Celtic Girl Names
Celtic girl names have a sound all their own: soft vowels, lilting endings and meanings drawn from light, water, flowers and stars. Some are already American favorites — Maeve, Isla, Fiona — while others, like Caoimhe or Angharad, will be the only one in the classroom. We’ve gathered more than 100, organized by the six Celtic nations plus a section of goddesses and heroines.
Where a spelling doesn’t match its sound, you’ll find a pronunciation guide. For bigger lists from a single tradition, try our Irish girl names, Scottish girl names or Welsh girl names. Shopping for a brother too? Our Celtic boy names use the same layout.
Irish girl names with pronunciation
These are the names that make people ask, “How do you say that?” — and then fall in love with the answer.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Aoife | EE-fa | Beauty, radiance |
| Saoirse | SEER-sha | Freedom |
| Niamh | NEEV | Bright, radiant; a queen of Tír na nÓg |
| Siobhán | shiv-AWN | Irish form of Joan, “God is gracious” |
| Caoimhe | KEE-va | Gentle, precious |
| Róisín | ro-SHEEN | Little rose |
| Clodagh | KLO-da | From the River Clodagh in Tipperary |
| Sadhbh | SIVE (rhymes with five) | Sweet, goodness |
| Gráinne | GRAWN-ya | Possibly linked to grán, “grain” |
| Aisling | ASH-ling | Dream, vision |
| Orla | OR-la | Golden princess |
| Ciara | KEER-a | Dark-haired |
| Ailbhe | AL-va | Possibly “white” |
| Éabha | AY-va | Irish form of Eve, “life” |
| Fionnuala | fin-NOO-la | Fair shoulder |
| Muireann | MWIR-in | Sea-white |
| Clíona | KLEE-uh-na | A fairy queen of Munster |
| Eithne | ETH-na | Kernel |
| Síle | SHEE-la | Irish form of Cecilia |
| Bláthnaid | BLAW-nid | Little flower |
| Dearbhla | DERV-la | Daughter of the poet |
Scottish Gaelic girl names
Several Scottish favorites are named after islands of the Hebrides — a lovely nod to family roots.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mairi | Gaelic form of Mary | Said MAH-ree |
| Isla | From the island of Islay | Pronounced EYE-la |
| Ailsa | From the island of Ailsa Craig | Short and sweet |
| Catriona | Gaelic form of Catherine, “pure” | ka-TREE-na |
| Morag | From mòr, “great” | Classic Highland name |
| Eilidh | Gaelic form of Helen, “light” | Said AY-lee |
| Kirsty | Scottish diminutive of Christine | “Follower of Christ” |
| Fiona | From fionn, “white, fair” | Coined by poet James Macpherson |
| Iona | From the holy island of Iona | Where St. Columba founded his abbey |
| Skye | From the Isle of Skye | Breezy and modern |
| Kenna | Feminine of Kenneth, “handsome” | Rare in the US |
| Sorcha | Bright, radiant | SOR-ka; used in Ireland too |
| Seonaid | Gaelic form of Janet | SHAW-nat |
| Ishbel | Scottish form of Isabel | “God is my oath” |
| Elspeth | Scottish form of Elizabeth | Old-fashioned charm |
| Rhona | Possibly from the isle of Rona | Nickname-proof |
| Greer | From Gregor, “watchful” | Surname-chic |
| Lorna | From the region of Lorne | Coined by novelist R. D. Blackmore |
| Shona | Gaelic form of Joan | Said SHOW-na |
| Sheena | Gaelic form of Jane (Sìne) | A 1980s hit name |
| Maisie | Scottish pet form of Margaret, “pearl” | Very popular in the UK |
Welsh girl names
Welsh names are melodic and often built from words for nature — gwen means “white” or “blessed,” eira means “snow.”
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Seren | SER-en | Star |
| Carys | KAR-iss | Love |
| Ffion | FEE-on | Foxglove |
| Cerys | KER-iss | Love |
| Eira | AY-ra | Snow |
| Gwen | GWEN | White, blessed |
| Angharad | ang-HAR-ad | Much loved |
| Rhiannon | hree-AN-on | Great queen |
| Bronwen | BRON-wen | White breast |
| Nia | NEE-a | Welsh form of Niamh, “bright” |
| Megan | MEG-an | Welsh pet form of Margaret, “pearl” |
| Lowri | LOW-ree | Welsh form of Laura, “laurel” |
| Tegan | TEG-an | Fair, lovely |
| Heledd | HEL-eth | A 7th-century princess of Powys |
| Gwenllian | gwen-HLEE-an | Fair and flaxen |
| Elen | EL-en | Welsh form of Helen; Elen of the Ways |
| Branwen | BRAN-wen | White raven |
| Eluned | el-IN-ed | Possibly “idol, image” |
| Olwen | OL-wen | White footprint |
| Mared | MAR-ed | Welsh form of Margaret |
Cornish, Breton and Manx girl names
These rarer Celtic names suit parents who want something unmistakably Celtic but easy to say.
