Gaelic Boy Names
Gaelic male names originate in the Goidelic languages (Irish and Scottish Gaelic). A common masculine structural pattern is the diminutive suffix -án, seen in Aodhán, which appears in English as Aidan/Aiden. Other masculine markers include Latin-influenced forms ending in -us (Aenghus/Angus). Many male names derive from early saints and figures recorded in medieval Gaelic sources. Elements such as Aodh (fire) are frequent in male compounds.
Today, anglicized forms are widely used internationally, while Gaelic spellings remain common in Ireland and Scotland. Examples you may encounter include Aidan, Aenghus, Angus, Ailbe, Ailbhin, Alpin, Aod, Aodhfinn, Arnan, and Caden.
Showing 50
of 225 names
| Name | Meaning | Origins | Gender | Popularity (last 10y) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiden | 'Little fire' or 'fiery one' (derived from Aodh meaning 'fire') | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 85,942 #1 | |
| Caden | Derived from Celtic roots meaning 'battle' or 'little battle' - broadly 'fighter' | Celtic, Gaelic | Boy | 15,278 #2 | |
| Kane | Irish: from Ó Catháin / Cathán (from cath 'battle') - 'little battle' or 'warrior'; Hebrew: variant of Cain (Qayin) - 'acquired'; Hawaiian: Kāne - 'man' or a major god; Japanese: kane - 'metal, gold, money'. | Gaelic, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Irish, Japanese | Boy | 8,268 #3 | |
| Kade | Variant of Cade/Caden; often interpreted as 'round/barrel' (Old English) or related to 'cad' meaning 'battle' (Gaelic) - broadly 'fighter' or 'warrior'. | Gaelic | Boy | 8,068 #4 | |
| Adan | From Hebrew Adam: "man" or "earth"; also used as a variant of Aidan meaning "little fire". | Gaelic, Hebrew | Boy | 6,613 #5 | |
| Cannon | Surname-derived; likely 'descendant of Canann' (Gaelic) or associated with the English words 'cannon' (artillery) or 'canon' (church official). | English, Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 4,557 #6 | |
| Neil | Traditionally 'champion'; also interpreted as 'cloud' or 'passionate'. | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 3,930 #7 | |
| Kellan | Slender | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 3,438 #8 | |
| Mac | Son; 'son of' (patronymic) | Gaelic | Boy | 2,911 #9 | |
| Angus | “one strength” or “unique choice” | Gaelic, Scottish | Boy | 1,804 #10 | |
| Gus | Diminutive of names meaning 'venerable, great' (Augustus) or related to 'staff/choice, one strength' (Gustav/Angus). | Gaelic, Germanic, Latin, Norse | Boy | 1,684 #11 | |
| Riaan | Little king / kingly | Afrikaans, Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 1,379 #12 | |
| Kallen | Likely 'slender' or 'narrow' from Gaelic Caolán; as a surname may relate to Swedish 'källa' (spring/source) | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 1,296 #13 | |
| Tyree | Possibly 'from Tyre' (the ancient city; root often glossed as 'rock') or 'of Tiree' (Scottish island); also used as a modern personal name without a single fixed meaning. | English, Gaelic, Scottish | Boy | 1,272 #14 | |
| Riyan | Commonly interpreted as "little king" (Irish) or "luxuriant/satiated"; in Arabic Rayyan is also associated with a gate of Paradise. | Arabic, Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 1,063 #15 | |
| Irvin | From the Scottish place-name (River Irvine) meaning 'green/fresh water'; in some traditions related to Old English/Germanic elements meaning 'boar-friend' or 'sea-friend'. | English, Gaelic, Irish, Scottish | Boy | 878 #16 | |
| Neel | From Sanskrit nīla meaning "blue"; as a variant of Neil sometimes associated with meanings like "champion" or "passionate" | Gaelic, Irish, Sanskrit | Boy | 845 #17 | |
| Conan | Little hound / little wolf | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 651 #18 | |
| Kainen | Primarily 'ancient, enduring' (Irish Cian). Occasionally associated with 'possessor' (Hebrew Kenan) or 'warrior/battler' (from Kane) | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 607 #19 | |
| Orrin | Little pale one | Gaelic | Boy | 591 #20 | |
| Euan | Derived from Gaelic Eòghan/Eoghan, commonly interpreted as 'born of the yew' or 'youth/well-born'. | Gaelic, Scottish | Boy | 587 #21 | |
| Kal | A short form with multiple origins: from Hebrew Caleb ('dog' or 'whole‑hearted'), from Gaelic Calum/Callum ('dove'), or from Calvin ('little bald one'); also used as a modern/fictitious name. | English, Gaelic, Hebrew, Scottish | Boy | 543 #22 | |
