Irish names people often mispronounce
Irish spelling follows different rules from English, so many well-loved names look nothing like they sound. Here are the Irish names that trip people up most, each with an easy respelling. Capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Not sure what you want? Describe it to our AI Name Finder →
The ones everyone asks about
- Niamh – NEEV (Radiance, brightness)
- Siobhán – shi-VAWN (God is gracious)
- Saoirse – SEER-sha (Freedom)
- Caoimhe – KEE-vah (Gentle, kind, precious)
- Aoife – EE-fah (Beauty, radiance)
- Tadhg – TIGE (Poet, philosopher)
- Sadhbh – SIVE (Sweet, goodly)
- Oisín – UH-sheen (Little deer)
- Sinéad – shin-AYD (God is gracious)
- Róisín – ro-SHEEN (Little rose)
- Aoibheann – EE-van (Beautiful, radiant)
- Caoilfhionn – KEE-lin (Slender and fair)
- Eoghan – OH-an (Born of the yew, debated)
- Ruairí – ROO-ree (Red king)
- Diarmuid – DEER-mid (Uncertain, perhaps without envy)
- Cúchulainn – koo-HULL-in (Hound of Culann)
- Sorcha – SOR-ah-kha (Bright, radiant)
- Laoise – LEE-sha (Radiant)
- Pádraig – PAW-drig (Noble, patrician)
- Aisling – ASH-ling (Dream, vision)
More tricky Irish names
- Adomnán – AH-dum-nawn (Little Adam)
- Aibhlinn – AV-lin (Possibly 'dream, vision')
- Ailbhe – AL-va (White, bright; debated)
- Ailís – AL-eesh (Noble)
- Almha – AL-wa (Lady of Allen)
- Aodh – AY (Fire)
- Aodhán – AY-dawn (Little fire)
- Aoibheall – EE-vul (Beauty)
- Aoibhinn – EE-veen (Delightful)
- Bláithín – BLAW-heen (Little flower)
- Bláthnaid – BLAW-nid (Little flower, blossom)
- Brónach – BROH-nakh (Sorrowful)
- Bébhinn – BAY-vin (Fair lady)
- Bébinn – BAY-vin (Fair woman)
- Béibhinn – BAY-vin (Fair woman)
- Cadhla – KY-la (Graceful)
- Caitlín – KAT-leen (Pure)
- Caitríona – kah-TREE-nah (Pure)
- Caoimhín – KEE-veen (Gentle, handsome)
- Caolán – KWAY-lawn (Slender one)
- Caílte – KWIL-cha (Swift warrior of the Fianna)
- Ciarán – KEER-awn (Little dark one)
- Clodagh – KLOH-da (Named for a river)
- Colmán – KOL-mawn (Little dove)
- Conlaoch – KUN-lay (Son of Cú Chulainn)
- Conán – KOH-nawn (Little hound)
- Cumhall – KOO-al (Of uncertain meaning; father of Fionn mac Cumhaill)
- Cáer – KAIR (Berry)
- Cáit – KAWTCH (Pure)
- Cóilín – KOH-leen (Little dove)
- Cúán – KOO-awn (Little hound)
- Daithí – DAH-hee (Swift, nimble; debated)
- Darragh – DAR-ah (Oak, fertile)
- Dearbhla – DER-vla (True desire, uncertain)
- Deichtire – DEKH-tir-uh (Mother of Cú Chulainn)
- Deirdre – DEER-dra (Uncertain, possibly sorrowful)
- Domhnall – DOH-nul (World ruler)
- Donnán – DUN-awn (Little brown-haired one)
- Dónal – DOH-nal (World ruler)
- Eibhlín – ay-LEEN (Form of Aveline; also used for Helen)
- Eilís – AY-leesh (My God is an oath)
- Eimear – EE-mer (Possibly swift, quick)
- Eithne – ETH-nya (Kernel)
- Eochaidh – YOH-hee (Horseman)