| Name | Meaning | Where from |
|---|---|---|
| Morwenna | Maiden (from morwyn) | Cornwall |
| Demelza | From a Cornish place name; made famous by Poldark | Cornwall |
| Tamsin | Cornish contraction of Thomasina, “twin” | Cornwall |
| Kerensa | Love | Cornwall |
| Elowen | Elm tree | Cornwall |
| Lowenna | Joy | Cornwall |
| Wenna | A 5th-century Cornish saint | Cornwall |
| Nolwenn | A Breton saint; gwenn, “white, holy” | Brittany |
| Rozenn | Breton form of Rose | Brittany |
| Gwenola | White, blessed | Brittany |
| Enora | Breton form of Honora, “honor” | Brittany |
| Maïwenn | Mai + gwenn, “white, fair” | Brittany |
| Voirrey | Manx form of Mary | Isle of Man |
| Ealish | Manx form of Alice, “noble” | Isle of Man |
| Aalin | Beautiful | Isle of Man |
Celtic goddess and heroine names
From Ireland’s war goddesses to the flower-maiden of Welsh legend, these names come with unforgettable stories. For more divine inspiration, see our goddess names and mythology girl names.
| Name | Who she was | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Brigid | Irish goddess of poetry and fire, and later a patron saint | Exalted one |
| Deirdre | Tragic heroine of “Deirdre of the Sorrows” | Meaning uncertain |
| Emer | Wife of the hero Cú Chulainn | Possibly “swift” |
| Macha | Horse goddess who cursed the men of Ulster | Possibly “plain, field” |
| Scáthach | Warrior woman who trained Cú Chulainn | Shadowy one |
| Morrígan | Irish goddess of war and fate | Great queen or phantom queen |
| Danu | Mother goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann | Meaning debated |
| Fand | Sea goddess of Irish legend | Tear |
| Guinevere | King Arthur’s queen (Welsh Gwenhwyfar) | White, fair phantom |
| Isolde | Tristan’s beloved in the Cornish-Breton romance | Meaning debated |
| Blodeuwedd | Woman made from flowers in the Mabinogion | Flower face |
| Ceridwen | Enchantress and mother of the bard Taliesin | Possibly “fair poetry” |
| Arianrhod | Welsh goddess linked to the stars | Silver wheel |
| Boudicca | Queen of the Iceni who led a revolt against Rome | Victory |
Celtic girl names already popular in America
These anglicized Celtic names are easy to spell and pronounce and have a strong following in the US.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Maeve | She who intoxicates (Medb) | Irish |
| Riley | Valiant (Ó Raghallaigh) | Irish |
| Sloane | Raider | Irish |
| Reagan | Little king | Irish |
| Kennedy | Misshapen head (from Ó Cinnéide) | Irish |
| Tara | Hill; after the Hill of Tara | Irish |
| Erin | Ireland (poetic) | Irish |
| Shannon | Old river | Irish |
| Caitlin | Irish form of Catherine, “pure” | Irish |
| Kathleen | Anglicized Caitlín | Irish |
| Molly | Irish pet form of Mary | Irish |
| Delaney | Descendant of the challenger | Irish |
| Keira | Little dark one (Ciarra) | Irish |
| Brenna | Possibly “raven” | Irish |
Tips for choosing a Celtic girl name
- Say it, then spell it. Niamh and Saoirse are gorgeous, but you’ll correct spellings for life. If that doesn’t bother you, go for it — many families find it a point of pride.
- Look for island and place names. Isla, Iona, Skye and Tara nod to real Celtic landscapes without any spelling hurdles.
- Check nature meanings. Welsh and Cornish names are full of trees, flowers and snow — pair them with our nature names for girls.
- Balance with the surname. A long Gaelic first name like Fionnuala works best with a short last name; a one-syllable name like Gwen or Maeve suits a long one.
- Consider the sibling set. Keeping to one tradition (all Welsh, all Irish) gives brothers and sisters a quiet sense of harmony.
Frequently asked questions
What is the prettiest Celtic girl name?
It’s personal, but Aoife (“beauty”), Seren (“star”), Elowen (“elm tree”) and Niamh (“bright”) are among the most admired Celtic girl names for their sound and meaning.
How do you pronounce Saoirse?
Saoirse is pronounced “SEER-sha.” It means “freedom” in Irish and became widely known thanks to actress Saoirse Ronan.
What Celtic girl name means star?
Seren is Welsh for “star.” For more options across cultures, browse our names that mean star.
Is Isla a Celtic name?
Yes. Isla comes from Islay, an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, and is pronounced “EYE-la.”
What is a Celtic name for a strong girl?
Boudicca (“victory”), Scáthach, the warrior-trainer of legend, and Brigid (“exalted one”) are all bold choices with powerful stories.