Celtic names are first names from the six Celtic nations, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and the Isle of Man, and the best known include Isla, Rory, Fionn, Niamh, Oisín, Rhys, Ffion, Dylan, Tristan and Yann. They are still being given in large numbers: Isla was Scotland’s second most popular girls’ name in 2025, with 253 babies, according to National Records of Scotland, while Osian and Macsen made the top 12 boys’ names in Wales.
This guide is part of our Scottish Names collection. Browse the full Scottish Names directory, or go deeper into one nation with our Scottish Gaelic names list.
This is for anyone who wants a Celtic name and wants to know which country it actually belongs to. Most lists online get them in a fankle, so a Welsh name sits next to an Irish one with no label, and Fiona (an 18th-century Scottish invention) is filed beside names a thousand years older. Every name here carries its nation, its language branch, a respelling, a meaning taken from a source we checked, and real usage figures where the statistics offices publish them.
The six nations, as the Celtic nations are usually counted, each have their own Celtic language. They split into two families: Goidelic or Gaelic (Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx) and Brittonic or Brythonic (Welsh, Cornish and Breton). Cornish and Manx stopped being community languages and have since been revived, which is why their names are fewer and newer to the registers.
Two Scots Abroad · Scottish names
Celtic name finder
122 first names from all six Celtic nations, each labelled by nation and language branch. Filter by boy or girl, by nation, or by Goidelic (Gaelic) and Brittonic (Welsh, Cornish, Breton).
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Which Celtic names are popular right now?
In Scotland, Isla, Rory and Finlay; in Wales, Mali, Osian and Macsen; in Ireland, Oisín, Fiadh and Éabha. The 2025 registers show Gaelic and Welsh names holding their own against the international favourites, and some of them crossing the border: Rory was 17th in England and Wales combined, with 1,760 boys, and the Irish name Maeve was 26th for girls, with 1,330.
| Register (2025 births) | Celtic names in the list | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | Isla 253 (2nd), Rory 301 (3rd), Finlay 216 (9th), Orla 134, Maeve 130, Eilidh 119, Angus 112, Ruaridh 80, Ronan 75, Hamish 74, Lachlan 65 | National Records of Scotland |
| Wales | Mali 104 (4th), Osian 114 (10th), Macsen 108 (12th), Rory 86 (21st), Dylan 66, Ffion 42, Seren 42, Idris 44, Emrys 38 | ONS, Wales tables |
| England and Wales | Isla 1,959 (4th), Rory 1,760 (17th), Maeve 1,330 (26th), Orla 721, Dylan 717, Idris 368 | ONS |
| Ireland | Rían (1st boys), Oisín (5th boys), Éabha (2nd girls), Fiadh (3rd girls) | Central Statistics Office (top 5 published) |
| Cornwall, Brittany, Isle of Man | No separate name register is published; Cornwall and Man are counted with England and Wales or the Isle of Man registry, Brittany within France |
The Welsh numbers are the striking ones. Mali was the fourth most popular girls’ name in Wales in 2025, Osian and Macsen were in the boys’ top 12, and Harri, Jac and Elis all made the boys’ top 40. The ONS Wales tables show Alys (29th), Mabli (36th) and Lili (44th) climbing too.
Goidelic and Brittonic: the two families of Celtic names
The six Celtic languages fall into two branches, and the split shows in the names. The classic test is a sound change: where Gaelic kept a q or k sound, the Brittonic languages turned it into a p, which is why linguists also call them Q-Celtic and P-Celtic. The Insular Celtic family tree is simple enough to fit in a table.
| Goidelic (Gaelic) | Brittonic (Brythonic) | |
|---|---|---|
| Languages | Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Manx | Welsh, Cornish, Breton |
| Where | Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man | Wales, Cornwall, Brittany |
| Surname prefix | Mac (son) and, in Ireland, Ó (descendant) | ap or ab (son of) in Welsh |
| Spellings to expect | Niamh, Caoimhe, Mhairi, Tadhg | Llywelyn, Dafydd, Ffion, Gruffudd |
| Example names | Niamh, Oisín, Eilidh, Ruaridh, Fionn, Illiam | Rhiannon, Dylan, Morwenna, Tristan, Nolwenn, Yann |
| Status | Manx died out as a first language in the 20th century and has been revived | Cornish died out as a community language and has been revived; Breton and Welsh spoken continuously |
A few habits make Celtic names easier to read. Gaelic uses a vocative form when you speak to someone, and two of Scotland’s favourite names are frozen vocatives: Mhairi comes from a Mhàiri and Hamish from a Sheumais. Breton adds -ig to make any name affectionate, so Soazig is little Françoise and Annaig is Annette, as the list of Breton names explains. And all six languages borrowed the big Christian names, then reshaped them, which gives you a family of cousins for almost every saint.
