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A formal Irish name consists of a given name and a surname . In the Irish language , most surnames are patronymic surnames , distinct from patronyms , which are seen in Icelandic names , for example. The form of a surname varies according to whether its bearer is a man, a woman, or a woman married to a man, who adopts his surname.

An alternative traditional naming convention consists of the first name followed by a double patronym, usually with the father and grandfather's names. This convention is not used for official purposes but is generalized in Gaeltachtai (Irish-speaking areas) and also survives in some rural non- Gaeltacht areas. Sometimes the name of the mother or grandmother may be used instead of the father or grandfather.

Epithets [ edit ]

A first name may be modified by an adjective to distinguish its bearer from other people with the same name. Mor ("big") and Og ("young") are used to distinguish parent and child, like " senior " and " junior " are used in English , but are placed between the given name and the surname, e.g. Sean Og O Suilleabhain corresponds to "John O'Sullivan Jr." (anglicised surnames often omit ⟨O'⟩ , leaving no trace of original O ).

The word Beag ("little") can be used in place of Og . This does not necessarily indicate that the younger person is smaller in stature, merely younger than their parent or in some cases to imply a baby was small, possibly premature , at birth.

Adjectives denoting hair colour may also be used, especially informally, e.g. Padraig Rua ("red-haired Patrick"), Maire Bhan ("fair-haired Mary").

Traditional Gaeltacht names [ edit ]

Colloquially in Gaeltachtai (Irish-speaking areas) and some other areas it remains customary to use a name formed by the first name (or nickname), followed by the father and the paternal grandfather's name, both in the genitive case , e.g. Sean O Cathasaigh (Sean O'Casey), son of Pol , son of Seamus , would be known to his neighbours as Sean Phoil Sheamuis . Occasionally, if the mother or grandmother was a well-known person locally, her name may be used instead. If the mother's name is used, then the maternal grandfather or grandmother may follow it, e.g. Maire Sally Eoghain .

This system can be particularly useful for distinguishing people who live in the same area and who share a common surname but are not closely related, e.g. two people named John McEldowney might be known as "John Patsy Dan" and "John Mary Philip" respectively. Even the Irish forms sometimes survive in parts of the Sperrins , so that among the principal families of Glenullin some branches are known by father/grandfather forms such as Phaidi Sheamais or Bhrian Dhonaill .

Surnames [ edit ]

O and Mac surnames [ edit ]

A man's surname is generally formed by O ("descendant"; historically Ua ) or Mac ("son") followed by a name or definite noun (often a profession) in the genitive case , e.g. O Donaill (literally "descendant of Donall ") and Mac Siurtain (literally "son of Jordan"). When O is followed by a vowel, a (lowercase) ⟨h⟩ is attached to the vowel, e.g. O hUiginn (O'Higgins) or O hAodha (Hughes).

A woman's surname replaces O with Ni (reduction of Inion Ui "descendant's daughter") and Mac with Nic (reduction of Inion Mhic "son's daughter"). In both cases the following name undergoes lenition , except for when Nic is followed by ⟨c⟩ or ⟨g⟩ . Thus the daughter of Sean O Donaill has the surname Ni Dhonaill and the daughter of a Pol Mac Siurtain has the surname Nic Shiurtain . In Ulster it is common for a woman who adopts her husband name to just use Ni or Nic rather than the forms seen below.

If a woman marries a man, she may choose to take his surname. In this case, O is replaced by Bean Ui ("descendant's wife") and Mac by Bean Mhic ("son's wife"). In both cases Bean may be omitted, which results in Ui or Mhic . In both cases the following name undergoes lenition , except for when Mhic is followed by ⟨c⟩ or ⟨g⟩ . Thus a woman marrying Sean O Donaill may choose to adopt Bean Ui Dhonaill or Ui Dhonaill as her surname and a woman marrying Pol Mac Siurtain may choose to adopt Bean Mhic Siurtain or Mhic Siurtain as her surname.

Mag , Nig , and Mhig are sometimes used instead of Mac , Nic , and Mhic before a vowel or ⟨fh⟩ (which is silent) followed by a vowel.

Other surnames [ edit ]

Norman surnames formed by de (always lowercase; "of") followed by a name, e.g. de Burca ( Burke ), de Paor ( Power ), or de hIde ( Hide , Hyde ).

Some names consist of Mac Giolla ("servant's son") or O Maoil ("follower's descendent") followed by a name in the genitive case, e.g. Mac Giolla Phadraig , O Maoil Eoin .

Examples of first names and surnames [ edit ]

Notable examples of first names and surnames [ edit ]

Many Irish people use English (or anglicised ) forms of their names in English-language contexts and Irish forms in Irish-language contexts. The Irish names of some famous people include:

Other people are better known by their Irish name than by their English name:

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See also [ edit ]

• List of Irish-language given names
• Celtic onomastics
• Place names in Ireland
• Scottish Gaelic name
• Welsh surnames

References [ edit ]

External links [ edit ]

• Names - Nualeargas
• Irish Names at LibraryIreland.com
• The Origins of Irish Surnames at IrishTimes.com ( Archive )
• Find Irish Family Names at Dubliner.com
• 16th & 17th Century Anglicized Irish Surnames from Woulfe by MedievalScotland.org