Feargal as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Feargal

What is the meaning of the name Feargal ?

The baby name Feargal is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈfɜːrɡəl/ (commonly "FER-gəl" or "FUR-gul").

Feargal is Gaelic, Irish in Origin.

Feargal is an Irish given name, an Anglicised form of Irish Fearghal (also written Fergal), from Old Irish fer “man” and gal “valor, bravery,” meaning “man of valor” or “valiant man.” Core variants include Fearghal in Irish and Fergal in modern Irish/English; related surname forms derive from Ó Fearghail, giving Farrell and O’Farrell. The name has been Latinized historically as Virgilius (Virgil) in ecclesiastical contexts.

Attested throughout the early medieval annals, it was borne by nobles and churchmen, notably Fergal mac Máele Dúin, an 8th‑century High King of Ireland, and the Irish missionary-bishop Fearghal, remembered as Virgil of Salzburg. Usage endured in Ireland and saw a 20th‑century cultural revival, with occasional visibility abroad through the diaspora; the singer Feargal Sharkey brought contemporary recognition. Today Feargal/Fergal remains a distinctive, traditional choice that signals Gaelic heritage while staying approachable in English.