| English | Scottish Gaelic | Irish | Welsh | Cornish | Breton | Manx |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John | Iain | Seán, Eoin | Ioan, Ifan, Evan | Iwan | Yann | Juan |
| William | Uilleam | Uilliam, Liam | Gwilym | Gwilherm (Loïc is a pet form) | Illiam | |
| James | Seumas (Hamish) | Séamus | Iago | Jago | ||
| Katherine | Catrìona | Caitríona, Caitlín | Cadi | Katell | ||
| Margaret | Mairead | Mairéad | Megan (pet form) | |||
| Rose | Róisín (little rose) | Rozenn |
Scottish Gaelic names
Isla
Meaning: from the island of Islay; root unknown. Nation: Scotland. Say it: EYE-la. Used: Scotland 253; Wales #10 (84).
Isla comes from the island of Islay, whose own name has no known origin, and it is now one of the most popular girls’ names in Britain: second in Scotland and fourth across England and Wales in 2025. If you like the idea but want something rarer, our traditional Gaelic girls’ names list has dozens of quieter options.
Eilidh
Meaning: Gaelic equivalent of Ellie, usually anglicised as Helen. Nation: Scotland. Say it: AY-lee. Used: Scotland 119; England and Wales 21.
The Gaelic equivalent of Ellie, usually anglicised as Helen. Say AY-lee. It is a name that tells everyone at once that the family has Highland or island roots, and it was 28th in Scotland in 2025 with 119 bairns. The spelling is the only real downside outside Scotland.
Mhairi
Meaning: Gaelic form of Mary (from the vocative a Mhàiri). Nation: Scotland. Say it: VAH-ree. Used: Scotland 9; England and Wales 6.
Mhairi is Mary in Gaelic, but technically a mistake: it is the vocative form, used when calling someone, that turned into a name. In Scotland most people say VAH-ree. Nine Scottish girls were given it in 2025.
Fiona
Meaning: white, fair; first used by James Macpherson in his Ossian poems. Nation: Scotland. Say it: fee-OH-na. Used: Scotland 5; England and Wales 23.
Fiona looks ancient and is not. James Macpherson used it in his Ossian poems in the 18th century, taking a Gaelic word for white or fair, and it spread from Scotland to the rest of the world from there. A Celtic name, then, but a literary one.
Rory
Meaning: red king (ruadh + rígh). Nation: Ireland and Scotland. Say it: ROR-ee. Used: Scotland 301; Wales #21 (86).
Red king, from ruadh and rígh, and shared by Ireland and Scotland. Rory was third in Scotland, 21st in Wales and 17th in England and Wales combined in 2025, so it is the Celtic boys’ name with the widest reach right now. Ruaridh is the Scottish Gaelic spelling if you want to make the point.
Fionn
Meaning: white, fair-haired. Nation: Ireland and Scotland. Say it: FYUN. Used: Scotland 13; England and Wales 55.
White or fair-haired, and the original form of the names later anglicised as Find and Finn. Fionn is shared by Ireland and Scotland, and its anglicised form Finn is everywhere. Say FYUN.
Lachlan
Meaning: from Lochlann, the Gaelic name for the Vikings’ homeland. Nation: Scotland. Say it: LOCH-lan. Used: Scotland 65; England and Wales 159.
Lachlan comes from Lochlann, the old Gaelic word for the homeland of the Vikings who raided Ireland and Scotland, so it is a Gaelic name that remembers the Norse. Our Viking names guide has the other side of that story.
Hamish
Meaning: from Sheumais, the Gaelic vocative of James. Nation: Scotland. Say it: HAY-mish. Used: Scotland 74; England and Wales 80.
Another vocative: Hamish is the anglicised form of Sheumais, the form of Seumas (James) used in address. Say HAY-mish. 74 Scottish boys got it in 2025.
