” Or “Peace”

Ailin (Celtic, Gaelic, Scottish, Breton, and German boy name; pronounced as “ay-leen”) – “Handsome,” “peace,” “precious,” or “cheerful” as a variant of the English boy name “Alan”

Eljin (Celtic, Gaelic, and Old English boy name; pronounced as “el-jeen”) – “Freedom provider,” “high-minded,” “white,” “noble,” or “little Ireland”

Gothfraidh (Celtic and Irish name for boys; pronounced as “gath-freyd”) – “Peaceful”

Celtic Boys Names Meaning “Love”

Angharad (Celtic and Welsh boy name; pronounced as “ang-hah-rad”) – “Beloved”

Daibheid (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “dayb-heyd”) – “Dearly loved” or “beloved” as a variant of the Hebrew boy name “David”

Nature-Inspired Celtic Boy Names

Adare (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “uh-dehr”) – “From the ford of the oak tree”

Arran (Celtic and Scottish boy name; pronounced as “ah-ran”) – “High place”

Blathma (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “blath-mah”) – Boy name that means “flower”

Brandubh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “bran-dub”) – “Black raven”

Callum (Celtic and Scottish boy name; pronounced as “ka-loom” and can also be spelled as “Colm” or “Kallum”) – “Dove”; aside from being a bird name, it’s also a popular spiritual name as the symbol of the Holy Spirit in the Christian faith, and comes from the Latin name “Columba”

Darragh (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “dah-rah”) – “Oak tree” or “wealthy”

Ancient & Classic Celtic Boy Names

Ailill (Celtic and Irish Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “ah-yill”) – “Elf” or “beauty”; can also be a magical name that means “king of the fairies” after Ailill mac Máta, the King of Connacht who was the husband of the legendary Queen Medb (Celtic goddess, warrior queen, and the queen of the fairies)

Cairbre (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “care-bree”) – “Chariot rider”

Cearbhall (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “ker-bahl”) – “Manly”

Diarmuid (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “deer-meed”) – “Free from envy”; after one of the main characters in the Irish love story “The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne” (love triangle with the great warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill)

Dwyer (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “dwy-uy”) – “Dark wisdom” or “dark wise one”

Gildea (Celtic and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “gil-de-yah”) – “Son of the servant of God”

Gillespie (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “gi-les-pee”) – “Son of the bishop’s servant”

Keanan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kee-nan” and can also be spelled as “Kienan”) – “Ancient,” or “little ancient one,” or “sharp”

Color-Inspired Celtic Boy Names

Alpin (Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, and Pictish boy name; pronounced as “al-peen” and can also be spelled as “Ailpean”) – “White”; namesakes include Alpin mac Echdach (9th-century king of the ancient kingdom of Dal Riata, which included parts of Ireland and Scotland)

Alroy (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ahl-roy” and can also be spelled as “Elroy”) – Name that means “red” or “red king”

Blaine (Celtic, Gaelic, Irish, and Scottish unisex name; pronounced as “bleyn”) – “Yellow”

Conaire (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kaah-nehr” and can also be spelled as “Conary” or “Conroy”) – “Red” or “wise”

Corcoran (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name) – “Ruddy (reddish skin)”

Cronan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “crow-nan”) – “Brown,” “dark,” or “little dark one”

Donnan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “doh-nan” and is also spelled as “Donn”) – “Brown”

Dubhagain (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “doob-ha-geen” and can also be spelled as “Duggan” or “Dubhan”) – “Black”

Earc (Celtic and Irish unisex name; pronounced as “erk”) – “Dark red” or “speckled”

Giollabuidhe (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “gyu-lah-beed-hee”) – “Blond”

Giolladhe (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “gyu-lah-dee”) – “Golden”

Gormain (Celtic and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “gaw-muhn”) – “Blue” or “small blue-eyed one”

Hewney (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “hew-ney”) – “Green”

Odhran (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ohd-ran”) – “Pale green”

Ruairí (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “roar-ree” and can also be spelled as “Ruaidhrí” or “Rory”) – “Red” or “red-haired king”

