The best Irish dog names are real Irish words with a meaning behind them. Try Cú (koo, hound), Laoch (leekh, hero), Réalta (RAYL-tuh, star) or Bláth (blaw, flower). Myth gives you Bran and Sceólang, Fionn’s hounds. Pub fans go for Guinness or Tayto. Below are 120+ names with meanings and a rough guide to saying them.
I love hearing from you all each week through the Weekly Dose of Irish. Funny stories, questions, a bit of craic. Then one week a subscriber called Erin sent me this:
“Love it, thank you, Stephen!!! Getting my first dog shortly and her name?? Shillelagh ☘️”
How good is that? A shillelagh is the Irish blackthorn stick, a walking stick that doubles as a weapon. It’s a strong name for any pup.
That got me thinking. There are so many brilliant Irish dog names to choose from. So I’ve gathered over 120 Irish and Gaelic dog names. The Irish words here are checked against Ó Dónaill’s Irish-English dictionary on teanglann.ie.
Dogs Trust Ireland’s 2025 Dog Census found Ireland’s favourite dog names were Luna, Bailey, Bella, Daisy and Charlie. Not an Irish name among them. We can do better.
A red-coated pup, all set for a good Irish name
Jump to:
- A quick word on saying them
- Irish words for dog
- Irish dog names for boys (male dogs)
- Irish dog names for girls (female dogs)
- Names from nature
- Names for the colour of the coat
- Pet names and lucky names
- Names from myth and legend
- Names for wolfhounds, setters and other big dogs
- Irish place names for dogs
- Pub, drink and food names
- Famous Irish dogs, people and characters
- Ireland’s nine native dog breeds
- Irish dog names FAQ
- More Irish names and words
A quick word on saying them
The “say it” column in each table is a rough guide in plain English. Irish sounds change between Munster, Connacht and Ulster, so you’ll hear different versions.
“Kh” is the throaty sound in “loch”. Teanglann.ie has free audio in all three dialects.
Irish words have grammatical gender, but that has nothing to do with your dog. Any name below works for a boy or a girl.
Irish words for dog
Gaelic dog names start with the word for dog itself. Irish has several, and every one would make a decent name.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Madra | MOD-ruh | dog, the everyday word |
| Cú | koo | hound, greyhound |
| Gadhar | GY-ur | hunting dog, harrier, beagle |
| Coileán | kil-AWN | pup |
| Peata | PAT-uh | pet |
| Madra Rua | MOD-ruh ROO-uh | fox, literally “red dog” |
There’s an old proverb too: “Mar a bhíos an cú mór bíonn an coileán.” As the big hound is, so is the pup. Like father, like son.
Irish dog names for boys (male dogs)
These suit a dog with a bit of swagger.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Laoch | leekh | warrior, hero |
| Gaiscíoch | GASH-kee-ukh | warrior, hero; also “boaster”, so ideal for an armchair hero |
| Cróga | KROH-guh | brave, lively |
| Dána | DAW-nuh | bold, daring |
| Rí | ree | king |
| Tiarna | TEER-nuh | lord |
| Rógaire | ROH-ger-eh | rogue |
| Broc | bruck | badger; also a short, thick-set person |
| Fiach | FEE-ukh | raven |
| Bua | BOO-uh | victory |
| Óg | ohg | young |
| Glic | glick | clever, crafty |
| Peadar | PAD-er | the Irish form of Peter |
| Darragh | DAR-uh | usually linked to dair, “oak” |
| Paddy | PAD-ee | short for Patrick; for a dog who loves a party |
Irish dog names for girls (female dogs)
Erin went for Shillelagh, which takes some beating. Here are a few more.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Réalta | RAYL-tuh | star (Réalt is the short form) |
| Réiltín | rayl-TEEN | little star |
| Bláth | blaw | flower, blossom |
