Irish First Names

clipped from dorisfamilyoflettermacaward.blogspot.com Ancient Irish first names were complex. While some of them were very common - names like Tuathal, Fiach, Ceallach, Aedh - and are found in many different lines in many parts of the country, others are very uncommon. Some of them seem to be descriptive, giving a colour with another element which is a placename. Thus Dubh Eamhna and Donn Clochair probably mean the Black Haired One of Eamhain and the Brown Haired One of Clogher respectively. Some of them invoke the protection of a saint, like Giolla Phádraig or Maol Chiaráin. The important thing to remember about these ancient names is that they were so varied because surnames didn't exist at that time. In some cases bearers of the more common names would be given a nickname. However, it should be borne in mind that in English, Irish names were frequently mangled out of all recognition. Falmouth is not an Irish name and it is almost certainly a corrupt rendering of an Irish name like Feilimidh or Phelimy as it is sometimes given in English.