Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part series on famous Black people with an Irish first name and/or middle name. A few additional Irish names are given because of their popularity among African Americans.
Part I provides information about names beginning with A-L.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/07/famous-black-people-with-irish-first_4.html for Part II of this series. Part II provides information about names beginning with M-Z.
DISCLAIMER:
This isn't meant to be a comprehensive listing of Irish names or of Black people with Irish names.
Some of these names have other etymologies besides their Irish origins/meanings.
Most of the people included in this list are African Americans. This post includes other Black people who are known in the United States because of their historical, cultural, professional, and/or political activities.
The content of this post is presented for etymological and cultural information.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
This is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on names and nicknames.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/famous-black-people-name-origins_26.html "Famous Black People Name Origins, Part I (A-L). The links to the other posts in that particular series are given in that post.
Other pancocojams posts on names and nicknames can be found by clicking the tabs that are given below.
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FAMOUS BLACK PEOPLE WITH IRISH FIRST OR MIDDLE NAMES (A-L)
Note:
Information about the meaning of the Irish name is given before the information about the Black person with that name.
Some names on this list are also used as surnames (last names).
A
Aidan
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aidan_(name)
"Aidan, Aiden, or Aedan are the primary anglicisations of the Irish given name Aodhán and the Scottish Gaelic given name Aodhàn.[1]
...The name is derived from the name Aodhán, which is a pet form of Aodh.[2] It can be used as a masculine or feminine given name. The personal name Aodh means "fiery" and/or "bringer of fire" and was the name of a Celtic sun god (see Aed).[3]
Formerly common only in Ireland and Scotland, the name and its variants have become popular in England, the United States, and Canada....
Its popularity is also reflected in the occurrence of similar-sounding names such as Braden, Caden, Hayden, and Jayden.[6]"
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I haven't found any online information about a famous Black person with this name. I added this name because of its growing popularity in the United States.
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B
Brian
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian
"Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan) is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin,[1] as well as a surname of Occitan origin.[2] It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word meaning "high" or "noble".[1] For example the element bre means "hill"; which could be transferred to mean "eminence" or "exalted one".[2]
-snip-
Famous Black person with this name - Brian Gumble
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryant_Gumbel
"Bryant Charles Gumbel (born September 29, 1948) is an American television journalist and sportscaster. He is best known for his 15 years as co-host of NBC's The Today Show."
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Brianna
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brianna
"Brianna, Breanna, Breanne, Brianne, Brina, and Bryanna. are feminine given names. Brianna is a feminine English language form of the masculine Irish language name Brian.[1] The name is a relatively modern one and was occasionally used in England from about the 16th century and on. In recent years, the name has become more and more popular (especially in the United States).[2]
Variant spellings of Brianna include: Bryanna,[3] Breanna (mainly in the United States),[1] Brianne, and Brina.[2] Breanne is variant form of Breanna.[4]"
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I haven't found any online information about a famous Black person with this name. I added this name because of its growing popularity in the United States among African Americans and other Americans.
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C
Ciara
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciara_(given_name)
Ciara /ˈkɪərə/ is a popular Irish language female name and was tenth on the list of most popular names given to baby girls in Ireland in 2006. It is the feminine version of the name Ciarán, meaning "dark-haired" in Irish Gaelic, and was also the name of Saint Ciara, a seventh-century Irish saint venerated by the Roman Catholic Church. The name's spelling is often Anglicized as Keira, Kiera, Keara or Kira...
[Variants] Ceara, Ciera, Cer, Cera, Ciar, Ciora, Cyra, Chiara, Keara, Keira, Kiara, Kiera, Kira, Kyra, Sierra
Meaning: black, little dark one, dark haired
-snip-
Note: The name "Sierra" could also refer to the African desert.
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Famous Black person with this name - Ciara [singer]
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciara
"Ciara Princess Harris (born October 25, 1985), known mononymously as Ciara (pronounced /siːˈɛrə/, see-ERR-ə),[1] is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress and fashion model. [She was] Born in Austin, Texas"...
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Notice Ciara's middle name. The name "Princess" is an example of a status name. Such status names are relatively common among African Americans. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/famous-black-people-name-origins.html for the examples of "Major" and "Prince".
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Cory
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cory
"As a given name Cory is used by both males and females. As a surname it has a number of possible derivations, including an Old Norse personal name Kori of uncertain meaning, which is found in Scandinavia and England.[1] As an Irish surname it comes from Ó Comhraidhe (descendant of Comhraidheh).[2]
Alternative spellings for Cory are Corey, Corrie, Curry (surname), Correy, Kory, Khouri, and Kori."
-snip-
A famous Black person with this name: Cory Booker
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cory_Booker
"Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is an American politician and the junior United States Senator from New Jersey, in office since 2013. Previously he served as Mayor of Newark from 2006 to 2013."
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D
DeSean
Information about and an example of this name and a few other variants of the name "Sean" can be found in Part II of this series.
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Desmond
From http://www.babynamesofireland.com/irish-boy-names/names-d-f
"Desmond
Meaning “one from Desmond,” Desmond being an area of South Munster, one of the four provinces of Ireland. Popular diminutives are Des and Dessie.*"
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*There are other etymologies for the name "Dessie". For example, "Dessie" is a major Ethiopian city. Its name is Amharic and means "my joy". http://www.wu.edu.et/dessie.php
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Famous Black person with this name - Desmond Tutu
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Tutu
"Desmond Mpilo Tutu (born 7 October 1931) is a South African social rights activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid.
