Goraidh as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Goraidh

What is the meaning of the name Goraidh ?

The baby name Goraidh is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced GOR-ee (approx. anglicized) — IPA: /ˈɡɔri/ (Scottish Gaelic realizations may vary).

Goraidh is Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

Goraidh is a Scottish Gaelic masculine name, the modern form of earlier Gofraidh/Gofraid, itself a Gaelic adaptation of Old Norse Guðrøðr. It was borne by Norse-Gaelic rulers of the Isles and of Mann, notably figures remembered in Gaelic as Gofraid or Godred Crovan, and persisted in Hebridean naming traditions. In later records, Goraidh frequently serves as the Gaelic equivalent of Godfrey (Latinized Gothofredus), so medieval and early modern sources often use these forms interchangeably.

Its meaning is layered: the Norse root combines guð ‘god’ with a debated second element, while association with Godfrey brings the Germanic sense ‘god + peace/protection.’ For that reason, Goraidh is commonly glossed as ‘peace of God’ or ‘protected by God.’ Variants include Goiridh and Gofraidh/Gofraid; related English forms are Godred and Godfrey, with Geoffrey sometimes used as a translation. Surnames such as MacGorrie or MacGorry derive from mac Goraidh, ‘son of Goraidh.’

⚙ Nothing for Goraidh shows up in the birth registries or name datasets we track. Such a name is generally either rare, regional or traditional, or a brand-new coinage. Either way, it remains a genuinely rare choice.