Caeoimhin - (kwee-veen?) "gentle". Caemgen.

Cahan - derived from cath "battle" or "warrior".

Cailean - (KAL-lan)(Gael) from Gaelic word for "child". Cailan, Colin.

Cairbre - (KAHR-bre or KAHR-bruh) "charioteer". First legendary Sons of Mil to settle in Ireland. Two noted saints by this name: Bishop of Assaroe and Bishop of Moville. Carbry.

Cairell - (KAHR-el or KAIR-el?) name of several Irish saints. Carroll?.

Cairpre - (KAIR-pre) the legendary Cairpre was the chief bard of the Tuatha De Danann and son of the god Ogma. Cairpre Liffechair wiped out the Fianna at the battle of Gabhra where he killed Fionn's grandson.

Calbhach - (KAHL-vach?) from the word meaning "bald".

Caley - (KAY-lee) "slender"; alternate Irish form of Caleb.

Calhoun - (KAHL-hoon) "warrior" or "narrow woods". Coillcumhann, Colquhoun.

Callough - (KAHL-uh) "bald". Calvagh, Calbhach (KAHL-ahkh).

Caoilte - (KWEEL-te) In legend, Cailte was a member of Finn mac Cumaill's warrior band. In medieval tale Colloquy of the Ancients, Cailte returned from the otherworld to tell St. Patrick stories of Finn and other heros of old pagan Ireland. Cailte.

Caoimhin - (kwee-VEEN) Old Irish Caemgen: caem "gentle" or "beautiful" + gein "birth". 7th C. St. Caemgen established the monastery at Glendalough in County Wicklow. Anglicized as Kevin. Caoimhghin, Kevin, Kevan.

Caol�n - (KWEE-lahn) "slender". Kealan, Kelan.

Caolfionn - (Keel-in) from the noun caol meaning "the slender one" + the adjective fionn meaning "fair haired". The masculine noun comes first and no alteration is required and in the Ulster dialect, the "f" naturally elides out to give an approximate pronunciation of Keelin.

Carlin - (kar-lin)(Gael) "little champion". Carley, Carlie, Carling.

Carlus - (OFr) "full-grown, manly".

Carney - (kar-nee)(Celt) "warrior" or "victorious". Cearnach, Kearn, Karney, Kearney, Car.

Carrick - "rock" or "dweller of the rocky cape". Caroq, Carraig.

Carroll - (Gael) "champion". Carly, Carolus, Cairell(?).

Casey - (kay-see) "brave".

Cass - (KAHS) from Old Irish cas "curly". Popular name in early Ireland. Name of a legendary ancestor of the O'Briens, MacNamaras and O'Gradys.

Cassidy - (kass-ih-dee)(Gael) from a word meaning "clever"; or "curly hair".

Cathal - (KOH-hal, KA-hal or KOH-al) "strong in battle, battle-mighty". from Old Irish cath "battle". Popular in the Middle Ages. Cathal Crobderg (Red-Handed Cathal) was a king of Connacht in the 13th C. Traditonal in the MacManus, Maguire and MacDonagh families. Cahal (KA-hal).

Cathbad - (kah-bad?) legendary name of the druid and son of Conchobar mac Nessa who prophesied Cu Chulainn's warrior valor and the sorrow that Deirdriu would cause Conchobar of Ulster.

Cathaoir - (KAH-heer)(Celt) "battle lord" or "warrior". Cathair (KA-heer).

Cavan - "handsome". From Caoimhin. Cavin.

Ceallach - (KAL-ak?) "bright-headed". Cellach, Kelly.

Ceallachan - (KAL-a-kawn) Meaning uncertain: may mean "someone who frequents churches" or "someone who is warlike". Name of a 10th C. king, and a saint. Anglicized as Callaghan.

Cearbhall - (KAHR-e-val or KEE-a-ruhl) "full-grown, manly"; from Old Irish name Cerball or Cerbhall. Name of early kings of Ossory and Leinster; traditional among O'Dalys. Cearbhall O Dalaigh was a president of the Irish Republic; anglicized as Carroll.

Cecil - (see-sill)(L) "blind". Siseal (SEE-sil).

