Boy's name
Cearbhall
“KAR-a-val”
uncertain; Wiktionary suggests Old Irish cerb, 'keen, cunning'
The story behind the name
Once common, Woulfe says, especially among the O'Dalys, and later anglicised as Charles. It was borne by Cerball mac Dúnlainge, king of Osraige (died 888), and in the 20th century by Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh (1911–1978), President of Ireland.
Surnames built on this name
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