Baby names — Celtic
Celtic names come from the Gaelic languages of Ireland and Scotland, from Welsh and from Breton, and they carry the mythology of those lands: Finn was the legendary hunter, Brigid the goddess of fire. The spelling surprises, but the sound is simpler than it looks.
Modern
13Rare / Elegant
27Unique / Exotic
12Mythology and revival
Many Celtic names come straight from the sagas: Deirdre and Finn are characters of the Irish cycles, Arthur appears in Welsh legend. After centuries of English rule, the Gaelic revival of the late 19th century brought these names back to the civil registry.
Today Ireland lists Fiadh and Cillian among the country's most popular names, and Welsh keeps Rhys and Carys alive.
Spelling and pronunciation
Gaelic orthography follows its own rules: Siobhán sounds like 'Shiv-AWN', Aoife like 'EE-fa', Niamh like 'Neev'. It is not irregularity, it is another writing system. Many names have an established anglicized spelling (Kevin came from Caoimhín), which makes them easy to use outside Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
Is Celtic the same as Irish?
Irish is one of the Celtic languages, along with Scottish Gaelic, Welsh and Breton. Each has its own repertoire: Aoife is Irish, Carys is Welsh, but they share roots.
How do I know the right pronunciation of a Celtic name?
Each name page here shows an approximate pronunciation. As a rule: bh and mh sound like 'v', ao sounds like a long 'ee', and the stress falls on the first syllable.
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