| Fia | FEE-uh | deer |
| Spideog | SPID-yohg | robin |
| Saoirse | SEER-shuh | freedom, for the dog who ignores every command |
| Síoda | SHEE-duh | silk |
| Seoid | shohj | jewel (Seod is a variant) |
| Mil | mil | honey |
| Banríon | BON-reen | queen |
| Grian | GREE-un | sun |
| Gealach | GYAL-ukh | moon |
| Róisín | roh-SHEEN | generally taken as “little rose”, from rós |
| Aisling | ASH-ling | vision, dream |
| Meidhreach | MY-rukh | merry, frisky |
| Ciúin | kyoon | calm, quiet (wishful thinking with most pups) |
Names from nature
Birds, animals and weather, all easy to shout across a field.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Sionnach | SHUN-ukh | fox |
| Giorria | GIR-ee-uh | hare, for the speedy one |
| Coinín | kun-EEN | rabbit |
| Luch | lukh | mouse, for the tiniest pup |
| Dobharchú | DOW-er-khoo | otter, for the puddle lover |
| Dreoilín | DROH-leen | wren |
| Smólach | SMOH-lukh | thrush |
| Préachán | PRAY-khawn | crow; also a person with jet-black hair |
| Cuileann | KWIL-un | holly, for a Christmas pup |
| Seamróg | SHAM-rohg | shamrock |
| Fraoch | freekh | heather |
| Sméar | shmayr | blackberry |
| Ceo | kyoh | fog, mist |
| Scamall | SKA-mul | cloud, for a fluffy white dog |
| Toirneach | TUR-nyukh | thunder |
| Tine | TIN-yeh | fire |
| Lasair | LAS-er | flame |
| Sneachta | SHNAKH-tuh | snow |
| Spéir | spayr | sky |
| Solas | SUL-us | light |
| Uisce | ISH-keh | water |
Names for the colour of the coat
Think Blackie, Rusty or Goldie. These Irish words do the same job, with more style.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dubh | duv | black |
| Bán | bawn | white |
| Báinín | baw-NEEN | white homespun wool, as in the báinín jacket |
| Donn | down | brown; also an old word for a noble or prince |
| Rua | ROO-uh | red-haired, reddish-brown |
| Liath | LEE-uh | grey |
| Fionn | fyun | fair, white |
| Brocach | BRUCK-ukh | speckled grey |
| Ór | ore | gold |
A correction to my old list: báinín comes from bán, white, but it means homespun woollen cloth, not “little white one”.
Pet names and lucky names
Words Irish people say to someone they love. Just as good for a dog.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Stór | store | treasure; “a stór” is “darling!” |
| Taisce | TASH-keh | treasure |
| Grá | graw | love |
| Mo Chroí | muh KHREE | my heart |
| Cara | KOR-uh | friend |
| Dílis | DEE-lish | loyal, your own |
| Sonas | SUN-us | happiness, good luck |
| Ádh | aw | luck |
| Spraoi | spree | fun, sport |
| Craic | crack | fun, chat, a good time |
Names from myth and legend
Irish legend is full of hounds. These two are the most famous.
Bran and Sceólang, Fionn’s hounds
Fionn mac Cumhaill led the Fianna, a band of warriors and huntsmen. Britannica says he earned the name Fionn, “the fair”, through his boyhood deeds. His two great hounds were Bran and Sceólang.
Patrick Kennedy’s Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts (first published 1866) says Fionn’s aunt Tuirrean was turned into a hound by a spell. Bran and Sceólang were born while she was in that shape. That made them Fionn’s cousins.
The same book says the hounds would not harm a deer Fionn was hunting. The deer was Sadhbh, a woman under a spell, and she became the mother of Oisín.
Bran is a literary Irish word for raven, which makes it a great name for a black dog. You’ll see Sceólang spelled Sceolaing (the dictionary’s form), Sceolan and a few other ways too.
Cú Chulainn, the Hound of Culann
Ireland’s greatest hero has a dog in his name. Cú Chulainn was born Sétanta, and Britannica calls him the central character of the Ulster cycle.
