What's in a Name? When it is an Irish name, it may contain Celtic elements, saints, folkloric characters and/or commerce. It is not uncommon for the Irish to operate under two names: their Irish name and its English translation. Nowadays, Irish people have a first, middle, and last name, but there was a time when only one name was used, like Brian or Niall. This worked at the time due to the small population. As time went by, more and more people lived on the Emerald Isle. It became necessary to adopt a two-name system to identify individuals when the personal tax was imposed by the government. Choosing the easier route, the sons added a prefix to their father's name. Let's assume that Brian was Niall's father; his new name would have been Niall O'Brian. And that's why you'll still see so many names starting with prefixes like O' and Mac today! Whether you're a serious genealogy detective or just want your precious pet to express their Irish side, enjoy what we've discovered about Irish names. Irish Surnames (Surnames) O'Brien is in the top 10 Irish surnames! There are a few derivatives of O'Brien: O'Bryan and O'Brian. Do you remember our friend Niall? The Gaelic translation is "descendant of Brian" or Niall is Brian's son. O'Brien is the anglicized name of Brian Boramha Boru, the famous great king of Ireland (941-1004). O'Brien is named Luck of the Irish! You may find it interesting that O'Brien's coat of arms displays his royalty with the lion "king" in the crest. The motto is “The strong hand from above”. Examine the coat of arms carefully. At the top you will see a hand with a sword pointing towards the sky. Are you an O'Brien? If so, you're entitled to the Irish attitude! Irish first names (Given Nam...... middle of paper ......es to his credits. Cillian Murphy – Irish actor in the theater and film genres. Among his many credits, "Red Lights" teamed with Murphy DeNiro He is actively involved in homeless rights through "Focus Ireland". Peter John Murphy - Rock singer who performed with Bauhaus, nicknamed "Godfather of Goth", Murphy has released solo albums including. Ninth and Unshaded.Pierce is an Irish male given name meaning "son of Piers".Pierce Bronson – Charming Irish actor, who is every woman's ideal bad boy, famous for playing James Bond. He also played Detective Remington Steele. in the television series.Pierce is a former Irish football star who played for the Celtics among others. He stands out as the only player to replace his brother in the Wembley international match. don't they just make you want to run and get something. appoint?