The Best Irish Dog Names For Your New Puppy

Last Updated on April 20, 2023

When it comes to Irish pride, this extends to our beloved pets.

Irish dog breeds, such as the Irish Setter, Irish Terrier, Irish Water Spaniel, Irish Wolfhound, Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, and the Kerry Blue Terrier, are often given Irish names that reflect their heritage. 

But what is the perfect name for your pup? Get inspired by Irish words, drinks, and places, as we look at the most popular Irish dog names.

What is a good Irish name for a dog?

Dogs have been beloved by the Irish for centuries. They are symbols of strength in Gaelic culture. As a result, some of the world’s most popular dog breeds take their roots in Ireland. 

Do you have an Irish breed and want to give them a fitting name? Or do you simply love Ireland and so like a name inspired by the rolling green hills and dark beer that would work for your Labrador Retriever?

Perhaps you have Irish roots of your own and want an Irish-inspired name that helps your new dog fit into your very own clan.

Irish names can be unique and different, rich in stories and history, even having mythical origins. 

You can choose an Irish name to match your dog’s personality or looks, such as coat coloring, or simply decide on a name based on its hidden meaning.

Either way, remember you’ll be saying it repeatedly at the dog park when you’re out on a walk or doing dog training. So pick something easy and fun to say and sounds pleasing to your ear as well as your dog’s!

Remember you will also be shouting the name in public or in front of your granny and children, so stay away from anything offensive or rude.

You will also want to choose a well-suited name to their gender and the breed of dog. 

Who’s the most famous Irish dog?

Ireland not only breeds some of the world’s best dogs, but it is also home to some much-loved celebrities.

These famous faces could serve as inspiration when choosing a name for your pet. Bono, Sinead O’Connor, Enya, Ronan Keating, and Damien Rice are all popular Irish celebrities that could lend their names to your pet.

Or, you could forget the stars and turn your attention instead to famous pups that have made a name for themselves in their own right.

You can’t help but smile while looking at some of the most popular Irish dogs on Instagram.

Dublin resident @Bertietheblogger is an adorable Cockalier who loves posting about his adventures around the Irish countryside. 

You could also follow Cronan and Garvan, two wolfhounds who make their home in Ashford Castle, or check out Phoenix on @phoenix_pudding to meet a working cocker spaniel who has some of the best hair in Ireland!

Best Irish Dog names

The Gaelic word for dog is madra. Perhaps this could be your dog’s new name? Alternatively, several other Gaelic dog-related words could serve as inspiration.

Here are some of our favorites, along with their meanings:

1. Conan, meaning hound
2. Conor, meaning lover of hounds
3. Conry, meaning king of the hounds
4. Felan or Phelan, meaning wolf
5. Lorcan, meaning little wild one
6. Madigan, meaning little dog
7. Murphy, meaning hound of the sea or sea warrior
8. Rogan, meaning red-haired

You might also decide to be inspired by some commonly used Irish names, words, foods, phrases, or terms from Celtic myths. These names could include the following:

1. Patrick, for the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick
2. Puca, believed to bring both good and bad luck
3. Dagda, a large character from Irish folklore with power over life and the weather
4. Gael, referring to the Gaelic language and culture
5. Boxty, a traditional Irish potato cake
6. Castle, simply because there are so many of them in Ireland
7. Celt, after the Celtics

Top female Irish dog names

Your pup is considered a part of your family, so it makes sense to choose a human name for your dog. With Ireland producing some of the best girl’s names globally, many of these could also work for your dog.

Here are some of our favorite girl dog names, along with their meanings:

1. Alma, meaning All Good
2. Aoibheann, meaning radiant beauty
3. Ardeen, meaning little height
4. Bree, meaning strong
5. Cadhla, meaning graceful
6. Cara, meaning friend
7. Colleen, meaning little girl
8. Deirdre, meaning sad one
9. Erin, meaning Irish
10. Ethne, meaning fire
11. Eve, meaning life
12. Fiona, meaning fair
13. Keelin, meaning slender 
14. Keely, meaning beautiful
15. Keira, meaning black-haired
16. Kerry, meaning dark princess
17. Kiana, meaning ancient
18. Maeve, meaning goddess of song
19. Molly, meaning star of the sea
20. Neala, meaning champion
21. Roisin, meaning little rose
22. Riona, meaning queenly
23. Shannon, meaning wise
24. Saoirse, meaning freedom
25. Sorca, meaning bright

You might also choose to be inspired by some strong female warriors or legendary Irish characters.