The legend says the boy killed the guard dog of Culann the smith. He then offered to guard Culann’s house himself until a new hound was reared. So he became Cú Chulainn, the Hound of Culann.
| Name | Say it | Who or what |
|---|---|---|
| Bran | bron | Fionn’s hound; raven |
| Sceólang | SHKOH-lung | Fionn’s other hound |
| Cú Chulainn | koo KHUL-in | the Hound of Culann |
| Sétanta | SHAY-dun-tuh | Cú Chulainn’s boyhood name |
| Fionn | fyun | leader of the Fianna |
| Oisín | ush-EEN | Fionn’s son; usually explained as “little deer” |
| Sadhbh | syve | Oisín’s mother, the woman turned into a deer |
| Gráinne | GRAWN-yeh | the woman who eloped with Diarmaid (DEER-mid) |
| Niamh | neev | brightness; in the usual telling, she took Oisín to Tír na nÓg |
| Púca | POO-kuh | pooka, a shape-shifting hobgoblin |
Gráinne is also the Irish name of the pirate queen Gráinne Mhaol, Grace O’Malley. A fine name for a girl dog who rules the house.
Names for wolfhounds, setters and other big dogs
A wolfhound called Fluffy is a crime. Big dogs need big names.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Gruagach | GROO-uh-gukh | hairy goblin; also hairy, shaggy |
| Faolchú | FWAIL-khoo | wolf, wild dog |
| Cú Faoil | koo FWEEL | wolfhound |
| Mór | more | big |
| Beag | byug | small (ideal for a wolfhound, if you like irony) |
| Sotar | SUT-ur | setter |
For a red setter, look back at Rua, Lasair, Tine and Sionnach. For a wolfhound, Bran, Laoch, Rí and Cú Chulainn all fit. A grey wolfhound called Liath would turn heads in any park.
Irish place names for dogs
Name your dog after home. A good one for anyone living far from it.
- Kerry: home of the Kerry Blue Terrier and the Kerry Beagle.
- Galway: for a dog with a bit of west-of-Ireland charm.
- Shannon: after Ireland’s longest river.
- Sligo and Clare: short and easy to call across a park.
- Cork: for a dog who thinks he’s the best in the country. We Cork people know the feeling.
- Dingle, Tralee and Kinsale: pretty towns, pretty names.
- Kildare: Cill Dara, “church of the oak”.
- Blarney: for the chatty pup who barks at everything.
- Shillelagh: a town in Co. Wicklow, Síol Éalaigh in Irish. Say it shi-LAY-lee. The stick is popularly said to take its name from the oak woods there.
Pub, drink and food names
Now for the fun ones.
- Guinness: for a black dog with a cream-coloured chest. Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on his Dublin brewery in 1759.
- Murphy: a Cork stout and one of the best-known Irish surnames. It’s usually said to mean “sea warrior”, so it suits a dog who loves the water.
- Jameson or Whiskey: for a smooth golden coat.
- Poitín (puh-CHEEN): for a small dog with a big kick.
- Tayto: for the crisp-packet rustler. Every Irish dog knows that sound.
- Spud and Práta (PRAW-tuh): potato, for a round, happy pup.
- Brack: after barmbrack, the fruit loaf. Perfect for a speckled dog.
- Coddle: the Dublin stew. Also what you’ll do to this dog.
If your dog’s name is Sláinte, you’ll toast him every time you call him in. More on that in my guide to how to say cheers in Irish.
Famous Irish dogs, people and characters
The President’s dogs
Former President Michael D. Higgins gave his Bernese mountain dogs proper Irish names. Síoda means silk. Bród means pride.
Síoda died in 2020. A puppy called Misneach (MISH-nukh), which means courage, joined Bród in 2021. Bród greeted thousands of visitors to Áras an Uachtaráin. The Irish Times reported his death, aged 11, in April 2023.
Fittingly, Kennedy’s old book names a Brod among Fionn’s five favourite hounds.
Master McGrath and Garryowen
Master McGrath was a greyhound born in Co. Waterford in 1866. He was the first dog to win the Waterloo Cup three times. His monument still stands outside Dungarvan.
