Introduction
Irish Dog Names in Pop Culture
Ireland is an enchanting land with an old culture and mythos that pre-dates the Christian era. One of the legendary myths of Ireland still spoken of today is that of Fionn mac Cumhail, a fierce 54-foot tall warrior of Ireland. Fionn mac Cumhail's name has long since been anglicised into English as Finn MacCool and what better name for a giant Irish Wolf Hound than Finn MacCool Dog? If the name seems too much for just doesn't fit for your dog, consider Bran instead. Bran was the name of Finn MacCool's faithful hound. In one legend, Finn MacCool and Bran were out hunting when they happened upon a doe. Bran, being an enchanted hound who was born from a human in dog form, recognized the doe as an enchanted creature and prevented Finn MacCool from taking its life. Bran walked alongside the doe until the three reached Finn MacCool's own lands whereupon the doe transforms into a beautiful woman who becomes Finn MacCool's wife.
A more contemporary Irish named dog is Big Red from the novel Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard and later adapted into a Walt Disney movie. In the story, a beautiful red-coated Irish Setter with a spirited heart bonds with a ten-year-old orphaned boy who is helping take care of and train Big Red for dog shows. Big Red's owner wants the dog to become the next champion, but Big Red refuses to conform. The orphaned boy, Rene, develops a strong bond with Big Red and owner, Mr. Haggins, fires Rene in an attempt to break the bond.
Desirous of saying goodbye to his friend, Rene sneaks over to the house and peers through the window to wave at Big Red. Big Red see Rene and jumps through the window, sustaining several cuts and making it impossible for him to be a show dog. A series of events where Big Red is sold off and runs away leads Rene to search for Big Red and Mr. Haggins to go after the duo as well. When Mr. Haggins becomes entangled with a mountain lion and both Big Red and Rene save his life, the former dog owner has a change of heart of welcomes Big Red and Rene to live with him permanently. The name, Big Red, is a descriptive one for the size and shiny red color of the Irish Setter. Any dog bearing this name will be an eye-turning pooch.
Irish Dog Name Considerations
Ireland is home to several dog breeds that developed on the Isles over several centuries. Many times, owners want an Irish descended dog because they themselves identify as Irish and these breeds are perfect matches for the Irish dog names. The Irish breeds are unique dogs, such as the Irish Wolf Hound and the Irish Setter. Within dog circles as well as general knowledge, the sight of an Irish Wolf Hound or Irish Setter envokes images of Ireland. Owners of these dogs may want to give their dogs names such as Bailey, Jameson, or Erin to complete the picture. Smaller Irish breeds, such as the Glen Imaal Terrier or the Irish Terrier can tout names such as Clover, Paddy, Cabbage, or Rainbow. The medium-sized Irish dogs, such as the Irish Water Spaniel or the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier are perfect fits for Ronan and Goldie, respectively. The Irish Water Spaniel is a water dog, and Ronan is Irish for the sea whereas the Wheaten has a light golden, wheat-colored coat and is a perfect candidate for Goldie as a name. Owners will want to consider their Irish dog's size and coat color when making their name choices.
While Irish developed dogs seem the obvious choice for Irish dog names, your dog doesn't have to be Irish. Owners who identify with and love the Irish may want to use an Irish inspired name. Owners of any dog should consider the breed characteristics, size, and color of their dog when selecting a name. For example, if you have a stock female English Bulldog you may want to name her Bree, which is Irish for strong. If you are adopting a litter Schipperke or Scottish Terrier, both of which are dark-coated dog breeds, you may want to go with Kieran or Kerry, which means little dark one and dark princess, respectively.
