Looking for beautiful Celtic dog names to honor your dog’s heritage? While there are thousands to choose from, we’ve narrowed the list down to just over 100. Start with a peek at our top ten favorites for both boys and girls. Then read on for the full list.
Top 10 Best Celtic Dog Names for Boys & Girls
There are several dog breeds that are from Celtic countries, including Irish breeds like Irish Setters and Wheaten Terriers; Scottish breeds like Scottish Deerhounds and Border Collies and Welsh breeds like Welsh Terriers and Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Of course, you don’t have to be the owner of one of these breeds to give your pooch a Celtic dog name! You could do it to honor your own Irish heritage or even just because you really like the way the name sounds!
Celtic Dog names for Males
- Aidan- Aidan is from Irish origin, meaning little and fiery. Aidan Lynch is a character from the 2000 novel- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Lynch is an Irish Wizard who competed in the Quidditch World Cup.
- Bryce– means “the speckled, or freckled, one. There are quite a few athletes named Bryce, making this name perfect for active families or sports fans!
- Caedmon– This one means “brave warrior” and comes from the name of an Irish Saint who was considered the father of modern religious music.
- Conan– Conan is from Irish origin, meaning little wolf, making it the perfect ironic name for an Irish Wolfhound. Conan O’Brien is the first famous person that comes to mind when you hear the name.
- Declan– Declan is from Irish origin, meaning man of prayer. Musician Elvis Costello’s real name is Declan Patrick MacManus.
- Finn- Finn is from Irish origin, meaning fair or white. Finn, played by John Boyega, is a character in the 2015 movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
- Grady– Grady is from Irish origin, meaning noble, illustrious. There are a few sports figures with the first name Grady- Grady Brewer is a professional boxer, Grady Jackson is a former NFL player and Grady Sizemore is a former MLB player.
- Kieran– Kieran is from Irish origin, meaning little dark one. Actor Kieran Culkin is the younger brother of actor, Macaulay Culkin.
- Owen– This name means “young fighter.” Variations in spelling include Owin and Owen. If you’re a fan of Grey’s Anatomy, you know that Owen is a fitting name for a certain handsome doctor on the show!
- Turi– Means “bear,” making it a great name for a large dog (or an ironic name for a small pooch!).
Female Celtic Dog Names
- Brigid- Perhaps one of the most common and well-known Celtic dog names, Brigid means “strong.” There are numerous different ways to spell it, including Bridgette (most common variation) and Brighid.
- Ciara– Ciara is from Irish origin, meaning little dark one. There are several actresses with the first name Ciara- Ciara Bravo, Ciara Hanna and Ciara Renee.
- Eileen– Eileen is of Scottish origin, meaning bright, shining one. There are several actresses with the first name Eileen- Eileen Davidson, Eileen Brennan, Eileen Ryan and Eileen Fulton.
- Elsha- This one means “noble,” making it perfect for your regal pooch!
- Glenda– Glenda is of Welsh origin, meaning fair and good. Glenda has been the name of several storms throughout the years, including Hurricane Glenda in 1969, Tropical Storm Glenda in 1973, and Tropical Cyclone Glenda in 2006.
- Isolde– Means “the fair,” and is also the name of one of the two star-crossed lovers in the tale of “Tristan and Isolde.” Fun fact: Some argue that the story inspired Romeo & Juliet, although the evidence doesn’t really support it.
- Maeve- Maeve is of Irish origin, meaning she who intoxicates. It is also another name for the Faerie Queen more commonly called “Mab.” There are a couple of actresses with the first name Maeve- Maeve Kincaid and Maeve McGuire.
- Nara-This Celtic name simply means “contented,” making it a good choice for a calm and happy breed!
- Shana– Shana is of Gaelic origin, meaning small and wise. There are a few famous folks with the first name Shana- Shana Hiatt is a model, Shana Petrone is a singer and Shana Cox is a field & track athlete.
- Sheena– Sheena is of Irish origin, meaning God is gracious. Sheena Sakai was a contestant on America’s Next Top Model in 2008.
100 Incredible Irish Dog Names to Consider
Since Ireland is the first country that usually comes to mind when we hear the word “Celtic,” let’s focus the rest of this list on some of my favorite Irish names!