Torquil
Meaning: from Old Norse Þorkell, Thor’s cauldron. Nation: Scotland. Say it: TOR-kwil.
Torquil is the Gaelic Torcall, which is the Old Norse Þorkell, Thor plus a sacrificial cauldron. It was kept alive in the Hebrides, which tells you how mixed the Gaelic and Norse worlds were. Its Scandinavian cousins are in our Nordic names guide.
For the full Scottish side, with dozens more boys’ names, see our Scottish Gaelic boys’ names and our list of rare Scottish names.
Irish names belong to the same Goidelic family, and the quick list below labels the best known of them, including Niamh, Saoirse, Aoife, Oisín and Tadhg. Oisín, little deer, was fifth in Ireland in 2025, and its Welsh form Osian was tenth in Wales the same year: one name, two Celtic countries, both in the top ten.
Welsh names
Welsh names also carry an older way of naming people. Until fixed surnames spread from the 15th century onwards, a Welshman was known by his own name joined to his father’s with ap or ab, son of, or ferch, daughter of: Evan, son of Thomas, was Evan ap Thomas, and his son John was John ab Evan. Long chains such as Llewelyn ap Dafydd ab Ieuan ap Gruffudd ap Meredydd were not unusual, and in some rural areas the habit lasted into the early 19th century. When surnames did settle, the ap often fused onto the father’s name, which is why Powell comes from ap Hywel, Price from ap Rhys and Bowen from ab Owen. The stock of first names was wee, so the surnames ended up few and shared, and an analysis for the Welsh Government found that nearly 35% of people in Wales have a family name of Welsh origin.
Ffion
Meaning: foxglove. Nation: Wales. Say it: FEE-on. Used: Wales #55 (42).
Ffion means foxglove. The double f is said like an English f, so FEE-on. It was 55th in Wales in 2025, with 42 babies.
Rhiannon
Meaning: possibly great queen (Rigantona). Nation: Wales. Say it: hree-AN-on. Used: England and Wales 22.
Possibly from the old Celtic title Rigantona, great queen, and the name of a goddess in the Mabinogi. It was not a popular name in Wales until the 20th century, and rose across the English-speaking world after 1975.
Seren
Meaning: star. Nation: Wales. Say it: SER-en. Used: Scotland 7; Wales #55 (42).
Star. Seren was the third most common girls’ name in Wales in 2009 and is still in the Welsh top 60, with 42 babies in 2025. Short, easy to say outwith Wales, and unmistakably Welsh.
Macsen
Meaning: Macsen Wledig, the Welsh name for the emperor Magnus Maximus. Nation: Wales. Say it: MAK-sen. Used: Wales #12 (108).
Macsen Wledig is the Welsh name for Magnus Maximus, the Roman emperor proclaimed in Britain in 383, whom medieval Welsh genealogies made the founder of several royal lines. It was the 12th most popular boys’ name in Wales in 2025, with 108 babies.
Dylan
Meaning: great tide, son of the sea. Nation: Wales. Say it: DUL-an. Used: Scotland 46; Wales #36 (66).
Great tide, or son of the sea, from dy and llanw. Dylan ail Don is a sea figure in the Mabinogion. 717 boys in England and Wales got it in 2025, so it has travelled further than almost any Welsh name.
Cornish, Breton and Manx names
Morwenna
Meaning: maiden, or white sea. Nation: Cornwall. Say it: mor-WEN-a. Used: England and Wales 11.
Possibly maiden, or white sea, from mor and gwenn. Saint Morwenna gave her name to Morwenstow in north Cornwall. Eleven bairns in England and Wales were named Morwenna in 2025.
Demelza
Meaning: from Dinmelsa, fort of Melsa (a Cornish place name). Nation: Cornwall. Say it: de-MEL-za. Used: England and Wales 10.
Demelza is a hamlet near St Wenn in Cornwall, from Dinmelsa, the fort of Melsa. The character Demelza in Winston Graham’s Poldark novels is named after it, and the name was given to ten babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Piran
Meaning: Saint Piran, patron of tinners and of Cornwall. Nation: Cornwall. Say it: PI-ran. Used: England and Wales 3.
Saint Piran, a 5th-century abbot, is the patron saint of tin-miners and generally of Cornwall, and his flag, a white cross on black, is Cornwall’s flag. Piran is rare as a first name: three boys in England and Wales in 2025.
