Leprechauns have delighted and intrigued people for centuries. These mischievous fairy folk from Irish mythology capture our imaginations with their magical powers, pot of gold, and fun-loving trickster ways. When bringing leprechauns to life in stories, games, art, or any creative endeavor, giving them an appropriate and evocative leprechaun name adds to their mystique.
Leprechaun names stem from the legends, language, and landscape of Ireland. They often incorporate Celtic linguistic elements or refer to plants, animals, or geographical features tied to the Emerald Isle. Some nod to the appearance, occupation, or traits of the fairy in question. Whatever their origin, leprechaun names lend an air of quirky charm and authenticity to the diminutive immortals.
This article offers over 250 examples of traditional and contemporary leprechaun names along with tips for crafting your own. We’ll explore the essence of leprechaun names, famous monikers associated with these little people, guidelines around naming practices in leprechaun folklore, and more so you can bestow fitting and fantastical names upon your leprechauns!
The Essence of Leprechaun Names
Leprechaun naming traditions grew out of the stories, language, and lore intrinsic to Irish culture. They reflected beliefs about the fairy race and often incorporated natural imagery from the lush, green landscapes leprechauns were said to inhabit.
Traditional leprechaun names feature several common conventions:
- Celtic linguistic elements like “mac” (meaning “son of”) or “Ó” (“descendant of”)
- References to features in the natural world – trees, plants, animals, rivers, etc.
- Mentions of appearance, disposition, dress, occupation, or deeds
- Whimsical and unexpected phrasing mimicking leprechaun trickery
- Descriptors pointing to traits like wisdom, skill, speed, luck, wealth, etc.
Leprechaun names served an important purpose in Irish fairy stories and myths. They differentiated individual sprites, underlined key characteristics, connected them to ancestral lineages, and reinforced themes around nature, mischief, gold, shoemaking, and more.
So in crafting names for modern tales, games, art, and general fun, be sure to make them as lively, unexpected, and magically Irish as the legendary little people who bear them!
Traditional Leprechaun Names
Leprechauns have accumulated an array of names over centuries of Irish folktales and oral traditions. Certain ones recur frequently across regional myths and legends.
Here are 50 traditional Irish leprechaun names along with the meaning behind them:
| Leprechaun Names | Meaning |
| Beagán | Little |
| MacKilty | Son of the woods |
| Clever Tom | Intelligent Tommy |
| Finn | Fair |
| Flann | Red |
| Keenan | Ancient |
| Liam | Determined protector |
| Lorcan | Fierce |
| Mickey | Like god |
| Nesbitt | Island of fire |
| Nib | Small bite |
| Nuala | Fair shoulder |
| O’Dell | Descendant of the dark stranger |
| O’Toole | Descendant of Tuathal |
| Paddy | Noble, patrician |
| Patches | Name for a tailor |
| Quick John | Speedy John |
| Rafferty | Prosperous |
| Reilly | Descendant of Raghailleach |
| Rooney | Descendant of the champion |
| Seamus | The supplanter |
| Shauney | God is gracious |
| Sloosh | Name for a shoemaker |
| Sweeney | Well-going |
| Tierney | Lord, chief |
| Tim | To honor God |
| Begley | Small |
| Callaghan | Descendant of Ceallachán |
| Carlin | Little champion |
| Casey | Watchful |
| Doyle | Dark stranger |
| Driscoll | Interpreter |
| Duffy | Dark |
| Egan | Fiery |
| Erskine | From the green rising ground |
| Flynn | Son of the red-haired one |
| Garrity | Spear |
| Kennedy | Misshapen head |
| Kerr | Dusk, dark |
| Lynch | Descendant of Loinseach |
| Magee | Son of fire |
| McCool | Devotee of St. Columba |
| McDermott | Son of Diarmaid |
| McGinty | Son of fair one |
| Murphy | Sea warrior |
| O’Grady | Descendant of Gradh |
| O’Rourke | Descendant of Ruarc |
| Quigley | Descendant of Coig |
| Reagan | Little ruler |
| Riley | Valiant |
| Sloper | A clumsy walker |
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Funny Leprechaun Names
While some leprechauns boast respectable, storied names, others sport more unconventional, silly, or downright funny monikers. Here are 50 humorous options for magical little folk on the less serious side!
