1873-1874.] 3 1 



times which were based upon natural distinctions in stature, 

 colour, or other physical characteristics ; such for instance are the 

 following names formed from adjectives denoting colour. Thus 

 the common personal name Banan was formed from Ban, white ; 

 Corcran from Corcair, ruddy ; Ciaran from Ciar, black ; Cronan 

 and Croinin from Cron, dark ; Donnan from Donn, brown \ Dear- 

 gan from Dearg, red ; Dubhan from Dubh, black ; Fionnan and 

 Fionnagan from Fionn, fair. There are some early Irish names 

 which seem to belong to this class, but another explanation must 

 be sought for them. Thus we have such designations as Leath 

 dhearg {i.e. half-red), Sriabh dhearg (red-circles), Dubh-da-leath 

 (both sides black), &c, which would seem to indicate that the 

 persons bearing these names were so called from artificial rather 

 than natural distinctions. It has been suggested that these names 

 were used to designate individuals who had stained their bodies 

 in this fashion, and the fact of one section of the Celts, the Picts, 

 doing so, renders this suggestion not impossible. 



Another class of names includes all those derived from moral or 

 mental qualities— such as Hanratty, anciently Inreachtach (worthy 

 of honour), Coffey, anciently Cobhtach (worthy of victory), Connor, 

 anciently Concobhar (strong victor); names compounded of gal 

 valour, andgus, virtue, belong to this class, e.g., Ferghal (now Farrel), 

 Fergus, &c. Another class contains those names which were given 

 on account of occupation, e.g., MacGowan (i.e., Gobhan, a smith). 

 In the Highlands of Scotland we have many such names, such as 

 MacGreusich, the son of the shoemaker ; MacChruiter, the son of 

 the harper (otherwise Harperson). 



Another class embraces names derived from nationality or locality, 

 e.g., Brannagh (i.e., Breatnach, a Briton or Welshman), Davoren 

 (i.e., Dubh da Bhoireann, the black man of the two rocks), &c. , 

 &c. The prefix Cu, meaning hound or champion, was often 

 prefixed to names of locality, such as Cumaighe (now Cooey), 

 meaning the hound of the plain. 



Another class was formed by prefixing Gilla (a servant), Mael 

 (tonsured), and Ceile (a companion), to the name of God or 