| Kilyan | Likely 'little church' (from Irish cill 'church'); alternative derivation from Ceallach ('strife' or 'war') is sometimes cited | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 392 #23 | |
| Donnell | Ruler of the world | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 372 #24 | |
| Kaidan | Derived from Caden: 'little battle' or 'battle'; also sometimes treated as a modern blend of 'Kai' + 'dan' | English, Gaelic | Boy | 323 #25 | |
| Donny | Ruler of the world | Gaelic, Scottish | Boy | 278 #26 | |
| Shon | God is gracious | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 156 #27 | |
| Keny | Diminutive of Kenneth - from Gaelic roots meaning "handsome" (Coinneach) or "born of fire" (Cináed). | Gaelic, Scottish | Boy | 149 #28 | |
| Cannan | Possible meanings by origin - Hebrew: 'lowland' (Canaan, the biblical land); Gaelic/Irish: 'son of Cana' (Cana a personal name); Tamil: 'beloved' (epithet of Krishna). | Gaelic, Hebrew, Irish, Tamil | Boy | 136 #29 | |
| Fin | Fair, white; fair-haired | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 134 #30 | |
| Neilan | Derived from Niall - commonly interpreted as 'champion', 'cloud', or 'passionate' (exact origin uncertain) | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 108 #31 | |
| Bain | Fair, white, fair-haired | Arabic, French, Gaelic, Norse, Scottish | Boy | 91 #32 | |
| Kaian | A modern variant often interpreted as either 'king/royal' (from Kian) or 'of the sea' (from Kai). | English, Gaelic, Hawaiian, Irish, Persian, Scandinavian | Boy | 87 #33 | |
| Keneth | Handsome; born of fire | Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic | Boy | 79 #34 | |
| Eion | God is gracious | Gaelic | Boy | 78 #35 | |
| Deveon | A modern spelling variant of Devon/Devin - generally associated with the English county name Devon (place-name) or the Irish/Gaelic name Devin. | English, Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 77 #36 | |
| Brek | Likely from Gaelic 'breac' meaning 'speckled' or 'freckled'; also used as a short form or modern variant of Breck/Breckin and sometimes linked to surname origins (similar to Brock). | English, Gaelic, Irish, Scottish | Boy | 73 #37 | |
| Kier | Dark or dark-haired; diminutive sense 'little dark one' (from Ciarán) | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 69 #38 | |
| Collen | Hazel (hazel tree); also associated with 'young pup' (Gaelic diminutive Cailean) and, when linked via Colin to Nicholas, 'victory of the people'. | English, Gaelic, Welsh | Boy | 67 #39 | |
| Dagen | Likely "day" (from Old Norse dag) or "grain" (from Hebrew Dagan); also used as an anglicized surname form. | English, Gaelic, Hebrew, Irish, Norse, Semitic | Boy | 61 #40 | |
| Kallin | Likely either 'little battle' (from Gaelic Callan) or 'beautiful' (from Greek kallos); also linked to Slavic 'Kalin' (guelder-rose/beauty). | Bulgarian, Gaelic, Greek, Irish, Slavic | Boy | 53 #41 | |
| Rohann | Primarily 'ascending' or 'to rise' (Sanskrit); also associated with 'red-haired'/'little red one' via Gaelic (Rowan); historically a Breton place-name/surname. | Breton, French, Gaelic, Irish, Sanskrit | Boy | 41 #42 | |
| Adain | Little fire (diminutive of Aodh, meaning 'fire') | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 39 #43 | |
| Cullin | Likely a variant of Cullen/Colin from Gaelic roots - can mean 'little hound' or be associated with 'holly' (or generally 'young warrior' in related forms). | English, Gaelic, Irish, Scottish | Boy | 25 #44 | |
| Dannon | Little brown one / brown-haired | Gaelic | Boy | 21 #45 | |
| Coll | Derived from the Gaelic word coll meaning 'hazel' (the hazel tree); also attested as a traditional Gaelic personal name | Gaelic | Boy | 20 #46 | |
| Nev | Generally 'new' (or 'new town' via Neville); in some Gaelic derivations relates to 'little saint'. | English, Gaelic, Irish, Persian, Turkish | Boy | 14 #47 | |
| Caidin | From Gaelic 'cad' (battle); commonly interpreted as 'little battle' or 'fighter' | Gaelic, Irish | Boy | 11 #48 | |
| Doan | Vietnamese: "group, troupe, unity"; Irish/Gaelic (anglicized): from Donn/Dubhán meaning "brown/dark, little dark one" | English, Gaelic, Irish, Scottish, Vietnamese | Boy | 11 #49 | |
| Aland | Likely "little rock" or "handsome" | Breton, Gaelic | Boy | 10 #50 |
Gaelic Boys name popularity over time
Aggregated births across United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany for every Gaelic-origin name in our dataset.
225
Names in this origin
1
With data in 2025
0
Births 2025
32,050
Peak year 2009