Celtic Boys Names In Alphabetical Order

Celtic Boys Names Starting With A

Abracham (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “ay-bruh-ham”) – “Father of many” or “father of multitudes” as a variant of the Hebrew biblical boy name “Abraham”

Adamnan (Cetlic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “adam-nan”) – “Little Adam”; also spelled as “Awnan”

Addergoole (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ah-der-gool”) – “From between two fords” or “oak grove”

Aghaderg (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ah-gah-dir”) – “From the red ford”; also spelled as “Aderrig”

Aghamore (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ah-gah-moor”) – “From the great field”

Alwyn (Celtic and Welsh boy name; pronounced as “al-win”) – “Wise friend” or “elf friend”

Airleas (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “air-lees”) – “Oath” or “pledge”

Amblaoibh (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ow-liv” and can also be spelled as “Amhlaoibh” or “Auliffe”) – “Relic from an ancestor” as a variant of the Old Norse and Norwegian name “Olaf” (also a Disney name after the adorable snowman in “Frozen”)

Avonmore (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ah-vah-anh-man-moor”) – “From the great river”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With B

Bailintin (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “bay-lee-hin-tin”) – “Valiant”

Baird (Celtic and Scottish boy name; pronounced as “behrd”) – “Minstrel,” “poet,” or “one who sings ballads”

Bairrfhoinn (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “bahr-ron”) – “Handsome”

Ballinamore (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “bah-lee-nee-more”) – “From the great river” or “mouth of the big ford”

Ballinderry (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “bah-leen-dee-ree”) – “From the town of oak wood”

Banan (Celtic and Anglo-Saxon boy name; pronounced as “bah-nan”) – “White” or a badass boy name meaning “slayer”

Beartlaidh (Celtic and Aramaic boy name; pronounced as “bert-laid”) – “From Bart’s meadow”

Benen (Celtic boy name; pronounced as “beh-nen”) – “Blessed,” “benevolent,” or “kind”

Birr (Celtic and Anglo-Saxon boy name; pronounced as “burr”) – “Determined person” or “from Birr (a town in County Offaly, Ireland)”

Blair (Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “bleyr”) – “Battlefield,” “meadow,” or “field”

Bodb Derg (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “bod-derg”) – “Red crow,” “red claw,” or “red lord”; after one of the prominent kings of the Tuatha Dé Danann (mystical supernatural race with magical powers living in Ireland according to Irish mythology)

Boynton (Celtic, English, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “boyn-ton”) – “Town near the Boyne (river in Leinster, Ireland)”

Brádaigh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “brah-dig”) – “Descendant of Brádach” or “spirited”

Brody (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “bro-dee”) – “Muddy place,” “ditch,” or “protector”

Buach (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “boo-wack”) – “Victorious”

Buckley (Celtic, English, and Irish boy name) – “Deer meadow” or “descendant of Buachaill”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With C

Cacanisius (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kah-lah-nee-syus”) – “Son of Nis”

Caffar (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “cah-far”) – “Helmet”

Cainnech (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “can-ees” and can also be spelled as “Canice” or “Coinneach”) – “Handsome,” “attractive,” “fair,” or “gentle”; also a spiritual boy name after the Irish Saint Cainnech of Aghaboe

Caiseal (Celtic and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “kie-seal”) – “Ringfort (circular defensive fort)” or “from Cashel (a town in County Tipperary, Ireland)”

Callaghan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kah-luh-han”) – “Bright-headed”

Caolaidhe (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kweel-yah”) – “Slender”

Carraig (Celtic and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “kah-rig” and is also spelled as “Carrick”) – “Rocky headland”

Cavan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kah-van”) – “Handsome”

Cearnach (Celtic and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “car-nuh” and is also spelled as “Carney”) – “Victorious”

Celsus (Celtic, Irish, Latin, and Italian boy name; pronounced as “sell-sus”) – “Saint name,” “high,” or “lofty”

Cían (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “kee-yan”) – “Enduring one” or “ancient”; famous namesakes include the son-in-law of the King of Munster Brian Boru

Ciarrai (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kee-rah”) – “Black-haired” or “county”

Cluny (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “kloo-nee”) – “From the meadow”

