Boy's name

Maolíosa

“mwayl-EE-sa”

'servant of Jesus'

MaelíosaMáel ÍsuMaelisa

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

The story behind the name

Woulfe calls it formerly a not uncommon Irish name. Medieval churchmen bore it, among them two 12th-century archbishops of Cashel, Máel Ísu Ua hAinmere and Máel Ísu Ua Fogluda.

Quick answers

How do you pronounce Maolíosa?

Maolíosa is pronounced “mwayl-EE-sa”. 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 Maolíosa mean?

Maolíosa means 'servant of Jesus'.

Is Maolíosa a boy's or a girl's name?

Maolíosa is traditionally a boy's name in Ireland.

How else is Maolíosa spelled?

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

Related names

Maolsheachlainn Maodhóg Maoilir Maolcholm Maolruadháin

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