He was the first black Archbishop of Cape Town and bishop of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa (now the Anglican Church of Southern Africa)."
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E
F
G
H
I
J
K
Kayla
From http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Kayla
"Kayla \ka(y)-la\ as a girl's name is pronounced KAY-la. It is of Irish and Gaelic origin, and the meaning of Kayla is "slim and fair". From Caoilainn. Also used as a modern variant of Kayley and Katherine, or as a diminutive of Michaela. Also possibly from the Yiddish name Kelila, meaning "crown of laurel". Initial popularity of the name is due to the character named Kayla on the daytime TV drama "Days of Our Lives". See also Kaylee.
Variations
Kayla has 25 variant forms: Caela, Caihla, Caila, Cala, Calla, Cayla▼, Caylie, Kaala, Kaela▼, Kaelah, Kahla, Kaila▼, Kailagh, Kailah, Kalae, Kalah, Kalla, Kaylah▼, Kayle, Kaylha, Kaylie▲, Kaylin, Kaylla, Kaylyn▼ and Keyla.
For more information, see also related girl names Mckayla, Shayla, Tayla and Kay."
-snip-
The Irish etymology of the name "Kayla" is only one possible etymology for this name. I've not found any famous Black people with this name, but I've included it because "Kayla" (and the names "Shayla" and "Mckayla" are increasingly popular among African Americans. That said, I agree with those who think that McKayla is a modern form of the name "Michaela" and not as often a form of the name "Kayla". Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michaela for information about the name "Michaela".
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Keenan
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keenan
"Keenan (Cianán) is a male Irish name which means "ancient, distant". Keenan is an Anglicisation of the Irish name Cianán which is a diminutive of Cian. The Ó Cianáin clan (Keenan) were the traditional historians to the McGuire clan.
Recorded as O'Keenan and more usually Keenan, this is an Irish surname. Found mainly in the Ulster and northern counties of Fermanagh and Monaghan, it originates from the ancient pre 10th century Gaelic name O' Cianain meaning "The descendant of the faithful one" or similar.
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Famous Black person with this name - Keeman Ivory Wayans
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keenen_Ivory_Wayans
"Keenen Ivory Wayans, Sr. (born June 8, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, producer, director and writer, and a member of the Wayans Family of entertainers. He first came to prominence as the host and co-creator of the 1990-1994 Fox sketch comedy series In Living Color. He has produced, directed and/or written a large number of films, starting with Hollywood Shuffle, which he co-wrote, in 1987"
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Kelly
http://www.behindthename.com/name/kelly
"Kelly - Anglicized form of the Irish given name CEALLACH or the surname derived from it Ó Ceallaigh.
VARIANTS: Ceallach, Ceallagh (Irish), Kelleigh, Kelley, Kelli, Kellie (English)"
-snip-
Famous Black person with this name - Kelly Rowland
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Rowland
"Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland (born February 11, 1981)[1] is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. Rowland rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time."
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Kerry
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerry_(name)
"Kerry (KER-ee) (alternatively "Kerri") is both a masculine and feminine English language given name of Gaelic (Irish) origin.
In its original form, Ciarraighe (Ciarraí), it denoted the people of Ciar (ciar-raighe). It was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in the area of what is now County Kerry. However branches of the Ciarraighe were located all over Ireland:
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http://www.babynamespedia.com/meaning/Kerry/f
"The meaning of Kerry is 'descendants of Ciar'. It is derived from the word ciar with the meaning 'black'*. It represents the transferred use of the geographic name as a given name."
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In the context of that Irish name, "black" probably referred to the color of the person's eyes and/or hair.
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Famous Black person with this name - Kerry Washington
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerry_Washington
"Kerry Marisa Washington[1] (born January 31, 1977)[2] is an American actress. Since 2012, Washington has gained wide public recognition for starring in the ABC drama Scandal, a Shonda Rhimes series in which she plays Olivia Pope, a crisis management expert to the President of the United States."
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Kevin
From http://www.behindthename.com/name/kevin
Kevin
GENDER: Masculine
Meaning & History
Anglicized form of the Irish name Caoimhín, derived from the older Irish Cóemgein, composed of the Old Irish elements cóem "kind, gentle, handsome" and gein "birth". Saint Caoimhín established a monastery in Glendalough, Ireland in the 6th century and is the patron saint of Dublin. It became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland in the 20th century.
VARIANTS: Kevyn (English), Caoimhín, Cóemgein, Kevan (Irish)
DIMINUTIVE: Kev (English)"
**
From http://www.babynamesofireland.com/irish-boy-names/names-g-n
"[Kevin] Means “gentle child” or “well born.” St. Kevin founded a great monastery at Glendalough in County Wicklow in the seventh century... The name is still very popular in Ireland.
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I've not found a famous Black person with the name "Kevin". I added this name because of what I've noted is a rather common African American custom of naming male twins "Keith" and "Kevin". Kevin is derived from a Scottish place name that means ace name meaning "large woods, forest." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_(given_name)
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Liam
From http://www.babynamesofireland.com/irish-boy-names/names-g-n
"The Irish form of William, originally a German name will + helm”desire + helmet” and suggests “strong protector.” It is currently a very fashionable name in Ireland and across the world."
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I haven't found any online information about a famous Black person with this name. I added this name because of its growing popularity in the United States among African Americans and other Americans.
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This concludes Part I of this series.
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Please add other examples of famous Black people with Irish names to this list.
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