Coghlan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “koh-luhn” and can also be spelled as “Coughlan” Or “Cochlain”) – “Hooded” or “a short hooded cloak”

Coillcumhann (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “koy-ll-kahm-hen”) – “From the narrow forest”

Coireall (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kooh-yah-riyl”) – “Of the Lord” or lordly”; after St. Coireall (Irish saint)

Conlan (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “con-lan”) – “Hero”

Connell (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “con-nel”) – “Strong as a wolf” or “valor”; can also be spelled as “Conal”

Connor (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “con-ner” and can also be spelled as “Conor,” “Konnor,” or the less popular variant “Conner”) – “Lover of wolves or hounds”; famous namesakes include Irish mixed martial artist Conor McGregor

Corey (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kaw-ree” and can also be spelled as “Cori” or “Cory”) – “From the round hill” or “from the hollow”

Covey (Celtic, Irish, and English boy name; pronounced as “kuh-vee”) – “Small brood of birds,” “victorious,” or “little chap”

Crogher (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “krah-hher” and is also spelled as “Crohoore”) – “Loves hounds”

Crowley (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “krau-lee”) – “Descendant of the hardy warrior” or “descendant of the hard hero”

Cúchulainn (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “koo-koo-lan”) – “Hound of Culann” or “Culann’s warrior”; badass name after one of the greatest warriors in Irish mythology

Cuinn (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kah-hin”) – “Wise” or “intelligent”

Cumhea (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “koo-muh” and is also spelled as “Cooey”) – “Hound of the plains”

Cuyler (Celtic, Gaelic, Irish, and Dutch boy name; pronounced as “koy-ler”) – “Chapel” or “victory of the people”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With D

Daimhin (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “daw-veen”) – “Little deer,” “bard,” or “servant”

Dáire (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “dai-reh”) – Nature name meaning “oak tree,” “fertile,” or “fruitful”

Dáithí (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “dah-hee” and can also be spelled as “Dathí”) – “Nimbleness,” “swiftness,” or “quick and agile”

Damhlaic (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “dam-mike-leek”) – “Lord,” “head,” “sovereign,” “organizer,” or “patron”

Dempsey (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “demp-see”) – “Descendant of the proud one”

Desmond (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “des-mond”) – “South Munster” as part of the noble title “Earl of Desmond” or “Earl of South Munster”

Diarmait (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “deyr-mate” and can also be spelled as “Diarmaid,” “Dermod,” or “Dermot”) – “Free man” or “without envy”; famous namesakes include Diarmait mac Cerbaill, one of the kings of Tara (The Hill of Tara was the capital and seat of power of the ancient kings of Ireland)

Dónal (Old Celtic, Scottish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “doh-nal”) – “World ruler,” “world wielder,” “brown-haired fighter,” or “world mighty”; can also be spelled as “Domhnall” or the modern variant “Donald”

Donovan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “doh-no-van”) – “Brown-haired chieftain or “dark”

Doyle (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “doyl” and can also be spelled as “Dowle”) – “Darks stranger”

Driscoll (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “dris-coll”) – “Messenger” or “mediator”

Duane (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “doo-ayn” and is also spelled as “Dewain” or “Duwayne”) – “Dark” or “swarthy”

Dubg (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “dow”) – “Black-haired”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With E

Eachan (Celtic, Scottish, and Irish boy name) – “Horse lord,” “horseman,” or “horse brown”; famous namesakes include Eachann Mac Goraidh MacAlasdair, one of the powerful chiefs of the historic Clan MacAlister in the 1600s

Eagon (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “eeh-gun” and can also be spelled as “Egon” or “Egan”) – “Fiery”

Earnan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “err-nan”) – “Knowing” or “experienced”

Eimhin (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ay-veen”) – “Swift”

Eoghan (Irish, Gaelic, and Scottish boy name; pronounced as “yoh-wen”) – “Youth” or “born of the yew tree”; can also be spelled as “Eógan” or the modern form “Owen”

Eoin (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “oh-in”) – “God is gracious” as a variant of the Hebrew boy name John

Eoin Baiste (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “oh-in-bayst”) – Variant of the biblical boy name “John the Baptist”

