If you are someone who often struggles to make sure their Irish name is pronounced correctly, then this is certainly something you will relate to.
When pronouncing anything in the Irish language, Irish people have some apologising to do, especially since we have not made it easy for international visitors at all.
Not only do our place names involve tongue twisters, but many of our given surnames are terrifying to get ahold of, not only for foreigners but for the Irish too.
Here are the ten toughest Irish surnames to say correctly, and don’t worry, we will show you the right way to pronounce them too.
- If you are someone who often struggles to make sure their Irish name is pronounced correctly, then this is certainly something you will relate to.
- 10. Mahoney − a popular name worldwide
- 9. Keogh − an old Irish surname
- 8. Donoghue − a commonly mispronounced Irish last name
- 7. Coughlan − a trick of the letters
- 6. Shaughnessy − one of the most formidable names
- 5. Mac Gabhann − the Irish version of Smith
- 4. Hahessy − a rare but challenging Irish surname
- 3. Behan − a name with a long history
- 2. Ahearne − a name with many variations
- 1. Beirne − a tricky name to pronounce
10. Mahoney − a popular name worldwide
There are plenty of people worldwide with this name, including many celebrities, yet this remains one of the toughest Irish surnames to say correctly.
Unfortunately, Mahoney is often pronounced like ‘Ma-hone-ee’, which regularly frustrates those who bear the name. Although, some Mahoney’s do pronounce it this way. Otherwise, it is pronounced ‘Ma-hun-ee’.
Pronunciation: ‘Ma-hun-ee’
9. Keogh − an old Irish surname
We believe if this name (like many others) were spelt phonetically, it would be as easy as pie, but again the Irish letter combinations are there to trick everyone. Keogh is a popular name worldwide, and while you would think it would be known by now, it is still said incorrectly.
Pronunciation: ‘Key-oh’
8. Donoghue − a commonly mispronounced Irish last name
Donoghue is a prevalent Irish surname which exists all over the country today. Still, if you have travelled abroad with this name, you will most likely have encountered some strange pronunciations. While this may be a hard name, the trick to remembering the correct way is OH-so-simple.
Pronunciation: ‘Dun-oh-who’ – a tip to remember – dunno who?
7. Coughlan − a trick of the letters
The Irish language is jam-packed full of trick letters and letter combinations, so it is no wonder many people get this and many others completely wrong. Coughlan has many variations and spellings, but no matter which one, you can be sure it will confuse people. While you are here, you can also check out our article on the top 10 facts about Nicola Coughlan that you never knew.
Pronunciation: ‘Coc-lan’
6. Shaughnessy − one of the most formidable names
This name should win awards for being one of the toughest Irish surnames to say correctly since it tops the list time and time again.
However, if this is your last name, we understand your frustration since it is often misspelt and said incorrectly, so let us tell you the right way to say it.
Pronunciation: ‘Shaw-ness-ee’
5. Mac Gabhann − the Irish version of Smith
This is one of the most common Irish surnames in Ireland and worldwide since it means ‘son of a blacksmith’.
The English translation is simply Smith, which rarely suffers mispronunciation, yet the Irish version is one that people trip over all the time, and we don’t blame them. As such, it is often anglicised to McGowan.
Pronunciation: ‘Mac-gow-ann’
4. Hahessy − a rare but challenging Irish surname
Hahessy is an unusual Irish surname and one of the ones that leave people baffled. Not only does this name commonly get misspelt, but it is often pronounced entirely wrong, too, leaving holders of the name frustrated.
The name originally comes from Galway, where we are sure they can say it right.
Pronunciation: ‘Ha-hess-see’
3. Behan − a name with a long history
Behan is a popular surname and one of the toughest Irish surnames to say correctly, with many butchering the name daily.
It is, in fact, an anglicised version of the Irish Gaelic name O’Beachain, which was first discovered in County Kerry between the 14th and 17th centuries.
Pronunciation: ‘Bee-hin’
2. Ahearne − a name with many variations
Since our former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern came onto the scene, this Irish surname became much more accessible for people worldwide to pronounce.
Still, that doesn’t mean that this version is accessible. For those seeing this for the first time, Ahearne is a Gaelic name which dates back to early medieval Ireland.
Pronunciation: ‘Ah-hern’
1. Beirne − a tricky name to pronounce
This Irish family name hails from the region of Connacht, and while it might be a relatively straightforward name to pronounce for us Irish, it isn’t as easy for others to get a handle on.
Beirne is the Irish version of Byrne, yet when it is written as Beirne, it often leads people to scratch their heads.
Pronunciation: ‘Burn’
So next time you come across a name that takes you aback, remember this list, and hopefully, you will pronounce it the way God intended.
