or is an early Irish male name, which also has the

hypocoristic A hypocorism ( or ; from Ancient Greek: (), from (), 'to call by pet names', sometimes also ''hypocoristic'') or pet name is a name used to show affection for a person. It may be a diminutive form of a person's name, such as '' Izzy'' for ...

and

diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A ( abbreviated ) is a word-form ...

forms , , and . In more modern forms of Irish it is written as or (/'oːəun/). In

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well a ...

the name is Eòghann or Eòghan. All of the above are often

anglicised Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...

as Ewen or, less often, Owen. The name in both Goidelic languages is generally considered a derivative of the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

and

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

name , meaning "noble born".''Surnames of the United Kingdom'' (1912), reprinted for Clearfield Company, INC by Genealogical Publishing Co. INC, Baltimore 1995, 1996. Cormic gives this origin for Eogan (one MS, Eogen); and Zimmer considers Owen to be borrowed from Latin , as noted by MacBain, p. 400. The mediaeval Latinization of Owen as led to a belief that the etymology was the Welsh and Breton , "lamb". With much stronger reason it was at one time considered that the name represented Irish = Gael. . Old Irish Welsh , young ‘youth’. ''Surnames of the United Kingdom'' cites Tomás Ua Concheanainn, (p. 126), that " is a diminutive of , = Owain, Eugene"

Etymology

The derives ''Eógan'' from the Primitive Irish ''*'', while others such as (, in 1903) have stated that equates to and Eugene; Dr

Rachel Bromwich Rachel Bromwich (30 July 1915 – 15 December 2010) born Rachel Sheldon Amos, was a British scholar. Her focus was on medieval Welsh literature, and she taught Celtic Languages and Literature in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at ...

has commented that is a derivation of the Latin ,As cited by T.J. Morgan in ''Welsh Surnames'', page 172 making these names long-attested in Gaelic areas, yet still based on loan-words.Morgan, T.J. and Morgan, Prys, ''Welsh Surnames'', University of Wales, 1985, ''Owain (Owen, Bowen, Ednowain)''. According to T.J. Morgan in ''Welsh Surnames'' (page 172/173) Owen is a derivation of the Latin >

Old Welsh Old Welsh ( cy, Hen Gymraeg) is the stage of the Welsh language from about 800 AD until the early 12th century when it developed into Middle Welsh.Koch, p. 1757. The preceding period, from the time Welsh became distinct from Common Brittonic a ...

, ... 'variously written in

Middle Welsh Middle Welsh ( cy, Cymraeg Canol, wlm, Kymraec) is the label attached to the Welsh language of the 12th to 15th centuries, of which much more remains than for any earlier period. This form of Welsh developed directly from Old Welsh ( cy, Hen ...

as . LL gives the names . The corresponding form in Irish is . Additionally, another Latinized variation of the name Owen is in certain parish registers.” Morgan notes that there are less likely alternative explanations and agrees with Dr Rachel Bromwich that Welsh “is normally latinized as Eugenius," and "both the Welsh and Irish forms are Latin derivatives". Eoghan has also been translated into English as "well born", in an example c. 1923, due to this Latin derivation; but with the note that in common usage it is usually

to "

Eugene Eugene may refer to: People and fictional characters * Eugene (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Eugene (actress) (born 1981), Kim Yoo-jin, South Korean actress and former member of the sin ...

". The name corresponds to the

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...

, often spelt in English; as well to Ewen, Ewan and Euan. The most likely and widely accepted origin of the

is, like the

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writte ...

also from Latin .

List of people

Celtic nobility

* , king of Fernmag in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology * , king of * , son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, eponymous founder of the and * , eponymous ancestor of the * of Ardstraw (6th century), Irish saint * (died 839), king of Fortriu * of Argyll () (died in or after 1268) * , harper and a servant of the 9th Earl of Kildare * , sometimes known as * (fl. 934), King of the Cumbrians * (died 1015), King of the Cumbrians * (), King of the Cumbrians

Recent times

* Eoghan Corry, Irish journalist and historian *

Eoghan Fitzsimons Eoghan Fitzsimons SC (born 13 June 1943) is an Irish barrister who served as Attorney General of Ireland from November 1994 to December 1994. He served as Attorney General of Ireland from 11 November to 15 December 1994. During his tenure as A ...

, former

Attorney General of Ireland The Attorney General of Ireland ( ga, An tArd-Aighne) is a constitutional officer who is the legal adviser to the Government and is therefore the chief law officer of the State. The attorney general is not a member of the Government but does pa ...

* Eoghan Harris, Irish politician *

Eoghan Hickey Eoghan Hickey (born 29 October 1981 in Dublin, Ireland) is a former professional rugby union player who played for seven professional clubs throughout four countries. During the 2005–06 Celtic League Hickey played for Leinster, before trans ...

, rugby player * Eoghan McDermott (MacDiarmada), tv broadcaster * Eoghan Quigg, Singer Eoghan Toner, On the wall in STATS

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eogan Irish-language masculine given names

Etymology

List of people

Celtic nobility

Recent times

See also

Notes