Eth (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “eth”) – Name that means “fire”

Evin (Celtic and Welsh boy name; pronounced as “eh-vin”) – “God is gracious,” “youth,” or “born of yew”

Evoy (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “eeh-voy”) – “Blond”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With F

Fagan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “fay-guhn”) – “Little ardent one” or “joyful”

Fahey (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “fah-hee”) – “From the green field”

Fallamhain (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “fah-lam-heyn”) – “Ruler”

Fallon (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “fal-uhn”) – “Descended from a ruler” or “superior”

Faolan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “fay-lan”) – “Little wolf” or “small wolf”

Fardoragh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “far-doh-rah”) – “Dark-skinned man”

Féilim (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “fail-em” and can also be spelled as “Felim”) – Masculine name that means “beauty,” “constant,” or “ever good”; famous namesakes include Felim Ua Conchobair, one of the kings of Connacht

Fiachra (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “fee-ukh-rah” and can also be spelled as “Feich”) – “Raven” or “crow”; twin boy name with “Conn” after two of the main characters in Irish legend “The Children of Lir”

Fineen (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “fay-nin”) – “Handsome” or “fair birth”

Fintan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “fin-ten”) – “White-haired,” “white fire,” “white bull,” or a cute boy name meaning “little fair one”; also a magical name after Fintan MacBochra, believed to be a shapeshifter who managed to survive the Great Flood

Flann (Celitic, Irish, and boy name; pronounced as “flan” and can also be spelled as “Floinn” or “Flainn”) – “Ruddy-complected (with red, rosy cheeks)”

Forba (Celtic, Irish, and Scottish boy name; pronounced as “for-bah”) – “Owns the fields”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With G

Gaffney (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “gaf-nee”) – “Descendant of Gamhain” or “calf”

Gairbith (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “gar-bith”) – “Rough peace”

Geraghty (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “geh-rah-tee” – “A member of an assembly” or “from the court”

Gilchrist (Celtic, Gaelic, and Scottish Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “gil-krist”) – “Christ’s servant”

Gilibeirt (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “gi-lee-beyrt”) – “Pledge” or “bright promise” as a variant of the German boy name “Gilbert”

Gillean (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “gi-lee-yan” and can also be pronounced as “Gillian” or “Gillan”) – “Servant of Saint John”

Gillebhrath (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “gi-leh-brath” and can also be spelled as “Gilvarry”) – “Servant of judgment”

Gilmore (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “gil-more”) – “Servant of the Virgin Mary”

Giollabrighde (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “due-lay-bride”) – Serves Saint Bridget” or “devotee of St. Brigid”

Glaisne (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “glay-yun”) – “Serene” or “one who is calm”

Glaleanna (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “glah-lee-yah-nah”) – “Dwells in the glen”; even with the feminine-like spelling, it’s a masculine name

Gofraidh (Celtic and Irish Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “gow-fray-d”) – “Peace of God” as a variant of the English boy name “Godfrey”

Guthrie (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “guh-three”) – “Windy spot”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With H

Hanraoi (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “hay-ner-ah-wee”) – “Rules the home” as a variant of the German boy name “Henry”

Heremon (Celtic and Scottish boy name; pronounced as “heh-reh-mon”) – “Green water” as a variant of the Gaelic boy name “Irving”

Hiero (Celtic, Irish, and ancient Greek name for boys; pronounced as “hee-eh-roh”) – “Holy place,” “shrine,” or “temple”

Higgins (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “hig-inz”) – “Descendant of Uiginn” or “viking sea-rover”

Hoireabard (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “hwar-reh-yah-bard”) – “Soldier”

Hrothrekr (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “hroth-rek”) – “Famous ruler” as a variant of the German boy name “Roderick”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With I

Iarfhlaith (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “eer-lath”) – “Lord of the west” or “the dark lord”

Inerney (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “eeh-ner-ney”) – “Steward of church lands”

Iollan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “yul-lan”) – “Pagan” or “one who worships a different god”; famous namesakes include Iollan, a prince name after the son of the High King Fergus Mac Roth, who was also a champion in King Conchobhar Mac Nessa’s court

