Boy's name

Earcán

“AR-kawn”

a diminutive of earc, 'red' or 'speckled'

ErcanErkan

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

The story behind the name

Woulfe records several saintly Irish bishops and priests of the name. Like Dubhán and Flannán, it is a colour with a diminutive on the end.

Quick answers

How do you pronounce Earcán?

Earcán is pronounced “AR-kawn”. 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 Earcán mean?

Earcán means a diminutive of earc, 'red' or 'speckled'.

Is Earcán a boy's or a girl's name?

Earcán is traditionally a boy's name in Ireland.

How else is Earcán spelled?

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

Related names

Earnán Earnait

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