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Top Funny Leprechaun Names:
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Boys Leprechaun Names
While any leprechaun can be assigned traditionally male or female names, some names code specifically masculine. Here are 50 boys’ options:
| Alfred | Doyle | Kenneth |
| Andrew | Dudley | Kevin |
| Angus | Dylan | Leopold |
| Arthur | Edward | Liam |
| Benjamin | Elias | Malcolm |
| Brogan | Elmer | Martin |
| Charles | Emmett | Matthew |
| Colin | Eugene | Merlin |
| Conan | Felix | Miles |
| Cyril | Fergus | Myles |
| Daniel | Finnian | Nathaniel |
| David | Francis | Neil |
| Declan | Gabriel | Nigel |
| Dennis | Garrett | Oliver |
| Dominick | Geoffrey | Oscar |
| Donovan | Gerald | Patrick |
| Douglas | Hugh | Quinton |
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Girls Leprechaun Names
And here are 50 feminine and feminine-leaning names for magical sprites:
| Ailey | Delia | Katrina |
| Alyssa | Diana | Kayla |
| Amber | Dorothy | Leigh |
| Amy | Edna | Lila |
| Angela | Eileen | Lola |
| Anita | Elaine | Lucy |
| Barbara | Elizabeth | Lynn |
| Betsy | Ellen | Margaret |
| Betty | Eloise | Maria |
| Beverly | Emily | Marlene |
| Bonnie | Emma | Maureen |
| Carol | Evelyn | Melanie |
| Catherine | Fiona | Molly |
| Christy | Flora | Monica |
| Connie | Francesca | Nadine |
| Crystal | Gwendolyn | Natasha |
| Cynthia | Harriet | Nessa |
| Debbie | Heather | Rachel |
| Denise | Iris | Rebecca |
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Unisex Leprechaun Names
Not all leprechauns slot neatly into “male” or “female” boxes. Here are 50 names suitable for sprites of any gender:
| Adrian | Drew | Jessie |
| Alex | Dylan | Jo |
| Andrea | Eddie | Jordan |
| Andy | Ellis | Justice |
| Avery | Emerson | Kelly |
| Billie | Finley | Kennedy |
| Blair | Frankie | Kris |
| Bobby | Freddie | Lindsay |
| Cameron | Glenn | Lynn |
| Casey | Hayden | Marion |
| Chris | Jackie | Max |
| Dale | Jamie | Morgan |
| Darcy | Jay | Parker |
| Dominique | Jean | Perry |
| Drew | Jesse | Quinn |
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Naming Your Leprechaun: Tips and Tricks
Crafting the perfect name for your leprechaun requires creativity and a touch of Celtic inspiration. Here are some tips:
Use Celtic name elements. Incorporate Gaelic prefixes like “Ó” or “Mac,” suffixes like “-een” and “-an,” or common Celtic name parts like “kelly,” “noel,” “kennedy,” “quinn,” etc.
Pick descriptive traits. Choose names reflecting distinctive leprechaun qualities like “sneaky,” “lucky,” “rainbow,” “tricks,” “gold,” etc.
Go green. Use leafy surnames associating them with Ireland’s emerald landscape like “Forest,” “Woods,” “Bramble,” “Moss” or “Green.”
Add whimsy. Delightful-sounding words like “pixie,” “abis,” “opal,” “fae,” and similar fanciful terms make fun name ingredients.
Rhyme it. As mischievous poetics and songsters, leprechauns love rhymes! “Willy Nilly,” “Bonnie Connie,” “Quigley Pigley.”
Make it punny. Pun potential abounds with leprechauns! Play on shoe-making with “Sir Kobblesalot” or gold with “Sir Pottsalot.”
Have fun mixing and matching while letting your creativity run wild. With the guidelines and examples above, you’ll soon be bestowing delightful, magical leprechaun names upon these legendary Irish tricksters!
Conclusion
As highlighted in this guide to leprechaun names and naming practices, monikers for these fabled fairies carry history, meaning and charm. Whether you decide to use a traditional title like “Lorcan” or “Sweeney”, get punny with “Sir Pottsalot”, or invent your own whimsical wordplay like “Captain Tiddleldip” – choose wisely and wonderfully.
For such diminutive creatures, leprechauns have profoundly huge cultural symbolism and presence in Irish myth and memory. So grant them an equally outsized, delightful and fitting name! In doing so, you magically breathe new life into Celtic folk narratives first spun centuries ago.
