Do you, your partner, or your wider family have Celtic heritage? Then a Celtic baby name with an Irish, Scottish, or Welsh connection could be just the right fit for your little peanut.
Choosing a name for your baby isn’t always the most straightforward of tasks. It is important to consider spelling, pronunciation, meaning and initials as well as every possible nickname.
The good news is that it’s much easier to shortlist names if you are trying to honor your culture. So if you’ve got some Scottish, Welsh, or Irish ancestry in your bloodline, scrolling through the most charming, elegant, and whimsical Celtic baby names is a good place to start.
So let’s take a look at the top Celtic names for girls and boys.
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A (very) brief history of Celtic names
Throughout the Iron Age (1200 B.C. From 600 B.C., a group of tribes collectively called the Celts occupied large parts of northern Europe before setting up home in the British Isles.
An enduring and romantic history full of mythology, the impact of the Celts still looms large across Ireland, Scotland, and Wales today — especially when it comes to culture, language, and, of course, names. Although they can be difficult to pronounce, these names are full of character and hark back to gods, goddesses, kings, queens, rivers, islands, and many more.
Popular Celtic girl names
- Sabrina — Meaning “from the river Severn”, Sabrina is a magical name perhaps most commonly associated with the Teenage Witch. But it was also the name of a Celtic goddess; a powerful, mystical, and sympathetic figure. Nice.
- Brianna — “One who is honorable and noble,” Brianna (also Breanna, Breana, or Briana) was relatively uncommon in the US until the 1970s, but enjoyed top 20 status between 1996 and 2006. Notable Briannas include Deadpool actress Brianna Hildebrand and journalist Brianna Keilar.
- Fiona — Another that was rare in the US until recently, Fiona — which derives from the Gaelic word fionn, meaning “fair” — broke the top 200 in 2017. The name can be shortened to “Fi” (pronounced “Fee”) and is shared by the Grammy-winning singer, Fiona Apple.
- Caitlin — Caitlin, which means “purity” was a popular choice during the 80s and 90s, and we think this elegant name is due for a comeback. With a variety of spellings (Caitlyn, Kaitlin, Kaitlyn, Kaitlynn, Katelyn, and Caetlin) you’re bound to find a version you love.
- Erin — Fittingly, Erin means “Child of Ireland” and has been a popular name in the US and beyond for a number of years. It’s a short name with a huge history, derived from the goddess Eriu, who gave her name to the country of Ireland (Éire). Your little Erin would be among strong company with Erin Brockovich, a broadcaster and activist, who both have the same name.
20 more Celtic female names:
- Aisling
- Avalon
- Bridget
- Bronwen
- Deidre
- Doireann
- Enid
- Gwyneth
- Gwendolyn
- Isolde
- Keeley
- Kiera
- Kylie
- Maeve
- Maureen
- Moira
- Morgan
- Reagan
- Rhiannon
- Shannon
➡️ See our complete list of Celtic baby girl names
Popular Celtic boy names
- Aidan — A regular top 100 name in Ireland, Aidan, which means “small fire”, has also enjoyed popularity in the US, occasionally finding itself inside the top 50. Notable Aidans include actors Aidan Quinn (Elementary) and Aidan Gallagher (The Umbrella Academy).
- Brian — The male counterpart of Brianna, Brian has a long and storied history with Ireland thanks to the king, Brian Boru. He’s most famous for putting an end to the Viking domination of Ireland in the 10th Century. No wonder it means “high noble”.
- Dylan — A Welsh name meaning “great tide” or “son of the sea”, Dylan has soared in popularity in recent years. Dylan Thomas, the poet who inspired Robert Zimmerman’s name change to Bob Dylan, and Dylan McDermott or Dylan Sprouse are two well-known Dylans.
- Owen — Got yourself a boy bump who’s kicking like crazy? Then you can’t go wrong with “Owen” which means “young fighter.” A now regular top 25 name in the US, you’ve got to think actor Owen Wilson has played a small part in this Welsh name’s meteoric rise.
- Kevin — Irish in origin, Kevin can mean “gentle” or “handsome”. It was a top 20 US name during the 50s-60s and 70s. However, it has recently fallen out of the top 100. But with the likes of Kevin Durant and Kevin Jonas on the scene, it won’t be long until it’s back.
20 more Celtic male names:
- Angus
- Blaine
- Caden
- Cormac (Which makes an appearance on our list of Cool and Rare Baby Names)
- Douglas
- Duncan
- Fergus
- Finn
- Gavin
- Gordon
- Graham
- Ian
- Keith
- Lee
- Malcolm
- Patrick
- Rowan
- Roy
- Sean
- Trevor
➡️ See our complete list of Celtic baby boy names
What are some unique Scottish names?
You may want to pay tribute to your Scottish ancestors by choosing a unique Scots name. For girls, consider a variation on Caitlin, Catriona, or a beautiful spelling of the name Alice, Aileas (same pronunciation). And if you want to conjure the image of the stunning islands scattered off the coast of Scotland, you could choose Iona (literally “island”) or Rhona (“rough island”).
For boys, meanwhile, you can give a nod to some Scottish royalty, including Coinneach (a version of Kenneth, pronounced CON-yach), Domhnall, and Fergus — all names of kings at various points in history.
What about Irish names.
The most intriguing spellings and pronunciations of Irish names are found in Ireland. Pop quiz: How do you pronounce Aoife, Caoimhe, Eithne, Niamh, or Saoirse?
These distinctive Irish girls names go a little something like this:
- Aoife — EE-fa
- Caoimhe ― KEE-va
- Eithne — EN-yah
- Niamh — NEEV
- Saoirse — SUR-sha
For boys, you’ve got novel names like Cuchulain (Coo-HULL-un), Eoghan (Owen), and Laisren (LAS-rain) to choose from.
And if you’re looking for some unisex Irish names, you could add Branna, Dillon, Enda, Kerry, Casey, Quinn, and Logan to your list.
Celtic baby names — Which one will you choose?
There you have it, mama — 72 Celtic baby names to inspire. What’s your current favorite? Get in touch with fellow Mamas at Peanut.
See more baby names: 165 Norse Baby Names for Boys and Girls 129 Scottish Baby Names Irish baby names 120 Polish Baby Names for Strong Boys and Girls 50 Welsh Baby Names with Their Meanings 143 Victorian Baby Names with Meanings 500 Scandinavian Baby Names 111 Nigerian Baby Names 88 Dutch Baby Names 98 Lithuanian Baby Names