Nolwenn
Meaning: Naol (a place) + gwenn, white or blessed. Nation: Brittany. Say it: NOL-wen.
Nolwenn joins Naol, a place in Brittany, to gwenn, white or blessed, and honours Saint Noyale of Pontivy. The w comes from a Breton sound change, gwenn becoming wenn.
Yann
Meaning: Breton form of John. Nation: Brittany. Say it: YAN. Used: England and Wales 3.
The Breton form of John, and Yannick, little John, is its diminutive. Three boys in England and Wales got Yann in 2025, so it remains mostly a Breton choice.
Erwan
Meaning: from Old Breton Eudon: good + gift. Nation: Brittany. Say it: ER-wan.
From the Old Breton name Eudon, possibly good plus gift; the French form is Yves. One popular theory links it to the Breton word for dragon, but that is only a similarity of sound.
Illiam
Meaning: Manx form of William. Nation: Isle of Man. Say it: IL-yam.
Illiam is the Manx form of William, as the William name page lists it, and Illiam Dhone, Brown William, was the 17th-century Manx politician William Christian. Juan, the Manx John, is the other Manx name you will meet; the Isle of Man’s Gaelic heritage shows up far more in its surnames, from Quayle to Kelly and Corlett.
How to choose a Celtic name
- Pick the nation first, because Celtic is six cultures, not one. A Welsh family with an Irish name will be asked about it, and vice versa.
- Decide how much spelling you want to explain, because Niamh, Caoimhe, Tadhg and Ffion are easy at home and hard everywhere else. Isla, Rory, Dylan, Morgan and Tristan travel without help.
- Check the cousins, because many Celtic names are local forms of saints’ names. If you love John, choose between Iain, Seán, Ioan, Iwan, Yann and Juan.
- Use a middle name for the hard ones, because Llywelyn, Gruffudd or Saoirse work beautifully in the middle and save a lifetime of spelling it out on the phone.
Everyone with a Gaelic name has had a supply teacher try three versions of it before the register is done. If that sounds character building rather than annoying, go for it.
Watch out for: names that are Celtic-ish but not old. Fiona was coined by James Macpherson. Isla, Iona and Ailsa are island names turned first names in modern times. Tamsin is a short form of Thomasina, and Liam is the Irish short form of William. Morgan was traditionally a boys’ name in Wales and Brittany. And Nia, though Welsh in use, comes from the Irish Niamh.
Quick list: 122 Celtic names by nation
| Name | Nation | Branch | Meaning | Say it | For | Used in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aidan | Ireland | Goidelic | little fire (from Aodh) | AY-dan | Boy | Scotland 38; England and Wales 171 |
| Ailsa | Scotland | Goidelic | from Ailsa Craig, Gaelic Allasa; obscure, possibly cliff of the Saxons | AIL-sa | Girl | Scotland 31; England and Wales 15 |
| Alasdair | Scotland | Goidelic | Gaelic form of Alexander | AL-as-ter | Boy | Scotland 12; England and Wales 15 |
| Angharad | Wales | Brittonic | much loved one | an-HAR-ad | Girl | England and Wales 3 |
| Angus | Scotland | Goidelic | one + choice (Aonghas) | ANG-gus | Boy | Scotland 112; England and Wales 136 |
| Annaig | Brittany | Brittonic | Annette, little Anne | AN-ayg | Girl | |
| Aoife | Ireland | Goidelic | beauty, radiance | EE-fa | Girl | Scotland 38; England and Wales 265 |
| Brigid | Ireland | Goidelic | the goddess and saint Brigid | BRIJ-id | Girl | England and Wales 3 |
| Bronwen | Wales | Brittonic | linked to Branwen of Welsh legend | BRON-wen | Girl | England and Wales 20 |
| Cador | Cornwall | Brittonic | battle + man, a fighter | KAY-dor | Boy | |
