Boy's name

Oilibhéar

“OL-iv-air”

IPA: /ˈɔlʲəvʲeːɾˠ/

Woulfe takes it as a French form of Norse Ólafr, 'ancestor's relic'

Oliver

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

The story behind the name

The Anglo-Normans brought it in and it was fairly common, until Cromwell made it unpopular. Writing in 1923, Woulfe expected the beatification of Oliver Plunkett to revive it. Wikipedia's list of bearers is mostly hurlers and Gaelic footballers.

Quick answers

How do you pronounce Oilibhéar?

Oilibhéar is pronounced “OL-iv-air” (IPA: ˈɔlʲəvʲeːɾˠ). 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 Oilibhéar mean?

Oilibhéar means Woulfe takes it as a French form of Norse Ólafr, 'ancestor's relic'.

Is Oilibhéar a boy's or a girl's name?

Oilibhéar is traditionally a boy's name in Ireland.

How else is Oilibhéar spelled?

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