This could include the female warrior Ailbhe (pronounced AL-va), the Irish saint Ita, or the monarch of the fairies, Queen Mab.

Top male Irish dog names

Irish boy names are trendy for male dogs; these can be inspired by well-known first names or even some famous Irish surnames. Here are some tremendous Irish-inspired boy dog names for your male pup:

1. Alroy, meaning red
2. Brian, meaning noble or strong
3. Brady, meaning spirited
4. Bran, meaning raven
5. Brendan, meaning prince
6. Darby, meaning liberty
7. Donovan, meaning dark
8. Declan, meaning full of goodness
9. Dermot, meaning free man
10. Cian, meaning ancient
11. Eloy, meaning red-haired youth
12. Evan, meaning little swift one
13. Finley, meaning fair-haired hero
14. Finnegan, meaning fair
15. Grady, meaning noble
16. Kieran, meaning little dark one
17. Liam, meaning strong-willed
18. Nolan, meaning little proud one
19. Niall, meaning cloud
20. Orin, meaning pale
21. Oscar, meaning deer lover
22. Rian, meaning little king
23. Sean, meaning god is gracious
24. Sullivan, meaning black-eyed one
25. Tiernan, meaning little lord

You might also choose to be inspired by some famous Irish male characters from film and TV, such as Flynn, the hero from Disney’s Tangled.

Most popular Irish Dog names associated with the color green

Everyone knows that St.Patrick’s Day-themed parties mean dressing up in the color green. Ireland is synonymous with the color green.

With green representing the Gaelic culture on the flag, the country is known as the Emerald Isle for its rolling green hills. The shamrock or three-leaf clover is also green!

Other than naming your dog after these good luck symbols, you could choose another name inspired by the color green. How about one of the following:

1. Apple
2. Cash
3. Fern
4. Forrest
5. Holly
6. Hunter
7. Ivy
8. Pickles
9. Jade
10. Olive
11. Sage
12. Willow

You could also go for the name Odhran, pronounced O-rawn, which means little pale green one in Gaelic.

Irish Dog names inspired by names of Irish places

Ireland is a beautiful country, full of stunning towns, ancient castles, and famous landmarks. Why not choose a name for your Dog inspired by one of the Irish cities, towns, or tourist sites?

1. Blarney, known for the Blarney Stone and Blarney Castle
2. Burren, known for its bedrock landscape and limestone cliffs
3. Cashel, known for its rocky ruins or fairy hill and the place where St. Patrick was baptized
4. Cork, one of the largest cities in Ireland
5. Donegal, a north Ireland historic city
6. Dublin, the capital of Ireland and the largest city
7. Fingal, a medieval territory known for its coastal caves
8. Galway, meaning Stoney river, this small Irish town is located in the west of Ireland
9. Kerry, a famous county known for its dark-skinned people
10. Kilkenny, a favorite small town in the southeast of Ireland
11. Killarney, the location of one of the country’s most beautiful national parks
12. Limerick, a medieval-style city in the south
13. Moher, attractive cliffs that serve as a popular natural site
14. Tyrone, home to the Sperrin Mountains
15. Wexford, a pretty town known for its medieval lanes

Irish dog names inspired by symbols of luck and destiny

The luck of the Irish is a famous phrase related to the Irish people’s seemingly good fortune. Thus, it makes sense to give your dog a name associated with good luck. Here are some to choose from:

1. Ace
2. Chance
3. Charm
4. Destiny 
5. Karma
6. Lucky

You could also go with a Gaelic term designed to bring your dog luck. For instance, Adh simply means lucky, or Beannaithe means blessed.

Irish Dog names inspired by Irish drinks

Ireland is a country associated with fearsome drinkers. St.Paddy’s day’s parties are some of the best around, filled with big jugs of green beer!