| Caoimhe | Ireland | Goidelic | from caomh, the root of Kevin | KEE-va | Girl | Scotland 12; England and Wales 30 |
| Carys | Wales | Brittonic | from caru, to love | KA-ris | Girl | England and Wales 34 |
| Catriona | Scotland | Goidelic | Gaelic form of Katherine | ka-TREE-na | Girl | Scotland 3; England and Wales 3 |
| Cerys | Wales | Brittonic | variant of Carys: love | KER-is | Girl | England and Wales 27 |
| Cian | Ireland | Goidelic | ancient | KEE-an | Boy | Scotland 37; England and Wales 126 |
| Ciara | Ireland | Goidelic | dark-haired | KEER-a | Girl | Scotland 16; England and Wales 39 |
| Ciarán | Ireland and Scotland | Goidelic | little dark one | KEER-awn | Boy | Scotland 16; England and Wales 32 |
| Cillian | Ireland | Goidelic | probably little church | KIL-ee-an | Boy | Scotland 51; England and Wales 230 |
| Clodagh | Ireland | Goidelic | from the River Clodiagh in County Waterford | KLOH-da | Girl | Scotland 4; England and Wales 27 |
| Conor | Ireland | Goidelic | lover of hounds or wolves | KON-or | Boy | Scotland 23; England and Wales 67 |
| Corentin | Brittany | Brittonic | Saint Corentin of Quimper | kor-en-TAN | Boy | |
| Cormac | Ireland | Goidelic | uncertain: wheel, or raven | KOR-mak | Boy | Scotland 9; England and Wales 26 |
| Dafydd | Wales | Brittonic | Welsh form of David | DAV-ith | Boy | England and Wales 11 |
| Darragh | Ireland | Goidelic | oak | DAR-a | Boy | Scotland 16; England and Wales 21 |
| Declan | Ireland | Goidelic | man of prayer, or full of goodness | DEK-lan | Boy | Scotland 13; England and Wales 112 |
| Deirdre | Ireland | Goidelic | unknown | DEER-dra | Girl | |
| Demelza | Cornwall | Brittonic | from Dinmelsa, fort of Melsa (a Cornish place name) | de-MEL-za | Girl | England and Wales 10 |
| Duncan | Scotland | Goidelic | dark warrior (Donnchadh) | DUN-kan | Boy | Scotland 16; England and Wales 17 |
| Dylan | Wales | Brittonic | great tide, son of the sea | DUL-an | Boy | Scotland 46; Wales #36 (66) |
| Eilidh | Scotland | Goidelic | Gaelic equivalent of Ellie, usually anglicised as Helen | AY-lee | Girl | Scotland 119; England and Wales 21 |
| Elin | Wales | Brittonic | Welsh form of Ellen | EL-in | Girl | England and Wales 40 |
| Elouan | Brittany | Brittonic | probably good + light | EL-wan | Boy | |
| Eluned | Wales | Brittonic | image, idol | el-IN-ed | Girl | |
| Emrys | Wales | Brittonic | Welsh form of Ambrose | EM-ris | Boy | Scotland 3; Wales #65 (38) |
| Enora | Brittany | Brittonic | Breton form of Honora | eh-NOR-a | Girl | England and Wales 4 |
| Eoin | Ireland | Goidelic | Irish form of John | OH-in | Boy | Scotland 10; England and Wales 24 |
| Erwan | Brittany | Brittonic | from Old Breton Eudon: good + gift | ER-wan | Boy | |
| Euan | Scotland | Goidelic | from Eòghann, noble born, or Eòin, John | YOO-an | Boy | Scotland 27; England and Wales 30 |
| Evan | Wales | Brittonic | from Iefan, a Welsh form of John | EV-an | Boy | Scotland 36; Wales #90 (29) |
| Fergus | Ireland and Scotland | Goidelic | the strong one, the manly one | FUR-gus | Boy | Scotland 59; England and Wales 103 |
| Ffion | Wales | Brittonic | foxglove | FEE-on | Girl | Wales #55 (42) |
| Fiadh | Ireland | Goidelic | wild, deer; or respect | FEE-a | Girl | Scotland 59; England and Wales 182; Ireland top 5 (#3) |
| Finlay | Scotland | Goidelic | Gaelic Fionnlagh | FIN-lee | Boy | Scotland 216; England and Wales 293 |
| Fiona | Scotland | Goidelic | white, fair; first used by James Macpherson in his Ossian poems | fee-OH-na | Girl | Scotland 5; England and Wales 23 |