In James Joyce’s Ulysses, the Citizen’s dog in Barney Kiernan’s pub is called Garryowen. A great name for a grumpy old dog.
Names from famous Irish people and characters
- Oscar: after Oscar Wilde, for a dog with wit.
- Seamus (SHAY-mus): after Seamus Heaney.
- Maeve: after Medb, the warrior queen of Connacht in the Táin.
- Molly: after Molly Malone of the Dublin ballad.
- Grace: after Grace O’Malley.
- Ted, Dougal and Jack: the priests of Craggy Island in Father Ted. Pick the one that matches the dog’s brain.
Surnames work well too. Kelly, Casey, Brady and Flynn are all easy to call. My guide to Irish surnames has hundreds more.
Ireland’s nine native dog breeds
The Irish Kennel Club lists nine native breeds. The IKC says they were developed in the mountains, woods and bogs of Ireland. On 16 July 2019, the work of breeding, showing and working them was given national heritage status.
| Breed | Group | In one line |
|---|---|---|
| Irish Wolfhound | Hound | The tallest of all dog breeds, once used to hunt wolves, and gentle at home. |
| Kerry Beagle | Hound | A native hound, traditionally hunted in packs. |
| Irish Red Setter | Gundog | Bred to hunt birds in 18th-century Ireland, with a mahogany or chestnut coat. |
| Irish Red & White Setter | Gundog | Close to the setter’s older look, and now a breed of its own. |
| Irish Water Spaniel | Gundog | Developed in the 1830s to retrieve game, with liver-coloured curls and a “rat” tail. |
| Irish Terrier | Terrier | The “daredevil”, one of the oldest terriers, and a messenger dog in World War I. |
| Kerry Blue Terrier | Terrier | Born black, turning slate blue to blue-grey as it grows. |
| Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier | Terrier | An old Irish farm terrier with a golden coat and a puppy’s bounce for life. |
| Irish Glen of Imaal Terrier | Terrier | Named after a glen in Co. Wicklow, and calmer than most terriers. |
Britannica says a male wolfhound should stand at least 32 inches (81 cm) at the shoulder. Fair play to anyone who calls one Luch.
Irish dog names FAQ
What is the Irish word for dog?
Madra is the everyday word, and mada is another form of it. Cú means hound or greyhound, and gadhar is a hunting dog or beagle. A pup is a coileán.
What were Fionn mac Cumhaill’s dogs called?
His hounds were Bran and Sceólang, also written Sceolaing or Sceolan. In one old telling, their mother was Fionn’s aunt Tuirrean, turned into a hound by a spell.
What is a good Irish name for a male or female dog?
For a boy, try Laoch (hero), Rí (king), Bran or Rógaire (rogue). For a girl, try Réalta (star), Bláth (flower), Saoirse (freedom) or Síoda (silk). Most Irish words suit either.
What does Cú Chulainn mean?
It means “the Hound of Culann”. In the legend, the boy Sétanta killed the smith Culann’s guard dog. He offered to take its place, and the name stuck.
What are the native Irish dog breeds?
The Irish Kennel Club lists nine. The hounds are the Irish Wolfhound and Kerry Beagle. The gundogs are the Irish Red Setter, Irish Red & White Setter and Irish Water Spaniel. The four terriers are the Irish, Kerry Blue, Soft Coated Wheaten and Glen of Imaal.
What were Michael D. Higgins’ dogs called?
His Bernese mountain dogs were Bród (pride) and Síoda (silk). Bród died in April 2023, aged 11. Misneach (courage) joined them as a puppy in 2021.
More Irish names and words
- The Irish Wolfhound
- Top Irish baby names for boys and girls
- Irish girl names and how to say them
- Irish surnames and their meanings
- Irish slang words
- How to say cheers in Irish
Do you already have a dog with a brilliant Irish name? Let me know! I’d love to hear the stories behind your furry friends’ names. Drop a comment or send me an email, just like Erin did.
And to Erin, best of luck with little Shillelagh! Something tells me she’s going to be a mighty little pup. ☘️
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