If you love a tipple or two, you might decide to name your dog after some famous Irish drinks. 

The most famous Irish brand of beer, the dark stout Guinness, or even Murphy stout, could make an excellent name for a black dog. On the other hand, the Irish cream liquor, Bailey, perfect for a tan pooch. 

The famous Irish drink, a Shandy, made by mixing beer with soda, could also work well for your dog’s new name. Whiskey and Jameson are also other fun Irish drink-inspired monikers for your dog. 

Fun Irish dog name ideas 

Get inspired by your dog’s personality or looks and choose a name that suits their style. 

Barra, which means fair-haired, is a fun choice for a blonde dog, while Finn, which means white, would also be well-suited for a pale-colored pooch.

Orla, meaning golden princess, is also an excellent choice for a female dog, while Ciara, on the other hand, means one with dark hair. Quigley could describe a dog with unruly hair.

Alternatively, if you have a funky, bearded little dog, you might even decide to name them Leprechaun, after the little man found at the end of the rainbow!

You could also choose a fun name relevant to Ireland, such as Emerald, Hilly, Lush, or Greeny, to describe the countryside or Fin MacCool, a fantastic character from Irish legend. 

Cute Irish dog names 

Some of the cutest Irish dog names are sweet, short, and of course, just as adorable as your dog! How about naming your dog after the god of love, Angus, or simply opting for the Gaelic word for pup, Colin?

You might also opt for an Irish clan surname, such as O’Malley, which works wonderfully as a dog’s name.

For a female dog, you might choose to name your pet Cliodhna after the goddess of love and beauty.

You could even simply opt for Gael, a shortened version of the word Gaelic, or lamb after all the little lambs found in Ireland.

Cool Irish dog names for males and females

Cool names have unusual pronunciation, ensuring your dog stands out in a crowd.

These cool names are perfect for the more adventurous dog owner who doesn’t mind teaching strangers how to pronounce your dog’s name or describing the hidden meaning behind it.

Try on these cool Irish dog names for size:

1. Ailfrid, meaning wise
2. Ainmire, meaning mighty lord
3. Aodhan, meaning fire
4. Caoimhe, meaning gentle or precious
5. Casey, meaning alert
6. Dempsey, meaning proud
7. Devin, meaning poet
8. Eistir, meaning star
9. Gaelle, meaning cheerful
10. Kavan, meaning handsome
11. Kennon, meaning ancient
12. Leasha, meaning alive
13. Muirne, meaning festive
14. Niamh, meaning radiance
15. Padraig, meaning noble
16. Tavish, meaning hillside
17. Seamus, meaning supplanter

Badass Irish dog names

Is your dog a true rebel? Then they need a name that reflects their boisterous, strong-willed nature. Here are some words that do just that:

1. Aidan, meaning born of fire
2. Bridget, meaning power and strength
3. Cathal, meaning mighty in battle
4. Delaney, meaning offspring of the challenger
5. Eamon, meaning wealthy protector
6. Fergus, meaning powerful and manly
7. Killian, meaning war
8. Lunn, meaning warlike
9. Mellan, meaning little lightning
10. Neala, meaning female champion
11. McBadass
12. McGregor (After MMA fighter Conor McGregor)

Creative and unique Irish dog names

Your dog is one of a kind, and so their name should be too. Use Irish or Gaelic words to inspire a wholly creative and exotic-sounding name for your dog:

1. Aoife, meaning beautiful
2. Blathnaid, meaning flower 
3. Brogan, meaning sturdy shoe
4. Colm, meaning dove
5. Conlan, meaning hero
6. Ennis, meaning island
7. Girvin, meaning small rough one
8. Sile, meaning pure and musical 

What should I name my Irish Dog puppy?

May the luck of the Irish be on your side when choosing a pet name. Your dog deserves the best name possible, and we hope we have served up great Irish-inspired choices for your best friend. 

Do you have an Irish dog breed at home or a dog with an Irish-sounding name? Let us know more about your pet, and their name, in the comments below.

Further reading: Check out the list below for more creative options for your pooch! 

• German Dog Names
• Japanese Dog Names
• Scottish Dog Names
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• Native American Dog Names