Searching for a name with Celtic heritage for your new baby? We've compiled a brilliant list of names for both boys and girls that have their roots in old Welsh, Irish, Scottish, Breton, Manx and Cornish cultures, languages and dialects to help inspire you.
- Hollie Bond
Published: August 28, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Do you have Celtic ancestors and want your new baby to have a name that reflects your heritage? Or perhaps you just love the mythical and melodic sound of Celtic names? Well, you've come to the right place, because we've compiled a list of 120 of the most beautiful Celtic names for both boys and girls. Drawing inspiration from Celtic languages such as Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Breton, Irish, Cornish and Manx, the names in this list originally come from the European tribes who settled in the British Isles as far back as the 4th Century BC, so have a lot of history attached to them.
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We know that choosing a name for your new baby is a tricky task. So we've done some of the hard work for you and in our list you'll find gorgeous well-known names such as Erin and Jack, if you want to be traditional, as well as much rarer Celtic names such as Athdara and Braden, if you like to be a bit different. We've also included all their meanings too to help you make that final exciting baby name decision. Looking for more inspiration? Discover our English baby names for boys and girls with quintessential English charm including the best traditional, common and unique names.
Here is our list of the best Celtic baby names to help inspire you...
Celtic names for boys | Celtic names for girls | Old Celtic names | Unique and rare Celtic names
Celtic names for boys
Some of the UK's most popular baby boy names have Celtic roots so you'll find some very well-known options in this list such as Jack and Arthur. Some of the more unusual Celtic boy names are a little harder to pronounce or spell, especially those with Welsh or Irish roots, but once you've mastered them, they're extremely beautiful and enjoyable to say. Whichever name you choose for your baby boy from this list, you can be sure it'll be steeped in history and have a fabulous meaning to match.
1. Aidan
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- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: small fire
- Also: Aiden, Edan
2. Alan
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: handsome or little rock
- Also: Allan, Allen, Alun, Alain
3. Arthur
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: bear
4. Baird
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: minstrel or poet
5. Bairrfhionn (bar-fyun)
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: marksman
6. Bram
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: raven
7. Brian
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: strong
- Also: Bryan, Brien and Brion
8. Bryce
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: speckled or freckled
9. Bryn
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: a hill
10. Caden
- Origin: Gaelic, Scottish, Irish
- Meaning: friend, companion
11. Cairbre (kar-bruh)
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: chariot driver
12. Carmichael
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: Michael’s fort
13. Chad
- Origin: British Celtic
- Meaning: after the African country
14. Denzel
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: stronghold
- Also: Denzil and Denzell
15. Desmond
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: one from South Munster
16. Duncan
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: brown
17. Dylan
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: son of the sea
18. Finlo
- Origin: Celtic, Manx
- Meaning: white, blessed champion
19. Finn
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: fair
20. Gavin
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: white hawk
21. Gordon
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: great hill
22. Graham
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: gray homestead
23. Hamish
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: supplanter; the Gaelic form of James
24. Ian
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Also: Iain
25. Jack
- Origin: English/ Celtic
- Meaning: healthy, strong
26. Jago
- Origin: Cornish
- Meaning: supplanter, beauty
27. Kane
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: warrior
28. Llŷr
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: the sea
29. Lowen
- Origin: Cornish
- Meaning: happy, joyful
30. Maddox
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: fortunate, good
31. Niall
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: champion
- Also: Nile
32. Owen
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: young warrior
33. Patrick/ Padraig
- Origin: Celtic/ Latin
- Meaning: a nobleman
34. Quinn
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: counsel
35. Reagan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: royal
- Also: Regan
36. Rhys
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: temper
- Also: Reece
37. Riordan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: royal poet
38. Rory
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: red king
39. Rowan
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: little redhead
40. Sean
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: god is gracious; Irish form of John
- Also: Seann
41. Tristan
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: bold or noise
Celtic names for girls
Celtic baby names are often beautiful and whimsical sounding so are a perfect choice if you want something pretty for your little girl. Many Celtic girl names have really gorgeous meanings too, such as 'daughter of the sea' and 'beautiful girl'. You'll recognise some of the names in this list as being used for baby girls for centuries, like Enid and Maeve, while others sound more modern even though they have ancient origins.
