Boy's name

Naomhán

“NAY-vawn”

a diminutive of naomh, 'holy'

Nevan

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

The story behind the name

An Irish saint whose feast was kept on 13 September, says Woulfe. The Latin form he gives, Sanctanus, simply translates the name.

Quick answers

How do you pronounce Naomhán?

Naomhán is pronounced “NAY-vawn”. 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 Naomhán mean?

Naomhán means a diminutive of naomh, 'holy'.

Is Naomhán a boy's or a girl's name?

Naomhán is traditionally a boy's name in Ireland.

How else is Naomhán spelled?

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

Related names

Naoise

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