- Eoin – OH-in (God is gracious)
- Faolán – FWAY-lawn (Little wolf)
- Fearghal – FAR-gal (Man of valour)
- Fiadh – FEE-ah (Wild, deer)
- Fionnabhair – FIN-uh-vir (Fair phantom)
- Fionnán – FIN-awn (Little fair one)
- Fraoch – FREEKH (Heather)
- Fódla – FOH-la (Poetic name for Ireland)
- Gearóid – GAR-ode (Spear ruler)
- Gráinne – GRAWN-ya (Uncertain, possibly grain)
- Keira – KEER-ah (Dark, dusky)
- Labhrás – LOW-rass (Laurel)
- Laoghaire – LEER-ee (Calf herder)
- Lasairfhíona – LAS-ar-EE-na (Flame of wine)
- Lugh – LOO (Uncertain, perhaps shining)
- Líadan – LEE-uh-dan (Possibly 'grey lady')
- Líban – LEE-van (Beauty of women)
- Mairéad – MY-rayd (Pearl)
- Manannán – MAN-an-awn (Of the Isle of Man, sea god)
- Maoldúin – MWAYL-doon (Devotee of the fort)
- Mathúin – MA-hoon (Bear)
- Mongán – MUN-gawn (Little long-haired one)
- Muirgheal – MUR-yal (Sea-bright)
- Murchadh – MUR-uh-khoo (Sea warrior)
- Máirtín – MAWR-cheen (Of Mars)
- Máirín – MAW-reen (Little Mary)
- Mór – MOHR (Great)
- Mórrígan – MOR-ee-gan (Great queen, or possibly 'phantom queen')
- Nóinín – NOH-neen (Daisy)
- Nóirín – NOR-een (Little Nóra)
- Odhrán – OH-rawn (Little pale green one)
- Partholón – PAR-ha-lawn (Early settler of legend)
- Peig – PEG (Pearl)
- Raghnall – RAN-ul (Counsel ruler)
- Ruadhán – ROO-awn (Little red one)
- Rían – REE-an (Little king)
- Ríona – REE-uh-na (Queenly)
- Rónait – ROH-nit (Little seal)
- Saorlaith – SEER-la (Free princess)
- Scáthach – SKAW-hakh (Shadowy one)
- Seanán – SHAN-awn (Little old one)
- Seoirse – SHOR-sha (Farmer)
- Seán – SHAWN (God is gracious)
- Sláine – SLAW-nya (Health)
- Stiofán – STIF-awn (Crown)
- Séamus – SHAY-mus (Supplanter)
- Sétanta – SHAY-tan-tuh (Boyhood name of Cú Chulainn)
- Síle – SHEE-la (Form of Cecilia)
- Síofra – SHEE-fra (Elf, sprite)
- Tiarnán – TEER-nawn (Little lord)
- Tomás – tuh-MAWSS (Twin)
- Turlough – TUR-lock (Possibly 'instigator'; sometimes explained as 'shaped like Thor')
- Ultán – UL-tawn (Man of Ulster)
- Áine – AWN-ya (Radiance)
- Éabha – AY-vah (Life, living)
- Éamon – AY-mun (Wealthy protector)
- Éamonn – AY-mun (Wealthy protector)
- Éibhear – AY-ver (Milesian prince)
- Éremón – AIR-uh-mon (First Milesian high king)
- Ériu – AIR-oo (Goddess of Ireland)
- Étaín – AY-deen (Shining one, uncertain)
- Íomhar – EE-vur (Bow warrior)
- Úna – OO-na (Uncertain, perhaps lamb)
Want to know why they sound this way? Read Irish names with silent letters.
Frequently asked questions
Why are Irish names so hard to pronounce?
Irish has its own spelling system, with letter combinations such as bh, mh, dh and gh that stand for sounds English spells differently. Once you know the patterns, the names become predictable.
How do you pronounce Niamh?
Niamh is pronounced "NEEV", rhyming with "Eve".
How do you pronounce Siobhán?
Siobhán is pronounced "shi-VAWN".