42. Avalon
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: island of apples
43. Brenda
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: blade of a sword
44. Brett
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: from Brittany
45. Brienne
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: high, exalted, strong
46. Brianna
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: noble, exalted
47. Caitlin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: pure
48. Cordelia
- Girl name
- Origin: Latin/Celtic
- Meaning: heart, daughter of the sea
49. Devon
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: poet, fawn, defender or after the English county
50. Efa
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: alive
51. Eithne
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: kernel of a nut
52. Elowen
- Origin: Cornish
- Meaning: elm tree
53. Enid
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: spirit, life
54. Erin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: Ireland
55. Fenella
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: fair-shouldered
- Also: Fenna, Fen
56. Fiona
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: white, fair
57. Fionnula
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: white shoulder, fair
58. Gwyneth
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: happiness
59. Imogen
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: maiden
- Trend: moving down
60. Iona
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: after the island in the Hebrides
61. Keely
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: beautiful girl
62. Kendall
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: exalted, high
63. Kiera
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: dark
- Also: Ciara
64. Kyla
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: narrow spit of land
65. Kylie
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: beautiful, graceful
66. Maeve
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: intoxicating, she who rules
67. Marged
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: pearl
68. Morgan
- Origin: Welsh/ Breton
- Meaning: White Sea dweller
69. Nerys
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: lady
70. Niamh (neev)
- Origin: Old Irish
- Meaning: bright, radiant
71. Olwen
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: white footprint
72. Rhiannon
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: great queen, goddess
73. Roisin
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little rose
74. Rowena
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: fame and happiness
75. Sabrina
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: river goddess, 'from the river Severn'
76. Sadhbh (sigh-ve)
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: sweet, lovely
77. Saoirse
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: freedom
78. Seren
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: star
79. Shannon
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: wise river
80. Siobhan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: God’s grace
81. Teagan
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: little poet, beautiful, creative
- Also: Teghan, Teghann, Teagen
82. Yuna
- Origin: Breton
- Meaning: desired
Old Celtic names
You have to go back a long way in history to find really old Celtic baby names and many are associated with famous historical events and myths and legends passed down through families. You'll find strong names in this list with brilliant stories that will stand out on any school register – Boudicca and Guinevere for example!
83. Aine
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: radiance
- Girl
84. Alastriona
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: defends mankind
- Girl
85. Angus
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: one choice
- Boy
86. Boudicca
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: victory
- Girl
87. Bronwen
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: white breast
- Girl
88. Cerridwen
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: fair; blessed poetry
- Girl
89. Cormac
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning charioteer
- Also: Cormack and Cormick
- Boy
90. Etain
- Origin: Old Irish
- Meaning passion
- Girl
91. Fergus
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: strong man
- Boy
92. Genevieve
- Origin: French/ Celtic
- Meaning: family woman
- Girl
93. Guinevere
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: white fairy
- Girl
94. Gwendolyn
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: white circle
- Girl
95. Isolde
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: fair lady
- Girl
96. Joyce
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: cheerful, merry
- Girl
97. Meredith
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: great ruler
- Girl
98. Mervin
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: great lord
- Boy
99. Morwenna
- Origin: Cornish
- Meaning: fair maiden
- Girl
100. Una
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: lamb
- Girl
Unique and rare Celtic baby names
The Celtic boy and girl names in this list are unique choices that you may never have heard before. However, with their Celtic language links, they have beautiful sounds and many have roots in fantasy stories, so have a magical and ethereal air to them. Choosing one of these names will help your little one stand out and give them a cool, one-of-a-kind name that they'll be very proud of as they grow up.
101. Athdara
- Origin: Scottish/Celtic
- Meaning: from the oak tree ford
- Girl
102. Binnie
- Origin: Scottish/Celtic
- Meaning: crib; wicker basket
- Girl
103. Blaine
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: bright, bubbly
- Girl
104. Braden
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: salmon
- Boy
105. Brieg
- Origin: Scottish/Celtic
- Meaning: esteem
- Boy
106. Caractacus
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: loved, dear friend; name of 1st-century British chieftain
- Boy
107. Enora
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: honour
- Girl
108. Ianto
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: gift of god
- Boy
109. Igraine
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: maiden
- Girl
110. Laisren
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: flame
- Boy
111. Liadain
- Origin: Old Irish
- Meaning: grey lady
- Girl
112. Merle
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: bright sea
- Girl
115. Neven
- Origin: Scottish/ Irish
- Meaning: little saint
- Girl
116. Nimue
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: lady of the lake
- Girl
117. Oighrig
- Origin: Scottish Gaelic/Celtic
- Meaning: well-spoken/speckled one
- Girl
118. Onóra
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: honor
- Girl
119. Rosslyn
- Origin: Scottish/Celtic
- Meaning: promontory
- Girl
120. Ysella
- Origin: Cornish
- Meaning: modest
- Girl name
Pics: Getty
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