Articles > Names 100 Most Popular Men's Names in Early Medieval Ireland
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn
(Heather Rose Jones, contact@heatherrosejones.com)
copyright c 1998, all rights reserved
Introduction
The following list contains the (slightly less than) one hundred most
common masculine given names in M.A. O'Brien's Corpus Genealogiarum
Hiberniae (Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1976), a
collection of Irish genealogical material from the pre-Norman period (i.e.,
roughly pre-12th century). While O'Brien's collection includes some
legendary genealogies, the "popularity" requirement for this selection
should filter out any questionable names.
The complete collection contains roughly 10,000 masculine names, so even
the most popular name in this list represents only about 2.5% of the total.
Needless to say, this selection only represents a small number of the names
in the original document, and some "old favorites" will not have made the
cut, however it provides a selection of names that were very typical in the
early medieval period in Ireland.
In the data below, the first column contains the nominative (regular) form
of the name, the second column notes how many different people bore that
name in O'Brien's sources, and the third shows one or two typical genitive
(possessive) forms of the name (the form that would be used in a patronym,
after mac or ua). When more than one spelling is given in
either the first or third column, generally one is slightly older than the
other. Where the two vary between nd and nn, the nd
is older; where they vary between -aich and -aig, the
-aich appears to be older (but may simply be a variant). Spelling
was not fixed at the time of these documents, and there are spelling
variants included in the originals that I have not listed here, rather I
have stuck to the most common or "regular" forms, but always ones found in
the original documents. The use of hyphens in names like
máel-dúin is a modern editorial convention and does
not represent historic practice.
In the first section, the names are organized in
order of descending popularity, in the second, they
are alphabetical.
Ordered By Popularity
Name | Count |
Genitive |
|
Note: The genitive form of a
name is the possessive form, like John's in English. It is not
simply an alternate spelling of the name. |
|
Áed | 248 | Áeda |
Óengus, Áengus | 191 | Óengusa, Áengusa |
Ailill | 145 | Ailella |
Fergus | 140 | Fergusa |
Eochaid | 130 | Echuid, Eochada |
Lugaid | 129 | Lugdach |
Domnall | 120 | Domnaill |
Cairpre | 109 | Cairpri |
Conall | 108 | Conaill |
Cormac | 105 | Cormaic |
Fland, Flann | 96 | Flaind, Flainn |
Muiredach | 93 | Muiredaich, Muridaig, Muiredaig |
Cellach | 93 | Cellaich, Celaig |
Éogan | 87 | Éogain |
Eochu | 85 | Echach |
Diarmait | 78 | Diarmata |
Colmán | 74 | Colmáin |
Conchobor | 69 | Conchobuir, Conchobair |
Fiachra | 64 | Fiachrach |
Énnae | 59 | Énnai |
Cináed | 58 | Cináeda |
Crimthann | 58 | Crimthaind, Crimthainn |
Fedelmid | 53 | Feidelmid, Feideilmid, Feidlimid |
Murchad | 53 | Murchada |
Cathal | 49 | Cathail |
Donnchad | 48 | Donnchada |
Máel-dúin | 47 | Máel-duin |
Rónán | 47 | Rónáin |
Muirchertach | 46 | Muirchertaig |
Ercc | 45 | Eircc |
Maine | 45 | Maine |
Bran | 44 | Brain |
Cobthach | 44 | Cobthaich, Cobthaig |
Niall | 44 | Néill |
Fogartach | 44 | Fogartaich, Fogartaig |
Crundmáel | 44 | Crundmaíl, Crunnmaíl |
Bressal | 43 | Bressail |
Congal | 43 | Congaile |
Cenn-fáelad | 42 | Cinn-fáelad |
Dunchad | 42 | Dúnchda |
Suibne | 41 | Suibne |
Faílbe | 41 | Faílbe |
Fiachu | 41 | Fiachach |
Móenach | 39 | Móenaig |
Donngal | 39 | Donngaile |
Sétnae | 39 | Sétna, Sétnae |
Scandlán | 38 | Scandláin |
Dímmae | 37 | Dímmai |
Senach | 37 | Senaich, Senaig |
Fáelán | 36 | Fáeláin |
Tuathal | 35 | Tuathail |
Cummascach | 35 | Cummascaich, Cummascaig |
Fiachna | 34 | Fiachnae |
Artt | 33 | Airt |
Dúngal | 31 | Dúngaile |
Congalach | 31 | Congalaich |
Fergal | 31 | Fergaile |
Blathmac | 30 | Blaithmeic |
Dubthach | 30 | Dubthaig |
Dúnlang | 30 | Dúnlainge, Dúnlaing |
Corcc | 29 | Cuircc |
Find | 29 | Find |
Lóegaire | 29 | Lóegairi, Láegaire |