Celtic Boys Name Starting With J

Jarlath (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “jar-lath”) – “Tributary lord,” “leader,” or “prince”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With K

Keagan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “key-gaen” and can also be spelled as “Keegan”) – “Ardent,” “fiery,” or “descendant of Aodhagán (name that means “fire”)”

Keary (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “kee-ree” and is also spelled as “Kerry”) – “Black-haired”

Keefe (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “keef”) – “Handsome and noble”

Kelleher (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “keh-luh-hr”) – “Descendant of Céileachar,” “lover of company,” “loving husband,” or “companion dear”

Kerwyn (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ker-win”) – “Little dark one”

Kheelan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kee-lan” and can also be spelled as “Keelan” or “Kellen”) – “Warrior,” “narrow,” or “slender”

Kinsale (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kin-sayl”) – Place name after County Cork’s historic port and fishing town (in Ireland), which was originally named “Cionn tSáile” meaning “head of the brine (soaked in salty water)”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With L

Lachlan (Celtic and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “lack-lan” and can also be spelled as “Lochlann”) – “From the land of lakes” or “Norway” (also called “a faraway land” in ancient Irish mythology)

Laoghaire (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “lee-ree” and can also be spelled as “Leary”) – “Shepherd” or “keeper of calves”

Laoidhigh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “law-day”) – “Poetic”

Loman (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “low-man”) – “Small bare one,” “delicate,” or “from the woodland”

Lunn (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “luhn” and is also spelled as “Lun”) – “Strong” or “warlike”

Llywelyn (Celtic and Welsh boy name; pronounced as “loo-ehl-in”) – “Leader” or “strong”; namesakes include Llywelyn mab Lorwerth or “Llywelyn the Great,” a powerful king of Wales in ancient times

Celtic Boys Names Starting With M

Macartan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mah-kar-tan”) – “Son of Artan”

Manannán (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mah-nah-nan”) – “Son of the sea”; after Manannán mac Lir, the legendary warrior, king, and god of the sea, the Otherworld, and the afterlife

Macaulay (Celtic and Scottish boy name; pronounced as “muh-kaw-lie”) – Son of righteousness” or “son of the battle chief”

MacBride (Celtic, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “mac-bride”) – “Son of Bridget” or “son of the follower of Saint Brigid”

MacChormaig (Celtic and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “mac-kor-meyg” and can also be spelled as “MacCormack”) – “Son of Cormac (charioteer)”

MacMaureadhaigh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mac-mow-ree-dee”) – “Son of Murray”

Mahon (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mah-hon”) – “Bear cub”

Maelcoluim (Celtic and Scottish boy name; pronounced as “mal-kom” and can also be spelled as “Malcolm”) – “Devotee of Saint Columba”

Malloy (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mah-loy”) – “Noble chief”

Maloney (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mah-loan-nee”) – “Servant of the church” or “serves St. John”

Maonaigh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mah-nake”) – Wealthy

Mannuss (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mah-noos”) – “Great”

Maughold (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mah-hold”) – “Name of a saint”

McAuliffe (Celtic and Norse Irish boy name; pronounced as “muh-kaw-leef”) – Form of “Mac Amhlaoibh (son of Amhlaoibh)” or “son of Olaf (ancestor)”

Meadhra (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “meed-rah”) – “Happy”

Melvyn (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mel-vin” and is also spelled as “Melvin”) – “Polished chief,” “gentle lord,” “gentle chieftain,” or “strong friend”

Monahan (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “moh-nah-han”) – “Descendant of the little monk”

Morain (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “moh-rain”) – “Great”

Muircheartaigh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mah-weer-sha-tay” and can also be spelled as “Moriarty”) – “Seaworthy” or “navigator”

Muireadhach (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “mah-yeer-rah-dah”) – “Lord of the sea”

Murchadh (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “mur-kadh”) – “Fighter of the sea” or “sea warrior”

Celtic Boys Names Starting with N

Naoise (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “nee-sha”) – “Warrior” or “handsome young warrior”; also a mythical name after the young lover of the main character in the three-act play “Deirdre of the Sorrows”

Naomhan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “nee-vawn”) – “Little holy one” or “little saint”

