Irish Dog Names and Meanings: 200+ Traditional Names from Éire

The beautiful country of Ireland has produced some of the world’s most beautiful human names, many of which are perfect dog names!

If your dog has Irish roots, or you own an Irish breed, such as an ‘Wolfhound’ or ‘Terrier’, then our list might contain the perfect Irish dog name to match your dog’s heritage!

Below we have a list of over 200 traditional, unusual and unique Irish dog names with their meanings; including names relating Éire’s scenic views, and powerful names inspired by Irish warriors and legends!

We also decided to include some monikers and words associated with Ireland, such as famous landmarks, cities and folkloric creatures, to provide you with more inspiration when looking to find the choice for your perfect pet!

We hope you enjoy exploring our ideas and good luck with finding a title for your special pooch…

Irish Dog Names and Meanings

• Adara – ‘from the ford near the oak tree’
• Aguistin – ‘one who possesses majestic dignity and grandeur’
• Ahana – ‘one from the small ford’
• Aidan – ‘small’ and ‘fiery’
• Aileen – ‘light’
• Ailey – a beautiful title meaning ‘light’
• Aili – also ‘light’
• Ailin – ‘noble one’
• Aine – ‘ardent’
• Aisling – a classic Irish name ‘vision’
• Alaina – ‘beautiful’ and ‘fair’
• Alaine – ‘beautiful child’
• Alani – ‘dear and precious child’
• Alayna – ‘dear and lovely child’
• Alma – ‘one who is good’
• Alvy – ‘olive’
• Amery – ‘ridge’
• Anlon – ‘victor’ and ‘champion’
• Annabla – an Irish version of the namesake ‘Annabelle’, ‘loveable one’
• Aoife – derived from the Gaelic ‘aoibh’ ‘beauty’, this moniker is pronounced ‘Eefah’
• Ardal – ‘intelligent and noble one’, add an ‘A’ to the end of this choice for a female dog
• Artegal – ‘honorable one’, this could be shortened to ‘Arty’
• Assana – a beautiful choice meaning ‘waterfall’
• Bailey – after ‘Baileys Irish Cream’ – one of the most traditional Irish Dog Names
• Barrington – ‘fair-haired’
• Beacan – ‘one who is small and sweet’
• Beamard – ‘one who is courageous like a bear’
• Bidelia – a powerful name meaning ‘strength’
• Bono – after the famous musician from Ireland
• Boxty – after the Irish pancake, loved by many Irish people
• Brad – short for ‘Braddon’, ‘salmon’
• Brady – a Gaelic phrase ‘pretty little one’
• Breck – ‘freckled’
• Breen – ‘sadness’, a beautiful moniker with a melancholy
• Breena – ‘fairy palace’
• Bria – ‘hill’
• Bridget – ‘strength’ and ‘power’
• Brielle – a beautiful title for a female dog meaning ‘hill’
• Brody – ‘from the muddy place’, a great choice for a dog who loves to get muddy!
• Brosnan – after Irish actor and James Bond star ‘Pierce Brosnan’
• Bryna – ‘strong and powerful one’
• Cacey – ‘vigilant’
• Cadee – one of the most beautiful female Irish Dog Names meaning ‘rhythmic flow of sounds’
• Caley – ‘slim’ and ‘slender’, perfect for a dog with long legs!
• Callaghan – ‘strife’
• Carey – ‘near the castle’
• Carlin – ‘small victor’
• Case – short for ‘Casey’, ‘vigorous one’
• Casey – another version of ‘Acacia’
• Cash – short for ‘Cashel’
• Cashel – after the cluster of rocky ruins known as the ‘Rock of Cashel’
• Cassian – ‘one with curly hair’, a great choice for a curly-haired dog, like a Poodle!
• Cassidy – meaning ‘intelligent’, can be shortened to ‘Cass’ or ‘Cassie’
• Catlee – ‘pure’
• Channe – ‘young wolf’
• Charm – due to Ireland’s association with charms and luck!
• Cian – ‘ancient’
