| Name |
Meaning |
Name of Fame |
Abram
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Hebrew: ‘Exalted Father’. An old testament name which is still popular deriving form the churches policy oof requiring biblical names in place of ‘inappropriate’ ancient Celtic names. Famous name: Old Testament biblical character Abraham. |
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Adair
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Better known in Ireland as a surname but occasionally used as a first name for girls as well as boys. Is thought to derive form the Irish pronounciation of the the Norman name Edgar. Famous name: legendary Oil well fire fighter ‘Red’ Adair. |
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Adam
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Hebrew: ‘Red Earth’. According to the Bible Adam was the first man without sin, placed in the Garden of Eden where he was instructed by God to name all the animals and given a wife he called Eve. He and Eve lived in the garden and walked with God until they were tempted by the serpent to break God’s rule that they never touch the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. With this well known biblical background the name is naturally widespread across the Christian world. Famous names: film actor Adam Brody and Scottish philospher and author of the Wealth of Nations Adam Smith. |
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Adamnan
Adhamhnan |
The name of the biographer of St Columba, taken to mean ‘little Adam'. Gaelic name is pronounced ‘Yownan’. At one time expelled for having the scripture translated into Gaelic and for saying Mass in Gaelic. |
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Adrian
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Latin: ‘One from Adria’. A name signifying someone form the Adriatic region which has found a continuing place in the British Isles since Roman times, having been brought form Rome in the wake of the Emperor Hadrian who built the famous wall dividing unconquered Scotland form civilised England. Famous names: Emperor Hadrian (76 AD-138 AD) and King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew. |
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Aed
Aedh |
Gaelic: ‘Fire’. The Latin form is Aidus, best known in its diminutuve form Aidan. The later Gaelic spelling weas Aodh which was anglicised as Hugh or Hugo. The Scottish surname Mackay means ‘son of Aodh’. Famous names: English screen actor Hugh Grant and Aodh Ruadh Gaelic Football club. |
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Aedan
Aodhan |
Aidan. A diminutive form of the name Aed meaning "fire" and would imply "born of fire". It became a popular name in honour of St. Aidan of Iona (c. 630 AD) who founded a famous monastery on the island of Lindisfarne which he used as a base to evangalize the North of England. In art Aidan is usually represented as a stag, a reference to the legend that he saved a deer that was being hunted by making it invisible. |
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Aeneas
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Greek: ‘Praiseworthy’. Its use in Ireland is almost exclusively because of the name’s similarity to the Gaelic name Aonghas. The spelling Eneas is often found too. |
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Aidan
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Latin version of the Gaelic name Aodh. Its popularity derives from its use as a Latin version of the Gaelic name Aodh, but is also largely driven by its commemoration of St Aidan of Lindisfarne. Famous name: Aidan Quinn was raised in Chicago and in Dublin, Offaly and other places on Ireland. He has an older brother, Declan Quinn is a noted cinematographer. |
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Ainslie
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A Surname which derives from the English placename Annesley. Famous name: World Sailor of the Year 2002 Ben Ainslie. |
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