Nolan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “noh-lan”) – “Descendant of a chariot fighter,” “champions,” or “noble”

Nuada (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “noo-hah-dah”) – “To acquire” or “the cloud maker”; also a tough boy name after the great king of the Tuatha Dé Danann who wears a silver prosthetic after losing an arm in battle

Celtic Boys Names Starting With O

Odhrán (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “oh-ran” and can also be spelled as “Oran”) – “Pale green,” “little pale green one,” or “dark-haired”; also a spiritual name after the Irish saint Oran of Iona

Oisín (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “ooh-sheen” and can also be spelled as “Ossian”) – “Fawn” or “young deer”; after Fionn mac Cumhaill’s son and Ireland’s greatest poet

Celtic Boys Names Starting With P

Parthalán (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “par-tha-lan”) – “Son of the furrow” or “plowman”

Proinsias (Celtic and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “pron-shiss” and is also spelled as “Proinséas”) – “Little French man” as a variant of the Latin and OId French boy name “Francis”; after the historical figure Proinsias Mac Cana (Irish linguist) and Proinsias Mac Aonghusa (Irish journalist)

Celtic Boys Names Starting With Q

Quaid (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kweyd”) – “Son of Uad” or “strong warrior”

Quinn (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “kwin” – “Wise,” “reason,” or “sense”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With R

Reidhachadh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ree-yah-dah-chad”) – “From the smooth field”

Rónán (Celtic, Irish, Breton, and Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “row-nan”) – “Promising oath,” “pledge,” “promise,” or “little seal”; famous namesakes include Irish singer Ronan Keating and the little “Ronans” born from a mother selkie (mythical creature that resembles a seal in water but becomes human on land) and a fisherman in an Old Celtic legend

Celtic Boys Names Starting With S

Séaghdha (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “seg-day” and is also spelled as “Seaghdh”) – “A majestic man,” “favorable,” “learned,” or “stately”

Senan (Celtic and Old Irish boy name; pronounced as “seh-nan” and is also spelled as “Sennan”) – “Little wise one”; also a spiritual name after Senán mac Geirrcinn, an Irish saint from the County of Clare

Celtic Boys Names Starting With T

Tadgh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “tie-g”) – “Philosopher” or “poet”; famous namesakes include one of the kings of Desmond, Tadhg mac Muireadach Mac Cárthaigh, in ancient Ireland and Irish rugby union player Tadhg Furlong in modern times

Teague (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “teeg”) – “Handsome poet”

Toirdelbach (Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish boy name; pronounced as “thur-lock” and is also spelled as “Tairdelbach,” “Toirdhealbhach,” or “Turlough”) – “The instigator,” “prompting,” “encouragement,” or “incitement”

Tuireann (Celtic and Irish boy name) – “Thunderer”; the titular character in the Celtic legend “The Sons of Tuireann” (his sons killed his rival Cian but were tasked by Lugh (Cian’s son) to go on a quest around the world to collect magical weapons which led to their untimely deaths

Celtic Boys Names Starting With U

Ualtar (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ooh-wal-tar”) – “Ruler of the army,” “commander of the army,” or “strong fighter” as a variant of the Old High German boy name “Walter”

Uilliam (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ooh-wil-yam”) – “Resolute defender” or “resolute protector” as a variant of “William”

Ultán (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ool-tan”) – “A man from Ulster (an ancient kingdom in Ireland)”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With V

Vaughan (Celtic and Welsh boy name; pronounced as “vawn”) – “Little”

Veren (Celtic, Irish, and Latin unisex name; pronounced as “veh-ren”) – “Great hero”

Verlin (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ver-leen”) – “Farthing coin (former British monetary unit)”

Celtic Boys Names Starting With W

Warde (Celtic, Irish, and English boy name; pronounced as “ward”) – “Watchman” or “guardian”

Whelan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “whe-lan”) – “Wolf” or “descendant of Faolán”

Gender-Neutral & Nonbinary Celtic Names

Brennan (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “breh-nan”) – “Raven,” “teardrop,” or “sorrow”

Carlin (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “kar-leen”) – “Little champion”

Carroll (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “kah-roll”) – “Fierce in battle”