| Fionn | Ireland and Scotland | Goidelic | white, fair-haired | FYUN | Boy | Scotland 13; England and Wales 55 |
| Gareth | Wales | Brittonic | perhaps from gwaredd, gentleness | GA-reth | Boy | England and Wales 6 |
| Gethin | Wales | Brittonic | dark-skinned; or a pet form of Gruffydd | GETH-in | Boy | England and Wales 30 |
| Gruffudd | Wales | Brittonic | from Old Welsh Grippiud | GRIF-ith | Boy | Wales #96 (27) |
| Gráinne | Ireland | Goidelic | uncertain; probably linked to grá, love | GRAWN-ya | Girl | |
| Gwen | Wales | Brittonic | white, holy | GWEN | Girl | England and Wales 34 |
| Gwendal | Brittany | Brittonic | white + brow | GWEN-dal | Boy | |
| Gwyneth | Wales | Brittonic | from the kingdom of Gwynedd | GWIN-eth | Girl | England and Wales 9 |
| Hamish | Scotland | Goidelic | from Sheumais, the Gaelic vocative of James | HAY-mish | Boy | Scotland 74; England and Wales 80 |
| Hywel | Wales | Brittonic | royal name: Hywel Dda, the Good, died 950 | HUH-wel | Boy | England and Wales 6 |
| Iain | Scotland | Goidelic | Gaelic form of John | EE-an | Boy | Scotland 8 |
| Idris | Wales | Brittonic | ardent lord | ID-ris | Boy | Scotland 13; Wales #53 (44) |
| Ifan | Wales | Brittonic | Welsh form of John | EE-van | Boy | England and Wales 14 |
| Illiam | Isle of Man | Goidelic | Manx form of William | IL-yam | Boy | |
| Ioan | Wales | Brittonic | Welsh form of John | YOH-an | Boy | England and Wales 31 |
| Iona | Scotland | Goidelic | from the island of Iona; possibly yew-place | eye-OH-na | Girl | Scotland 49; England and Wales 77 |
| Isla | Scotland | Goidelic | from the island of Islay; root unknown | EYE-la | Girl | Scotland 253; Wales #10 (84) |
| Jago | Cornwall | Brittonic | Cornish form of James | JAY-go | Boy | England and Wales 57 |
| Juan | Isle of Man | Goidelic | Manx form of John | JOO-an | Boy | England and Wales 25 |
| Katell | Brittany | Brittonic | Breton form of Catherine | ka-TEL | Girl | |
| Kenneth | Scotland | Goidelic | handsome (Coinneach), or from Cináed | KEN-eth | Boy | Scotland 6; England and Wales 30 |
| Kirsty | Scotland | Goidelic | Scottish short form of Christine | KUR-stee | Girl | Scotland 3 |
| Klervi | Brittany | Brittonic | disputed; one theory is strong | KLER-vee | Girl | |
| Lachlan | Scotland | Goidelic | from Lochlann, the Gaelic name for the Vikings’ homeland | LOCH-lan | Boy | Scotland 65; England and Wales 159 |
| Liam | Ireland | Goidelic | Irish short form of Uilliam (William) | LEE-am | Boy | Scotland 81; England and Wales 763 |
| Llywelyn | Wales | Brittonic | from Lugubelinos, two Celtic gods’ names | hlu-WEL-in | Boy | England and Wales 7 |
| Loïc | Brittany | Brittonic | pet form of Gwilherm (William) | lo-EEK | Boy | England and Wales 6 |
| Macsen | Wales | Brittonic | Macsen Wledig, the Welsh name for the emperor Magnus Maximus | MAK-sen | Boy | Wales #12 (108) |
| Maeve | Ireland | Goidelic | possibly she who intoxicates, or she who rules | MAYV | Girl | Scotland 130; Wales #39 (54) |
| Mairead | Scotland | Goidelic | Gaelic equivalent of Margaret | MY-rad | Girl | Scotland 9; England and Wales 6 |
| Malcolm | Scotland | Goidelic | devotee of Saint Columba | MAL-kum | Boy | Scotland 12; England and Wales 21 |
| Malo | Brittany | Brittonic | hostage + light (likely) | MAH-lo | Boy | |
| Maël | Brittany | Brittonic | chief, prince | ma-EL | Boy | England and Wales 20 |
| Maëlle | Brittany | Brittonic | feminine of Mael: chief, prince | ma-EL | Girl | |
| Megan | Wales | Brittonic | Welsh pet form of Margaret, pearl | MEG-an | Girl | England and Wales 44 |