Male Irish Dog Names
| Votes | Name | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| 7 |
Morrison
A reference to Irish musical artist Van Morrison
|
|
| 7 |
Stoker
A reference to Bram Stoker, Irish author of Dracula
|
|
| 5 |
Shamrock
A spring of clover and the symbol of Ireland
|
|
| 5 |
Kieran
Irish for little darkness
|
|
| 5 |
Dagda
A powerful Irish god of life and death
|
|
| 5 |
Celt
The native people of Brittany and Ireland
|
|
| 5 |
Big Red
A Jim Kjelgaard Irish Setter in his novel of the same name
|
|
| 4 |
Patrick
A reference to Saint Patrick, patron Saint of Ireland
|
|
| 4 |
Bran
The legendary Irish Hound of Fin MacCool
|
|
| 4 |
Aidan
Irish for little fiery one
|
|
| 4 |
Finn MacCool Dog
Reference Irish legendary giant Finn MacCool
|
|
| 3 |
Blarney
A village in Ireland
|
|
| 2 |
Paddy
A nickname for Saint Patrick
|
|
| 2 |
Kelly
Meaning green and intelligent
|
|
| 2 |
Ronan
Irish for the sea
|
|
| 2 |
Beckett
A reference to Irish author Samuel Beckett
|
|
| 2 |
Donovan
Irish for dark
|
|
| 1 |
Clover
A sign of the trinity, coined by Saint Patrick in Ireland
|
|
| 1 |
Bailey
A reference to Irish Cream Liqueur
|
|
| 1 |
Fergus
Irish for high energy
|
|
| 1 |
Gulliver
A reference to Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels
|
|
| 1 |
Jameson
An Irish whiskey
|
|
| 0 |
Guiness
A world-famous beer of Ireland
|
|
| 0 |
Cork
A city in Ireland
|
|
| 0 |
Conan
Irish for little wolf
|
|
| -1 |
Bono
Irish born U2 front man
|
|
| -1 |
Shaw
A reference to Irish Author Charles Bernard Shaw
|
|
| -1 |
Lucky
Having the luck of the Irish
|
|
| -2 |
Dublin
The Capital of Ireland
|
|
| -2 |
Keegan
Popular Irish name meaning son of Egan
|
Female Irish Dog Names
| Votes | Name | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| 7 |
Cabbage
A favorite Irish vegetable
|
|
| 6 |
Kira
Irish word for throne
|
|
| 6 |
Kerry
Irish for dark princess
|
|
| 6 |
Goldie
A reference to a leprechaun's pot of gold at the end of a rainbow
|
|
| 5 |
Shandy
Beer mixed with a soft drink like carbonated lemonade or grapefruit and popular in Ireland
|
|
| 5 |
Gael
A reference to Gaelic
|
|
| 5 |
Rainbow
Chased all over Ireland to find the pot of gold
|
|
| 5 |
Roselyn
Irish for pretty rose
|
|
| 5 |
Mirna
Irish for tender heart
|
|
| 4 |
Ciara
Meaning black hair in Ireland
|
|
| 4 |
Swift
A reference to Jonathan Swift, Irish author of Gulliver's Travels
|
|
| 3 |
Charm
A lucky item associated with the Irish
|
|
| 3 |
Emerald
The green color associated with the Irish Isles
|
|
| 3 |
Erin
A popular female name in Ireland
|
|
| 3 |
Shanna
Irish for old and wise
|
|
| 3 |
Orla
Irish for golden princess
|
|
| 2 |
Moira
Irish for bitter
|
|
| 2 |
Neala
Meaning champion
|
|
| 2 |
Puca
Little mythological creatures that can bring good or bad luck in Ireland
|
|
| 2 |
Deirdre
An Irish name meaning sad one and might suit a sad looking Hound dog
|
|
| 2 |
Nell
An Irish variation of Ellen, meaning shining light
|
|
| 2 |
Madra
Irish for dog
|
|
| 1 |
Maeve
The Irish goddess of song
|
|
| 0 |
Bree
Meaning strong
|
|
| 0 |
Sybil
A popular Irish name meaning prophetess
|
|
| 0 |
Winnie
A popular Irish and Welsh name for blessed
|
|
| 0 |
Clover
Very lucky when found as a four-leaf clover
|
|
| -2 |
Ethne
Another word for fire
|
|
| -2 |
Eileen
Meaning bright one in Ireland
|
|
| -3 |
Cadie
A name meaning pure
|