50 Irish Girl Dog Names
- Aibhlinn: “Wished-for” or “longed-for”
- Aina: “Joyful”
- Aine: “Radiance” or “splendor”
- Aisling: “Dream” or “vision”
- Alannah: “Dear child” or “darling”
- Aoife: “Beauty” or “radiance”
- Blathnaid: “Little flower”
- Bridget: “Exalted one” or “strength”
- Bronagh: “Sorrowful” or “sad”
- Bronwen: “White breast” or “fair”
- Caoilainn: “Slender” or “fair”
- Caoimhe: “Gentle” or “beautiful”
- Cara: “Friend”
- Cassidy: “Curly-haired”
- Ciara: “Dark-haired” or “black”
- Clodagh: Named after the River Clodagh in Ireland
- Colleen: “Girl” or “young woman”
- Darcy: “Dark one”
- Deirdre: “Sorrowful” or “broken-hearted”
- Eibhlin: “Light” or “beautiful bird”
- Eileen: “Bright” or “shining one”
- Eilis: “God is my oath”
- Emery: “Industrious leader”
- Erin: “Ireland”
- Fiona: “Fair” or “white”
- Freya: “Noble woman” or “lady”
- Grainne: “Grain” or “love”
- Iseult: “Fair lady” or “beautiful”
- Kaleigh: “Slim” or “fair”
- Keeva: “Gentle” or “beautiful” (Variant of Caoimhe)
- Maebh: Variant of “Maeve” meaning “she who intoxicates”
- Maeghan: Variant of “Maeve” meaning “she who intoxicates”
- Maeve: “She who intoxicates” or “queen”
- Mairead: “Pearl”
- Neasa: “Not gentle” or “unfading”
- Niamh: “Bright” or “radiant”
- Niamh: “Bright” or “radiant”
- Nuala: “Fair shoulder” or “white shoulder”
- Orla: “Golden princess”
- Orlaigh: Variant of “Orla” meaning “golden princess”
- Rionach: “Queenly”
- Roisin: “Little rose”
- Sadhbh: “Sweet” or “goodness”
- Saoirse: “Freedom” or “liberty”
- Shannon: Named after the River Shannon in Ireland
- Sinead: “God is gracious”
- Siobhain: Variant of “Siobhan” meaning “God is gracious”
- Siobhan: “God is gracious”
- Sorcha: “Brightness” or “radiance”
- Teagan: “Little poet” or “beautiful”
50 Irish Dog Names for Boys
- Aidan: “Little fire”
- Aodhán: “Little fire” (Variant of Aidan)
- Aonghus: “One strength” or “unique strength”
- Barney: “Son of comfort” or “young warrior”
- Bran: “Raven”
- Brendan: “Prince” or “stinking hair”
- Brian: “High” or “noble”
- Cathal: “Battle ruler” or “strong in battle”
- Cian: “Ancient” or “enduring”
- Cillian: “Little church”
- Colum: “Dove”
- Connor: “Lover of hounds” or “wolf lover”
- Cork: Named after the city/county of Cork in Ireland
- Cormac: “Charioteer” or “son of defilement”
- Daire: “Fruitful” or “fertile”
- Darragh: “Oak” or “fruitful”
- Doyle: “Dark stranger”
- Eamon: “Wealthy protector” or “guardian”
- Eoghan: “Born of the yew tree” or “youth”
- Eoin: “God is gracious” (Irish form of John)
- Fearghal: “Brave” or “valorous”
- Finn: “Fair” or “white”
- Fionn: “Fair” or “white”
- Flynn: “Ruddy” or “descendant of the red-haired one”
- Galway: Named after the city/county of Galway in Ireland
- Guinness: Named after the famous Irish stout
- Hunter: “One who hunts”
- Killian: “Little church” (Variant of Cillian)
- Liam: “Strong-willed warrior” or “protector”
- Limerick: Named after the city/county of Limerick in Ireland
- Lucky: “Fortunate” or “bringer of luck”
- Lugh: “Light” or “brightness”
- Niall: “Champion” or “cloud”
- Oisín: “Little deer”
- Ollie: “Olive tree” or “ancestor’s descendant” (short for Oliver)
- Orin: “Pine tree” or “fair, pale”
- Oscar: “Deer lover” or “friend of deer”
- Owen: “Noble-born” or “young warrior”
- Padraic: “Nobleman” (Variant of Patrick)
- Pádraig: “Nobleman” (Irish form of Patrick)
- Patrick: “Nobleman” or “patrician”
- Phelim: “Ever good” or “constant”
- Rian: “Little king” (Variant of Ryan)
- Ronan: “Little seal”
- Ruairí: “Red king”
- Ryan: “Little king”
- Shane: “God is gracious” (Irish form of John)
- Sullivan: “Dark-eyed” or “hawk-eyed”
- Tadhg: “Poet” or “philosopher”
- Tristan: “Tumult” or “outcry”
As I said, there are a ton of really beautiful Celtic dog names for both boys and girls. These are just a few of our top 20 favorites, chosen mostly because they are relatively simple to pronounce (something that is important during basic dog training).
