Saw this on another list......the comments included are of the submitter, not mine. Just thought I would pass it on. Laura Saw this on another list and thought it might be of interest to some of you. << Scottish naming pattern: 1st son father's father 2nd son mother's father 3rd son father 4th son father's oldest brother 5th son mother's oldest brother or father's 2nd oldest brother 1st dau. mother's mother 2nd father's mother 3rd mother 4th mother's oldest sister 5th father's oldest sister or mother's 2nd oldest >I disagree with one of the above. It has proven true in ancestors of >families here that, in Ireland, the oldest daughter was named for her >father's mother & the 2nd with mom's mom, which is the only difference >with Scotland. > >The other point that is mildly arguable is that your 4th & 5th "step" in >the above was not always observed. Irish 1st son = father's father 2nd son = mother's father 3rd son = father 4th son = father's oldest brother 5th son = father's 2nd oldest brother or mother's oldest brother Pattern for 4th and 5th sons might be interrupted to name a son for a favorite saint, and at all times the pattern might be interrupted to name a successive son after an older son who might have died. 1st dau = mother's mother 2nd dau = father's mother 3rd dau = mother 4th dau = mother's oldest sister 5th dau = mother's 2nd oldest sister or father's oldest sister Pattern for 4th and 5th daughter might be interrupted to name a dau for a favorite saint, and at all times the pattern might be interrupted to name a successive dau after an older dau who might have died. Here are a few Latin forms for some Irish given names; there are no doubt many more, but these are a few that I have run across. Bartholemew BARTHOLOMAEUS Dennis DIONYSIUS Edward EDUARDUS Eugene EUGENIUS John JOANNES or JOHANNES James JACOBUS Joseph JOSEPHUS Charles CAROLUS Lawrence LAURENTIUS Martin MARTINUS Matthew MATTHAEUS Maurice MAURITIUS Patrick PATRITIUS Paul PAULUS Peter PETRUS Timothy TIMOTHEUS William GUILIELMUS The prefixes of "O'", "Mc", and "Mac" are common in Irish surnames. These are all references to ancestry. Mac is the Gaelic word for son. It is now often abbreviated to "Mc", but originally it was the longer word and normally followed by a space and then the surname. There is a tradition that Mac is Irish and Mc is Scottish, but this is false. Both variations are in wide use in both countries. O is really a word all by itself, it means "grandson". Only in recent years has it been attached to the surname with an apostrophe. In ancient Ireland, there were no fixed surnames. A man was known as the the "son of" his father's first name. Occaisionally a man would be known by his grandfather's name (by the word O) if his grandfather was especially noteworthy. Around the twelfth century, most all of Europe and England adopted standardized surnames. Irish families did the same. The other distinctively Irish prefix is Fitz, as in Fitzgerald or FitzAlan. This is a Norman French prefix, brought to Ireland by the Normans who previously had lived in England. It is derived from the French word fils, meaning "son of". Therefore, Fitz and Mac mean about the same and were interchangeable at one time. It is now common for the O and Mac prefixes to be eliminated entirely. The original Celtic words are listed in parentheses. Barry - from the Norman French surname de Barri Brennan - O Braonain, descendant of Braonain (a word for "sorrow") Burke - from the Norman French surname de Burgh or de Bourg Byrne - O Broin, descendant of Broin (bran means "raven") Casey - O