Conleth (Celtic and Old Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “con-leth” and can also be spelled as “Conláed,” “Connlaio,” or “Conley”) – “Chaste fire”; famous namesakes include Northern Irish actor Conleth Hill (“Game of Thrones”) and St. Conláed (5th-century bishop of Kildare)

Darby (Celtic, Irish, Norse, and Scandinavian gender-neutral name) – “From the deer estate” or “free from envy”

Delaney (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “duh-lay-nee”) – “Dark challenger”

Enda (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “en-dah”) – “Like a bird”; after St. Enda of Aran, a warrior-king of Ulster who became an Irish saint (he established Arranmore Island’s first monastery in County Donegal)

Grady (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “gray-dee”)- “Renowned” or “noble”

Kealy (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “kee-lee” and is also spelled as “Keely”) – “Slender”

Miach (Celtic and Irish gender-neutral name; pronounced as “mee-yahk”) – “Proud” or “honorable”

Bonus: Celtic Baby Girl Names

Brianna (Celtic and Irish girl name) – “Exalted,” “high,” or “noble”

Cadhla (Celtic and Irish girl name; pronounced as “kay-lah”) – Name that means “beautiful” or “graceful”

Sabrina (Celtic, Latin, English, and Italian girl name) – “Legendary princess,” “from the border,” or “from the Severn River area”; also after the Celtic goddess of the River Severn

FAQs

How Can I Use Celtic Boys Names In Combo With Other Names?

Many Celtic boy names are long and have unique spellings that can be a mouthful to pronounce. Consider matching them with short boy names to create a name combination.

Using them as middle names for boys, instead of as first names, is also a good idea.

Are There Any Celtic Boys Names I Should Avoid?

Some ‘ugly’ or uncommon names you might consider avoiding due to their meanings, spellings, or pronunciations:

Ardkill (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “ard-kill”) – “From the high church”; even with its beautiful meaning, the “kill” portion of this name might subject your child to bullying

Balor (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “bah-lor”) – “The deadly one,” “a field of death,” or “a place of slaughter”; after a one-eyed, monstrous giant known to be the personification of drought and destruction in Irish mythology

Banbhan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “bawn-vahn”) – “Piglet”; pigs (and piglets) have a negative connotation as slang for someone who’s ill-mannered, extremely rude, greedy, racist, or sexist

Beolagh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “byu-lag”) – “Foolish” or “foolish pride”

Braoin (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “bru-win”) – “Sadness” or “sorrow”; also spelled as “Brone”

Breasal (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “bray-sal”) – “Pain,” “war,” or “strife”

Calbhach (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kal-batch”) – “Bald”; the name meaning might lead to bullying

Comyn (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “koh-min”) – “Shrewd”

Cruadhlaoich (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kroo-wad-lee”) – “Hunch backed”

Dallán (Celtic and ancient Irish-Gaelic boy name; pronounced as “dah-lan”) – “Little blind one”

Deoradhain (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “dee-yoh-rah-din”) – “Exile”

Fachnan (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “fahk-nan”) – “Malicious”; it’s actually a saint name, but the meaning and part of the pronunciation make this name something you might want to avoid

Fogartaigh (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “foh-gar-tie” and can also be spelled as “Fogerty”) – “The exiled one” or “banished”

Hegarty (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “heh-gah-tee”) – “Unjust”

Killdaire (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “kill-dare” and is also spelled as “Kildaire” or “Kildare”) – “From county Kildare”; can appear morbid when used in English-speaking places or outside the Celtic community

Leathlobhair (Celtic and Irish boy name; pronounced as “leeth-lob-hair”) – “Leper (someone suffering from leprosy, a contagious skin condition that causes lumps on the skin, discoloration, and/or deformities)”

Uther (Celtic and Welsh gender-neutral name; pronounced as “ooh-ther”) – “Terrible” or “cruel”

You can also find ideas from the top 15 baby name generators.

References

(1) https://www.britannica.com/topic/Celtic-languages/Welsh

(2) https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780199772810/obo-9780199772810-0115.xml

(3) https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-ibn/irishbabiesnames2022/mainresults/

(4) https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/