Aaron [Árón] (m)
This name comes from the Bible. It was borne by the brother of Moses in the Old Testament, and it is possibly of Egyptian origin. The meaning 'high mountain' has been suggested. It is sometimes used in Ireland today.

Abban [Abbán] (m)
From the Irish word for abbot ‘abb’. It is also the name of a sixth-century Irish saint.

Abigail [Abaigeal] (f) ‘father rejoiced’.
A name which, in Ireland, was used to anglicise the native name, Gobinet.

Africa [Aifric] (f) ‘pleasant’.
This name has no connection with the continent of Africa. Its associations are with both Ireland and the Isle of Man, where its use is recorded in the eleventh and twelfth centuries.The daughter of the Manx monarch, Gored, bore the name. Another king of Man, Olaus the Swarthy, married Africa, daughter of Fergus of Galway. Afric is a variant.

Baethan [Baothán] (m) ‘little foolish one’. An early name.

Banba (f)
A name applied to Ireland; it is also the name of a early Irish goddess identified with the country.

Barran (f) ‘little top’.
The name of an Irish saint.

Caoimhe (f) Pronounced Key-vuh.
A name that has recently gained in popularity and which means ‘gentle, graceful beauty’. Anglicised spellings include Keavy or Keava.

Caolan (m) Based on the Gaelic word for ‘slender’ (caol).
Variant spellings include Kealan and Kelan.

Cathal (m) ‘battle mighty’.
This was once a common name and it is still employed nowadays. Cathal Crobhdeargh, ‘Red Hand’ (died 1224), was king of Connacht. Modern use of Cathal has been stimulated by the patriot Cathal Brugha (1874-1922), who was killed in the Irish Civil War. Cathel is a spelling variant. Charles was used as an anglicisation. The Scottish surname Cadell is probably derived from Cathal.

New format paperback Irish First Names by Ronan Coghlan now available.