Feradach | 29 | Feradaig |
Findchad | 29 | Findchada, Finnachta |
Finán | 28 | Fináin |
Cernach | 28 | Cernaich, Cernaig |
Dáire | 28 | Dáire |
Ruaidrí | 28 | Ruaidrí |
Fintan | 28 | Fintain |
Guaire | 27 | Guaire |
Trian | 27 | Trena, Trien, Triain, Treno |
Tigernach | 27 | Tigernaich, Tigernaig |
Sechnassach | 27 | Sechnassaich, Sechnassaig |
Nath-í | 26 | Nath-í |
Tadc | 26 | Taidc |
Báetán | 25 | Báetáin |
Columb | 25 | Coluimb |
Forannán | 25 | Forannáin |
Máel-tuili | 25 | Maili-tuile |
Cillíne | 24 | Cillíni |
Máel-ruanaid | 24 | Máel-ruanaid |
Rechtabra | 24 | Rechtabrat |
Bróccan | 23 | Broccáin |
Duinechaid | 23 | Duinechda |
Colcu | 23 | Colgan |
Amalgaid | 23 | Amalgada |
Indrechtach | 23 | Indrechtaich, Indrechtaig |
Condlae, Conlae | 23 | Condlae, Conlae |
Fothud | 23 | Fothaid |
Máelodor | 23 | Máeludir |
Flaithbertach | 22 | Flaithbertaich, Flaithbertaig |
Imchad | 22 | Imchada |
Bécc | 21 | Beicce |
Carthach | 21 | Carthaich, Carthaig |
Cerball | 20 | Cerbaill |
Cúán | 20 | Cúáin |
Tipraite | 20 | Tipraite |
Cáirthenn | 20 | Cáirthind, Cáirthinn |
|
Ordered Alphabetically |
Name
| Count
| Genitive
|
|
Note: The genitive form of a name is the possessive form, like John's in English. It is not simply an alternate spelling of the name. |
|
Áed | 248 | Áeda |
Ailill | 145 | Ailella |
Amalgaid | 23 | Amalgada |
Artt | 33 | Airt |
Báetán | 25 | Báetáin |
Bécc | 21 | Beicce |
Blathmac | 30 | Blaithmeic |
Bran | 44 | Brain |
Bressal | 43 | Bressail |
Bróccan | 23 | Broccáin |
Cairpre | 109 | Cairpri |
Cáirthenn | 20 | Cáirthind, Cáirthinn |
Carthach | 21 | Carthaich, Carthaig |
Cathal | 49 | Cathail |
Cellach | 93 | Cellaich, Celaig |
Cenn-fáelad | 42 | Cinn-fáelad |
Cerball | 20 | Cerbaill |
Cernach | 28 | Cernaich, Cernaig |
Cillíne | 24 | Cillíni |
Cináed | 58 | Cináeda |
Cobthach | 44 | Cobthaich, Cobthaig |
Colcu | 23 | Colgan |
Colmán | 74 | Colmáin |
Columb | 25 | Coluimb |
Conall | 108 | Conaill |
Conchobor | 69 | Conchobuir, Conchobair |
Condlae, Conlae | 23 | Condlae, Conlae |
Congal | 43 | Congaile |
Congalach | 31 | Congalaich |
Corcc | 29 | Cuircc |
Cormac | 105 | Cormaic |
Crimthann | 58 | Crimthaind, Crimthainn |
Crundmáel | 44 | Crundmaíl, Crunnmaíl |
Cúán | 20 | Cúáin |
Cummascach | 35 | Cummascaich, Cummascaig |
Dáire | 28 | Dáire |
Diarmait | 78 | Diarmata |
Dímmae | 37 | Dímmai |
Domnall | 120 | Domnaill |
Donnchad | 48 | Donnchada |
Donngal | 39 | Donngaile |
Dubthach | 30 | Dubthaig |
Duinechaid | 23 | Duinechda |
Dunchad | 42 | Dúnchda |
Dúngal | 31 | Dúngaile |
Dúnlang | 30 | Dúnlainge, Dúnlaing |
Énnae | 59 | Énnai |
Eochaid | 130 | Echuid, Eochada |
Eochu | 85 | Echach |
Éogan | 87 | Éogain |
Ercc | 45 | Eircc |
Fáelán | 36 | Fáeláin |
Faílbe | 41 | Faílbe |
Fedelmid | 53 | Feidelmid, Feideilmid, Feidlimid |
Feradach | 29 | Feradaig |
Fergal | 31 | Fergaile |
Fergus | 140 | Fergusa |
Fiachna | 34 | Fiachnae |
Fiachra | 64 | Fiachrach |
Fiachu | 41 | Fiachach |
Finán | 28 | Fináin |
Find | 29 | Find |
Findchad | 29 | Findchada, Finnachta |
Fintan | 28 | Fintain |
Flaithbertach | 22 | Flaithbertaich, Flaithbertaig |
Fland, Flann | 96 | Flaind, Flainn |
Fogartach | 44 | Fogartaich, Fogartaig |
Forannán | 25 | Forannáin |
Fothud | 23 | Fothaid |
Guaire | 27 | Guaire |
Imchad | 22 | Imchada |
Indrechtach | 23 | Indrechtaich, Indrechtaig |
Lóegaire | 29 | Lóegairi, Láegaire |
Lugaid | 129 | Lugdach |
Máel-dúin | 47 | Máel-duin |
Máel-ruanaid | 24 | Máel-ruanaid |
Máel-tuili | 25 | Maili-tuile |
Máelodor | 23 | Máeludir |
Maine | 45 | Maine |
Móenach | 39 | Móenaig |
Muirchertach | 46 | Muirchertaig |
Muiredach | 93 | Muiredaich, Muridaig, Muiredaig |
Murchad | 53 | Murchada |
Nath-í | 26 | Nath-í |
Niall | 44 | Néill |
Óengus, Áengus | 191 | Óengusa, Áengusa |
Rechtabra | 24 | Rechtabrat |
Rónán | 47 | Rónáin |
Ruaidrí | 28 | Ruaidrí |
Scandlán | 38 | Scandláin |
Sechnassach | 27 | Sechnassaich, Sechnassaig |
Senach | 37 | Senaich, Senaig |
Sétnae | 39 | Sétna, Sétnae |
Suibne | 41 | Suibne |
Tadc | 26 | Taidc |
Tigernach | 27 | Tigernaich, Tigernaig |
Tipraite | 20 | Tipraite |
Trian | 27 | Trena, Trien, Triain, Treno |
Tuathal | 35 | Tuathail |
|