The Celtic Name Book

This fabulous collection of names goes far beyond a simple list, providing much detail of origins, variations and diminutives.

Alicia Mills writes: “Decades ago, when I began to collect names, I set out to compile the name book which I wanted to read. Fascinated with Celtic culture and my own Irish heritage, I chose to focus and concentrate on names derived from Celtic-related languages. Occasionally, such as with the entries for Geoffrey, Isabel, and John, I have included French or Italian, Greek or Hebrew variants, because I was intrigued by the differences, yet similarities, of the interplay between the various tongues. Still, this definitely remains primarily a book concerned with Celtic and Gaelic names.”

Alicia (f) (ah-LEE-shah or ah-LEE-see-ah) used in Ireland and America. Latinate form of Alice, from words meaning truth, or, from Germanic, Adalheidis, nobility. This is also the Italian, Spanish and Swedish version of Alice. In occasional use in Ireland. In America Alicia has been popular since the late 1970s; as of 1991 was still in the Top 50 names given to girls. These days Alyssa ranks even higher, often in the Top 10 or Top 20.

Alicia Rutherford Cockburn, Scottish poet. See Alice. Irish: Ailise. Gaelic: Ailise, Ailse. Variants/Diminutives: Alley, Ali, Alisha, Alison, Alissa, Allie, Ally, Alycia, Alysha, Alyssa, Elissa, Ilysha