Cathasaigh, descendant of Cathasaigh (cathasach means "watchful") Daly - O Dalaigh, descendant of Dalaigh (dalach means "assemblyman") Donohue - O Donnchadha, descendant of Donnchadha (donn means "brown haired") Dunne - O Duinne, a descendant of Duinn (donn means "brown" or "brown haired" Fitzgerald - son of Gerald (a Norman French name) Fitzpatrick - This name was originally Mac Giolla Padraig, meaning a descendant of a devotee of St. Patrick. In later years the Mac prefix was changed to the Norman "Fitz". Flynn - O Floinn, descendant of Floinn (flann, meaning "ruddy") Kelly - O Ceallaigh, descendant of Ceallaigh (ceallach is the word for "strife" Kennedy - O Cinneide, descendant of Cinneide (ceann means "head", eidigh means "ugly") Lynch - from the Norman French surname de Lench McCarthy - Mac Carthaigh, descendant of Carthaigh (carthach means "loving") Murphy - O Murchadha, descendant of a murchadh (sea warrior) O'Brien - O Briain, descendant of Briain (Brian Boru) O'Connor - O Conchobhair, descendant of Conchobhair O'Donnell - O Domhnaill, descendant of Domhnaill > > O'Neill - O Neill, descendant of Neill ("Neill of the Nine Hostages") > > Quinn - O Cuinn, descendant of Conn > > Regan - O Riagain, descendant of Riagain > > Reilly - O Ragailligh, descendant of Ragaillach > > Ryan - O Malvilriain, descendant of Mavilriain (a name not > identifiable) > > Sullivan - O Suileabhain, descendant of Suileabhain (suil means "eye" > and Levan is a Celtic deity. Therefore, this is the "eye of the > god") > > Walsh - a person of Welsh origin >ANCIENT IRISH PROPER NAMES > >AODH = (ee) "fire"; A frequent name among Kings and Chiefs. ANG. Hugh. >ART = "noble, great". The root of O'Hart. >BRANDUBH = " black hair". >BRIAN = bri, "strength"; an, "very great". The root of O'Brian, Brien, >Bryant, Byrne, Byron, etc. >CAIRBRE = corb, "a chariot"; ri, "a king"; "ruler of the chariot". >CATHAIR = (cahir) cath, "a battle"; ar, "slaughter". >CATHAL = (cahal) cath, as above; all, "great". "a great warrior". >CATHBHAR = (cah-war) "a helmet", or, cath, as above; barr, "a chief". >CONCHOBHAR = "helping warrior". >CONN = "wisdom". >CORMAC = "the son of the chariot". >DIARMAID = "god of arms". >DOMHNALL = (donal) domhan, "the world"; all, "mighty". Root of MacDonald, >MacDaniel, MacDonnell. >DONOCH = donn, "brown; cu, "a warrior". ANG. Dennis in Ire. and Duncan in >Scotland. >EOGHAN = "a young man" or "youthful warrior". ANG. Eugene, Owen. >FEARGAL = fear (fhar), "a man; gal, "valour". "a valiant warrior". The >root of Virgil, and O'Farrell. >FEIDHLIM = (felim) "great goodness".ANG. Felix. >FERGUS = "a strong warrior". >FIACHA = "a hunter". >FLANN = "blood". "of a red complexion". >MAOL = "bald or tonsured person". A spiritual servant or devotee of a >saint.The root of the name Moyles. >NIALL = "a noble knight or champion". The root of O'Neil, etc. >RUADHRAIGE = ruadh,"red";righ, "a king". "the valiant, or red haired king". >ANG.Rory, Roderick,Rogers. >TUATHAL = (tool) Possessed of "large landed Properties". The root of >O'Toole, Tolan, etc. >UALGARG = uaill, "famous"; garg, "fierce". "a famous and fierce warrior". > > >Gaelic = English Gaelic = English > >AODH = HUGH EAMONN = EDMUND >BERACH = BARRY ELISHE = ALICE >BRIAN = BERNARD GRAINE = GRACE >BRIDGIT = DELIA (a nickname) LIAM = WILLIAM >CATHAL = CHARLES MAIRE = MARY >CEALLAIGH = KELLY McGOWAN = SMITH (occ.) >CONNAD = KENNETH PADRAIC = PATRICK >DATHI = DAVID RUADHRI = RORY,RODGER >DHONAL = DANIEL, DONAL SEAMUS = JAMES >DIARMID = JEREHMIA, DARBY SEAN = JOHN >DONOGH = DENIS, DONAT TOMOLTACH = TIMOTHY,THOMAS >>