• Ciara – ‘one with dark hair’, perfect for an Irish dog with beautiful and shiny black fur
• Cillian – made famous by Peaky Blinders actor ‘Cillian Murphy’
• Cleonie – a cute moniker after the Greek daughter of a river god
• Colleen – ‘girl’, from the Gaelic title ‘Cailin’
• Conall – ‘strong’ and ‘mighty’
• Connor – derived from the Gaelic namesake ‘Conchobar’
• Corey – ‘from the hollow’
• Corin – a fierce title meaning ‘spear-bearer’
• Cork – after the Southern Irish city
• Cowan – ‘twin’
• Cronan – ‘one who is small and dark’
• Daegan – ‘one with black hair’
• Dagda – a powerful creature from Irish folklore
• Daire – ‘dark oak’
• Darby – ‘one who is free’
• Darcy – ‘dark one’
• Darick – ‘strong-hearted’
• Declan – ‘one who is full of goodness’
• Deidra – ‘melancholy’
• Delaney – or ‘Del’ for short
• Dempsey – ‘proud’
• Dermod – ‘free man’
• Dermot – ‘one who is free’
• Derval – ‘true desire’
• Dillon – ‘faithful’
• Donegal – after the northern Irish city, making this one of the best historic Irish Dog Names
• Driscol – ‘messenger’
• Duane – a cool dog name meaning ‘little’ and ‘dark’
• Dublin – after the capital of Ireland
• Eagan – ‘fiery’
• Eavan – ‘beautiful’ and ‘fair’
• Eila – a form of the name ‘Evelyn’, which would also make a lovely dog name!
• Elva – ‘Elfin’
• Elvinia – ‘Irish’
• Emerald – this gorgeous green color is often associated with Ireland
• Ennis – after the Irish county of Clare
• Enya – after Irish singer and musician ‘Enya Brennan’
• Erin – a beautiful name for an Irish dog meaning ‘peace’
• Etain – ‘little fire’
• Eveleen – ‘little eve’
• Evin – ‘swift’, the perfect choice for a dog who loves to run!
• Fachnan – after Kilfenora’s first bishop ‘Saint Fachnan’
• Faiion – ‘one who rules’, a great title for a dog who rules the roost!
• Fallon – a unisex title which means ‘one who is in charge’
• Farran – a unisex name for ‘adventurous’
• Farrel – ‘brave champion’
• Farrell – after Irish actor ‘Colin Farrell’
• Fassbender – after ‘Michael Fassbender’, the German and Irish actor
• Fay – ‘Raven’, perfect for a dog with dark fur
• Fiannan – ‘ruddy’
• Finnegan – an Irish surname which also makes for a fun Irish Dog name
• Finola – ‘white shoulders’
• Fiona – a cute name ‘fair’, which can be shortened to ‘Fi’ or ‘Fifi’
• Flanagan – ‘ruddy’
• Flanna – ‘one with red hair’
• Flynn – the name of the Disney hero from ‘Tangled’
• Forba – ‘headstrong and determined’
• Gael – ‘stranger’
• Gael – short for ‘Gaelic’, a language that originated in Ireland
• Galen – ‘calm’ and ‘peaceful’
• Gallagher – a surname ‘one who is eager to help’, made famous by the Gallagher brothers and musicians
• Galway – after the Irish city located in the West of Ireland
• Gillian – the female version of ‘Julian’
• Gorman – ‘blue’
• Griffin – an Irish surname
• Guinness – after the renowned Irish stout, brewed in Dublin
• Hagan – ‘youthful’
• Haley – ‘one who possesses ingenuity’
• Harkin – after the dark red color
• Ian – the Gaelic version of ‘John’
• Inis – ‘island’
• Izod – a cool and unique Irish dog name meaning ‘fair-haired’
• Jana – a cute option meaning ‘god is gracious’
• Kady – ‘a rhythmic flow of sound’
• Keith – ‘forest’
• Kennedy – ‘one with a misshapen head’
• Kera – ‘dark’ and ‘dusky’
• Kerry – ‘dark princess’
• Kevin – ‘handsome’
• Kiana – ‘ancient’
• Leprechaun – after the elf-like mythical creature from Irish folklore
• Liam – ‘one who protects and is strong’
• Lil – after an Irish saint
