Celtic baby names
Names filed as Celtic come from the Brittonic languages (Breton, Cornish, early Welsh) or from Celtic roots whose exact language is uncertain. Jennifer is the Cornish form of Guinevere, Alan came to England with Bretons after 1066, and Tristan goes back to the Pictish or Brittonic name Drust. Of the names we have researched, 17 are Celtic, given to 16,007 US babies in 2025.
Rising Celtic names
Biggest climbers in rank since 2020: Elowyn (#1,202 to #299), Arden (#1,055 to #975), Alana (#206 to #140), Harvey (#416 to #251), Gael (#112 to #86), Alan (#194 to #191).
Celtic girl names (9)
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alana | #140 | 2,085 | |
| Alaina | #224 | 1,366 | |
| Paris | #592 | 497 | |
| Jennifer | Cornish form of Guinevere ('white phantom') | #586 | 501 |
| Elowyn | #299 | 1,029 | |
| Jenna | pet form of Jennifer (Cornish Guinevere) | #679 | 418 |
| Arden | high (Brittonic place-name) | #975 | 261 |
| Joyce | lord (Breton, via Josse) | #1,074 | 226 |
| Imogene | from Imogen; perhaps "maiden" | #2,521 | 70 |
Celtic boy names (8)
How origins are assigned
Each name gets one origin: the language its meaning comes from, which is not always the language it reached English through. Mateo is Spanish in form but Hebrew in origin, so it is listed as Hebrew. The lists cover the roughly 2,000 most used names we have researched so far. Common meanings among Celtic names: names from places, a color, king or queen.