| Mhairi | Scotland | Goidelic | Gaelic form of Mary (from the vocative a Mhàiri) | VAH-ree | Girl | Scotland 9; England and Wales 6 |
| Morgan | Wales and Brittany | Brittonic | Old Welsh Morcant, possibly sea + circle | MOR-gan | Unisex | Scotland 5 (boys); Scotland 5 (girls); Wales #94 (28); England and Wales 65 |
| Morwenna | Cornwall | Brittonic | maiden, or white sea | mor-WEN-a | Girl | England and Wales 11 |
| Murdo | Scotland | Goidelic | sea + battle (Murchadh) | MUR-doh | Boy | Scotland 14 |
| Nia | Wales | Brittonic | from Irish Niamh, bright | NEE-a | Girl | Scotland 5; England and Wales 138 |
| Niall | Ireland | Goidelic | unknown; often given as champion | NEE-al | Boy | Scotland 9; England and Wales 46 |
| Niamh | Ireland | Goidelic | bright, radiant | NEEV | Girl | Scotland 56; England and Wales 228 |
| Nolwenn | Brittany | Brittonic | Naol (a place) + gwenn, white or blessed | NOL-wen | Girl | |
| Oisín | Ireland | Goidelic | little deer | uh-SHEEN | Boy | Scotland 15; England and Wales 75; Ireland top 5 (#5) |
| Orla | Ireland | Goidelic | golden princess (Órfhlaith) | OR-la | Girl | Scotland 134; Wales #90 (28) |
| Osian | Wales | Brittonic | from Irish Oisín, little deer | OSH-an | Boy | Scotland 3; Wales #10 (114) |
| Owain | Wales | Brittonic | disputed: noble born (Eugenius), or born of sheep | OH-wine | Boy | England and Wales 18 |
| Petroc | Cornwall | Brittonic | a 6th-century Celtic saint | PET-rok | Boy | |
| Piran | Cornwall | Brittonic | Saint Piran, patron of tinners and of Cornwall | PI-ran | Boy | England and Wales 3 |
| Pádraig | Ireland | Goidelic | Latin Patricius, of the patrician class | PAW-drig | Boy | England and Wales 8 |
| Rhiannon | Wales | Brittonic | possibly great queen (Rigantona) | hree-AN-on | Girl | England and Wales 22 |
| Rhodri | Wales | Brittonic | wheel + king | ROD-ree | Boy | England and Wales 36 |
| Rhys | Wales | Brittonic | royal name of Deheubarth | REESE | Boy | Scotland 13; England and Wales 106 |
| Rory | Ireland and Scotland | Goidelic | red king (ruadh + rígh) | ROR-ee | Boy | Scotland 301; Wales #21 (86) |
| Rozenn | Brittany | Brittonic | rose | ROH-zen | Girl | |
| Ruaridh | Scotland | Goidelic | red king | ROO-uh-ree | Boy | Scotland 80; England and Wales 18 |
| Róisín | Ireland | Goidelic | little rose | roh-SHEEN | Girl | Scotland 6; England and Wales 28 |
| Rónán | Ireland and Brittany | Goidelic and Brittonic | little seal | ROH-nan | Boy | Scotland 75; England and Wales 232 |
| Saoirse | Ireland | Goidelic | freedom | SEER-sha | Girl | Scotland 23; England and Wales 102 |
| Seren | Wales | Brittonic | star | SER-en | Girl | Scotland 7; Wales #55 (42) |
| Seán | Ireland | Goidelic | Irish form of John | SHAWN | Boy | Scotland 18; England and Wales 61 |
| Shona | Scotland | Goidelic | a female form of John: God is gracious | SHOH-na | Girl | Scotland 3; England and Wales 3 |
| Sinéad | Ireland | Goidelic | from French Jeanette | shin-AYD | Girl | England and Wales 7 |
| Siobhán | Ireland | Goidelic | from Anglo-Norman Jehane (Joan) | shiv-AWN | Girl | England and Wales 6 |
| Siân | Wales | Brittonic | God’s gracious gift (Welsh Jane) | SHAHN | Girl | England and Wales 8 |
| Soazig | Brittany | Brittonic | little Françoise | SWAH-zig | Girl | |
| Sorcha | Ireland and Scotland | Goidelic | brightness | SOR-uh-ka | Girl | Scotland 10; England and Wales 3 |
| Séamus | Ireland | Goidelic | Irish form of James | SHAY-mus | Boy | Scotland 8; England and Wales 17 |
| Tadhg | Ireland and Scotland | Goidelic | poet, storyteller | TIGE | Boy | Scotland 7; England and Wales 98 |
| Taliesin | Wales | Brittonic | shining brow | tal-YES-in | Boy | England and Wales 15 |
