Boy's name

Bearchán

“BAR-a-khawn”

a diminutive of Bearach

Bercan

Source: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923) ↗

The story behind the name

The pet form of Bearach. Woulfe counts five Irish saints of the name.

Quick answers

How do you pronounce Bearchán?

Bearchán is pronounced “BAR-a-khawn”. Irish has three main dialect groups (Ulster, Connacht and Munster) and many names are said differently in each. The respellings here give the pronunciation most commonly heard in Irish English; where a well-known variant exists, both are shown.

What does the name Bearchán mean?

Bearchán means a diminutive of Bearach.

Is Bearchán a boy's or a girl's name?

Bearchán is traditionally a boy's name in Ireland.

How else is Bearchán spelled?

Other spellings and equivalents include Bercan. Irish names were written down by English-speaking clerks for centuries, which is why so many spellings survive for one name.

Related names

Bearach Bearnárd

Meanings follow Ó Corráin & Maguire's Irish Names and Woulfe; pronunciations give the commonest Irish-English form. Know this name better — a dialect pronunciation, a family tradition? Tell us. · All Irish names A–Z