Cedric - (sed-rick)(Celt) "chieftain".

Chad - (Celt) "defender".

Chullain - (KUHL-in) a mythic name coming from Cu Chullain.

Cian - (KEEN or KEE-an) from Old Irish cian "ancient, enduring". In legend, Cian was the son of Dian Cecht, god of healing of the Tuatha De Danaan. Also the father of the hero Lugh. Cianan (KEE-nahn, C�in, Cain, Kian, Kioan, Keon, Kean.

Cian�n - (KEE-nahn) dim. of Cian. Kienan, Kenan.

Ciaran - (KEER-an) from Old Irish ciar "dark" + dim. suffix -an. 6th C. St. Ciaran founded the monastery on Clonmacnoise. Kieran.

Ciarrai - (KEH-ehr-ree) masculine version of the Irish County Kerry.

Cillian - (KEEL-yan) "war or strife"; variant of Ceallach. Keallach, Killian.

Cinaed - "handsome". Irish form of Kenneth. Kennet.

Cinn�ide - (kih-NEH-juh) "helmeted-head". Kennedy.

Clancy - "red-headed fighter".

Cleary - derived from a word meaning "learned".

Cluny - (kloo-nee) from a word meaning "meadow".

Coinneach - (KUH-nukh or KI-nek) from Old Irish name Cainnech, from cain "good, beautiful" or "fair one". 6th C. St. Cainnech founded monasteries in Scotland and Ireland, including Aghaboe in County Laois. The city of Kilkenny takes its name from him. Anglicized as Kenneth. Canice, Kenny.

Coireall - (kohr-EE-ahl)(Gr) "lord". Kerrill, Cyril.

Colin - "victor". Collin, Cailan, Cailean, CHulainn, Culin.

Colla - an ancient Irish name.

Colm - (KUHL-uhm) from Latin columba "dove". 6th C. St. Colm Cille (Columba) "dove of the church" is one of the most important Irish saints, with Patrick and Brigid. Born in Donegal to a branch of the royal Ui Neill clan, Colm Cille was banished to Scotland for allegedly copying a book without its owner's permission. Founded the monastery on Iona and converted pagan kings of Scotland to Christianity. Colum, Columba, Colman.

Colman - (KOHL-mawn) Dim. of Colm. In early records, there were more than 200 Irish saints by this name. Given name of St. Columbanus (c. 543-615), who founded several of most renowned monasteries in Eurpose, including Luxeuil in France and Bobbio in Italy.

Com�n - (KOH-mahn) "bent".

Comhghall - (KOH-gahn or CO-en) "fellow hostage".

Comhghan - (KOH-gahn, or CO-en) "twin". Cowen.

Conaire - (KAW-ni-re) Ancient Irish name, poss. from cu (con) "wolf, hound" + aire "farmer, landowner". Conor, Conroy, Conlan ("hero").

Conall - (KAW-nal) "strong as a wolf" or "high-might"; from Old Irish cu (con) "hound, wolf". Conall Cernach was a legendary hero of Ulster. Conall Gulban was the great-grandfater of St. Colm Cille and the ancestor of the O'Donnells, O'Gallaghers, and O'Dohertys. Connell.

Con�n - (KOH-nawn) from Celtic cuno "great, high"; "hound, wolf" or "wisdom"; "wisdom, intelligent". Of legend, Conan mac Morna was a member of Finn mac Cumaill's band. Six Irish saints also of this name. Conann, Conn.

Conary - (KOH-ner-ee) ancient Irish name. Conaire.

Conchobhar - (KON-kho-var or KROO-ar) derived from cu "hound, wolf" + cobar "desiring" = "wolf-lover" or "lover of hounds"; "high will, desire". Conchobhar, Conor, Connor, Conny, Cornelius.

Conlaed - (kon-lee?) derived from connla "prudent, chaste" + aed "fire". Conlaodh.

Conlaoch - (KON-la) son of Cu Chulainn and Aoife.

Conleth, Conley - (KAWN-lay, KOHN-leth) from old and rare name Conlaed. Most famous bearer Conlaed, a 6th C. bishop of Kildare, head of school of manuscript illumination there.

