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A formal Irish name consists of a given name and a surname. In the Irish language, most surnames are patronymic surnames (distinct from patronymic, which are seen in for example). The form of a surname varies according to whether its bearer is a man, a woman, or a woman married to a man, who adopts his surname.
An alternative traditional naming convention consists of the first name followed by a double patronym, usually with the father and grandfather's names. This convention is not used for official purposes but is generalized in Gaeltachtaí (Irish-speaking areas) and also survives in some rural non-Gaeltacht areas. Sometimes the name of the mother or grandmother may be used instead of the father or grandfather.
The word Beag ("little") can be used in place of Óg. This does not necessarily indicate that the younger person is smaller in stature, merely younger than their parent or in some cases to imply a baby was small, possibly preterm birth, at birth.
Adjectives denoting hair colour may also be used, especially informally, e.g. Pádraig Rua ("red-haired Patrick"), Máire Bhán ("fair-haired Mary").
This system can be particularly useful for distinguishing people who live in the same area and who share a common surname but are not closely related, e.g. two people named John McEldowney might be known as "John Patsy Dan" and "John Mary Philip" respectively. Even the Irish forms sometimes survive in parts of the Sperrins, so that among the principal families of Glenullin some branches are known by father/grandfather forms such as Pháidí Shéamais or Bhrian Dhónaill.
A woman's surname replaces Ó with Ní (reduction of Iníon Uí "descendant's daughter") and Mac with Nic (reduction of Iníon Mhic "son's daughter"). In both cases the following name undergoes lenition, except for when Nic is followed by or . Thus the daughter of Seán Ó Dónaill has the surname Ní Dhónaill and the daughter of a Pól Mac Siúrtáin has the surname Nic Shiúrtáin. In Ulster it is common for a woman who adopts her husband name to just use Ní or Nic rather than the forms seen below.
If a woman marries a man, she may choose to take his surname. In this case, Ó is replaced by Bean Uí ("descendant's wife") and Mac by Bean Mhic ("son's wife"). In both cases Bean may be omitted, which results in Uí or Mhic. In both cases the following name undergoes lenition, except for when Mhic is followed by or . Thus a woman marrying Seán Ó Dónaill may choose to adopt Bean Uí Dhónaill or Uí Dhónaill as her surname and a woman marrying Pól Mac Siúrtáin may choose to adopt Bean Mhic Siúrtáin or Mhic Siúrtáin as her surname.
Mag, Nig, and Mhig are sometimes used instead of Mac, Nic, and Mhic before a vowel or (which is silent) followed by a vowel.
Some names consist of Mac Giolla ("servant's son") or Ó Maoil ("follower's descendent") followed by a name in the genitive case, e.g. Mac Giolla Phádraig, Ó Maoil Eoin.
| +Summary of section contents |
| Thomas Ashe | Tomás Ághas | Gaelic League member |
| Moya Brennan | Máire Ní Bhraonáin | Irish-language spelling as birth name |
| Turlough O'Carolan | Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin | Irish harpist and composer |
| Michael Collins | Mícheál Ó Coileáin | signed Anglo-Irish Treaty with Irish-language name |
| Patrick S. Dinneen | Pádraig Ua Duinnín | was an Irish lexicographer and historian, and a leading figure in the Gaelic revival |
| Enya (Enya Patricia Brennan) | Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin | Irish singer, songwriter and musician |
| Arthur Griffith | Art Ó Gríobhtha | Gaelic League member; Sinn Féin founder and leader; bilingual signature on Anglo-Irish Treaty |
| Michael D. Higgins | Micheál Ó hUigínn | 9th President of Ireland |
| Douglas Hyde | Dubhghlas de hÍde | 1st President of Ireland; CnaG founder |
| Mary McAleese | Máire Mhic Ghiolla Íosa | née Mary Leneghan/Máire Ní Lionnacháin |
| Liam Mellows | Liam Ó Maoilíosa | |
| Kevin O'Higgins | Caoimhín Ó hUiginn | Minister for Justice and Vice-President |
| Seán T. O'Kelly | Seán T. Ó Ceallaigh | Vice-President, first Tánaiste, President of Ireland |
| Thomas Francis O'Rahilly | Tomás Phroinsias Ó Rathaille Originally from: | scholar of Celtic language and culture; sometimes also "Rahilly" or "Rahily" |
| Patrick Pearse | Pádraig Mac Piarais | CnaG; An Claidheamh Soluis editor; St. Enda's School founder |
| Joseph Plunkett | Seosamh Máire Pluincéad | Gaelic League member; an Easter Rising leader |
| Mary Robinson | Máire Bean Mhic Róibín | (née Máire de Búrca) |
| Gerard Toal | Gearóid Ó Tuathail |
| Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh | Dudley Forbes | though neither Dubhaltach or Fibrisigh correspond to the Anglicised forms |
| Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh | Roderick O'Flaherty | |
| Flaithrí Ó Maolconaire | Florence Conry | (1560–1629, Archbishop of Tuam) |
| Gráinne Ní Mháille | Grace O'Malley | many other Irish-language and English-language respellings of her name also exist |
| Seán Bán Breathnach | "White" John Walsh | |
| Séamus Ó Grianna | James Greene | though Grianna does not correspond etymologically to the English name "Green" or "Greene" |
| Gráinne Seoige | Grace Joyce | |
| Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin | Ellen Cullen | |
| Antoine Ó Raifteiri | Anthony Raftery | |
| Proinsias De Rossa | Frank Ross | |
| Pádraig Harrington | Patrick Harrington | Golfer; three-time major winner |
| Pádraig Ó Riain | Patrick Ryan | |
| Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha | Patrick O'Sugrue | |
| Padraig Ó Síocháin | P. A. Sheehan | |
| Pádraig Ó Fiannachta | Patrick Finnerty | |
| Lorcán Ua Tuathail | Laurence O'Toole | |
| Dara Ó Briain | Darragh O'Brien | |
| Doireann Ní Bhriain | Doreen O'Brien | |
| Cathal Brugha | Charles William St. John Burgess | |
| Éamon de Valera | Edward De Valera | 2nd Taoiseach (1937–1948, 1951–1954, 1957–1959); 3rd President (1959–1973) |
| Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh | Mairead Mooney | "Margaret", another English equivalent of "Mairéad", is rarely used. |
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