• Limerick – after the Irish city located in the Province of Munster
• Lorcan – ‘one who is small and wild’
• Mada – an Irish abbreviation of ‘Matilda’
• Maeve – after the Irish warrior king, ‘intoxicating’
• Maire – the Irish version of ‘Mary’
• Malone – an Irish surname
• Meara – ‘happy’ and ‘content’
• Mirna – ‘tender’
• Molly – meaning ‘bitter’, although not wholly positive, it is still an adorable name!
• Moncha – ‘alone’
• Murphy – ‘sea warrior’
• Murray – ‘one who rules over the seas’
• Nainsi – the Gaelic version of ‘Nancy’ which means ‘gracious one’
• Neala – a cute option which means ‘champion’
• Neeson – after Irish actor ‘Liam Neeson’
• Neve – a different spelling of ‘Niamh’, ‘one who is radiant and bright’
• Nevyn – ‘holy one’
• Niall – ‘one who is passionate’ and ‘one who succeeds’
• Nolan – ‘famous’ and ‘noble’
• Nolen – ‘famous’
• Ona – ‘one’, perfect for a dog who is your number one!
• Orla – ‘golden and radiant princess’
• Orna – ‘little green one’
• Oscar – ‘friend of deers’
• Patrick – after ‘St. Patrick’s Day’, a national holiday celebrated in Ireland, you could call your dog ‘Paddy’ for short!
• Peggy – a nickname for the name ‘Margaret’
• Phelan – ‘one who is full of joy’
• Potato – one of the funniest Irish Dog Names for a potato shape dog!
• Puca – after the shapeshifting character from Celtic folklore, ‘goblin’
• Quigley – ‘one with unruly hair’
• Quinn – ‘intelligent’ and ‘wise’
• Rainbow – due to the Irish association with a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
• Reagan – ‘little king or ruler’
• Renny – ‘charming one’
• Riley – ‘brave’ and ‘courageous’
• Roisin – ‘small and beautiful rose’
• Ronan – ‘little seal’
• Rory – ‘red’, after Ireland’s last high king ‘Rory O’Connor’
• Rosalyn – ‘beautiful rose’
• Ryan – ‘one with kingly qualities’
• Saoirse – after Irish actress ‘Saoirse Ronan’
• Sean – a traditional Irish dog name
• Shamrock – after Ireland’s national symbol of the green plant
• Shane – a different version of ‘Sean’
• Shannon – a unisex choice which can mean ‘old’ or ‘wise’
• Shawn – the feminine spelling of ‘Sean’
• Shay – ‘one who is courteous’
• Shayan – another version of ‘Shea’ which is ideal for a brave dog
• Shea – ‘one who is majestic like a hawk’
• Sheena – ‘god is gracious’
• Sheila – a variant of the beautiful moniker ‘Cecelia’
• Sinead – a traditional choice meaning ‘god’s gift’
• Siobhan – ‘god is gracious’
• Sullivan – ‘one with dark eyes’
• Sun – ‘one who comes from a town by the Boyn river’
• Sybil – ‘prophetess’
• Tag – ‘handsome one’
• Teagan – ‘little poet’
• Tier – another title based on ‘Theobald’
• Tierney – ‘one who is descended from a lord’
• Tiffany – ‘regal’ and ‘lordly’, the shortened version of ‘Tiff’
• Van Morrison – after Irish music legend ‘Sir Van Morrison’

Summary

That concludes our list of Irish dog names.

We really hope you have had a great time reading through all of the options and choosing your favorite!

Whether it was the fierce ‘Forba’, the adorable ‘Ronan’, or the beautiful ‘Eila’ that caught your eye, we hope you found the special title you were looking for.

We believe dogs are some of the world’s most incredible pets because of their loveable personalities that have won the hearts of so many of us!

Dogs therefore deserve the best names possible, and we hope that the perfect one is in the list above.

If you have any more ideas, or decided to use one of these monikers please leave them in the comments below.