Conn - (KOHN) Ancient Irish name, poss. derived from cu (con) "hound, wolf"; "reason, intelligence". Conn Cethchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles) was a high king of Ireland in legend. Claimed as an ancestor by the O'Connors, O'Donnells, O'Dowds, O'Flahertys, O'Neills, and O'Rourkes. Cuinn (KWIN), Con.

Connacht - (kon-nocked or kon-naht) from the Irish County of the same name and spelling.

Connla - "son of Conn". Conlaoch.

Connlaoi - (kon-lee?) "chaste fire". Conley, Conleth, Connolly.

Connor - (KAW-nor) from Old Irish Conchobar: cu (con) "hound, wolf" + cobar "desiring"'; "wolf-lover". In Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley, Conchobar mac Nessa was king of Ulster. Modern Irish form Conor, Conchobhar (KROO-ar).

Conor - "wise aid"; form of Connor.

Conri - (KAWN-ree) from Old Irish cu (con) "hound, wolf" + ri "king". An early recorded men's name. Conroy.

Conroy - (Celt) "wise man". Conn.

Conway - (Gael) "hound of the plain".

Corcoran - (kor-kor-ahn) "ruddy", "red" or "of reddish complexion". Corc.

Corey - (kohr-ee) "raven", "from the hollow" or "helmet". Cori, Cory.

Cormac - (KAWR-mak) from corbaid "defile" + mac "son"; or "charioteer". Cormac mac Airt was a legendary high king of Ireland, ancestor of the O'Neills. Also the name of many kings, bishops and saints.

Corrigan - from a word meaning "spearman". Corey, Corrin.

Cosgrove - (koz-grohv) derived from a word meaning "victor" or "champion".

Cowan - (kow-an) possibly "hillside hollow".

Coyle - (KOYL) derived from a word meaning "leader in battle".

Craiftine - (krayf-teen?) harper to Labraid Longseach; his harp was made of wood that had retained a secret about the king.

Craig - (KREG or KRAYG) "a steep rock", "crag" or "from near the crag". Craigen.

Credne - (kred-nee?) a bronzesmith god of the Tuatha De Danann and one of the triad of smiths. He helped Dian Cecht make the silver arm for Nuada.

Criofan - (KREE-fan) from Old Irish name Criomhthann (CROH-an or CRONE) old, rare name meaning "a fox".
Crimthan was common among the Kavanaghs of Leinster. First name of St. Columcille; St. Criomhthann's feast day is May 23. Crimthann was the name of ten of Finn mac Cumhaill's warriors, and of one St. Crimthann/Criomhthann. Crimthan, Crimthann, Crimathann.

Cr�ost�ir - (KRIS-ter)(Gr) "Christ-bearer"; version of Christopher. Criostal (Scotland & N. Ireland).

Crofton - "a small town with little houses and fields".

Cu Chulainn - (KOO KUHL-in) Name of the hero of the early Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley. Cu Chulainn's birth name was Setanta, and was given his adult name after he killed a watch dog of the smith, Culann. He then assumed the dog's place and duties and was renamed Cu Chulainn "hound of Culann". Other early names that begin with cu are Cu Maige (Hound of the Plain); Cu Mara (Hound of the Sea); and Cu Coigriche (Hound of the Border). Cu was a common title of Celtic chieftains.

Cu Roi - (KOO REE/ROY?) name of a king of Munster, Cu Roi mac Daire; he had great Otherworld powers. Because his wife, Blanaid, loved Cu Chulainn, she helped kill Cu Roi.

C� Uladh - (koo-ULL-uh) "hound of Ulster". Cooley, Cullo, Cooey, Covey.

Cuirithir - a poet who loved a woman Liadin, but she refused to marry him and became a nun.

Culann - variant of Cu Chulainn. Cu Chulainn served the chief Culann in payment for killing his dog. Culin.

Culley - possibly "woods".

C�mhe� - (kuhm-EH) "hound of the plains". Cooey, Cuulagh, Cooley, Cullo, Covey.

Cunningham - possibly "village of the milk pail".

Curran - (Gael) derived from a word for "hero". Currey, Curr, Curney.

Curry - "a marsh or an herb".