| Tamsin | Cornwall | Brittonic | short form of Thomasina | TAM-sin | Girl | England and Wales 7 |
| Tanguy | Brittany | Brittonic | Tangi: fire + dog | tan-GHEE | Boy | |
| Torquil | Scotland | Goidelic | from Old Norse Þorkell, Thor’s cauldron | TOR-kwil | Boy | |
| Tristan | Cornwall | Brittonic | from Drust, noise; reshaped by trist, sad | TRIS-tan | Boy | Scotland 10; England and Wales 166 |
| Yann | Brittany | Brittonic | Breton form of John | YAN | Boy | England and Wales 3 |
| Youenn | Brittany | Brittonic | from Iwan, a Breton form of Yves | YOO-en | Boy | |
| Áine | Ireland | Goidelic | radiance | AWN-ya | Girl | Scotland 5; England and Wales 17 |
| Éabha | Ireland | Goidelic | the Irish form of Eve | AY-va | Girl | Scotland 3; England and Wales 24; Ireland top 5 (#2) |
FAQ about Celtic names
What are the six Celtic nations?
Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and the Isle of Man. Each has its own Celtic language: Scottish Gaelic, Irish and Manx in the Goidelic branch, and Welsh, Cornish and Breton in the Brittonic branch. Galicia in Spain is sometimes added, but it has no living Celtic language.
What is the most popular Celtic name?
Isla is the most popular girls’ name with Celtic roots in Britain: second in Scotland and fourth in England and Wales in 2025. For boys, Rory leads, third in Scotland and 17th in England and Wales. In Wales, Mali and Osian were the top Welsh-language names, and in Ireland Rían was the top boys’ name.
What is the difference between Gaelic and Celtic names?
Gaelic is one branch of Celtic. Gaelic names come from Irish, Scottish Gaelic or Manx, such as Niamh, Eilidh and Illiam. Celtic also includes the Brittonic branch, Welsh, Cornish and Breton, with names such as Rhiannon, Morwenna and Nolwenn. So every Gaelic name is Celtic, but not every Celtic name is Gaelic.
What are Celtic names for boys?
Popular Celtic boys’ names include Rory, Finlay, Angus, Hamish and Lachlan from Scotland, Oisín, Cian, Fionn and Tadhg from Ireland, Osian, Macsen, Dylan and Rhys from Wales, Tristan and Piran from Cornwall, and Yann, Erwan and Maël from Brittany. Rory is the most widely used across Britain.
What are Celtic names for girls?
Popular Celtic girls’ names include Isla, Eilidh and Mhairi from Scotland, Niamh, Aoife, Saoirse and Fiadh from Ireland, Mali, Ffion, Seren and Rhiannon from Wales, Morwenna and Demelza from Cornwall, and Nolwenn, Rozenn and Enora from Brittany. Isla is the most widely used across Britain.
Final thoughts on Celtic names
If you take one thing from this guide, make it the label. A Celtic name is always from somewhere in particular, and knowing whether it is Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Cornish, Breton or Manx is what turns a pretty sound into a name with a story.
For more of the Scottish side, our guide to things associated with Scotland is a good next stop, and our round-up of the best Scottish islands to visit takes you to the places behind names like Isla and Iona.
Sources
- National Records of Scotland, Babies’ First Names 2025
- ONS, Baby names for girls in England and Wales, 2025 (including Wales tables)
- ONS, Baby names for boys in England and Wales, 2025 (including Wales tables)
- Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025
- Wikipedia, Celtic nations
- Wikipedia, Insular Celtic languages
- Wikipedia, Goidelic languages
- Wikipedia, Brittonic languages
- Wikipedia, Irish name
- Wikipedia, Welsh name
- Wikipédia, Liste de prénoms bretons
- Wikipedia, William (given name), language forms
