Boy's name

Séarlas

“SHAYR-las”

IPA: /ˈʃeːɾˠl̪ˠəsˠ/

Germanic Karl, 'man'

SéarlusCharles

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

The story behind the name

A rare name in Ireland, Woulfe says, until James I called his son and heir Charles as a lucky royal name. In Ireland, Charles also became the English stand-in for native names such as Cearbhall.

Quick answers

How do you pronounce Séarlas?

Séarlas is pronounced “SHAYR-las” (IPA: ˈʃeːɾˠl̪ˠəsˠ). 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 Séarlas mean?

Séarlas means Germanic Karl, 'man'.

Is Séarlas a boy's or a girl's name?

Séarlas is traditionally a boy's name in Ireland.

How else is Séarlas spelled?

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

Related names

Seán Séamus Séafra Seanán Séadna

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