Selkie Name Generator

Seal-folk names from Gaelic and Norse shores

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Seal-folk names from the North Atlantic shore: Gaelic, Northern Isles, Faroese and Icelandic given names, new sea names coined on the same sounds, and skerry and tide bynames like Ailsa Greycoat, Mòrag nan Ròn and Thora of Sule Skerry.

About selkie names

Selkies are the seal folk of Orkney, Shetland, the Hebrides, the Irish west coast, the Faroes and Iceland. At sea they are seals, and on shore they fold away the skin and pass for people. Many of the stories turn on a hidden sealskin: the ballad of the Great Silkie of Sule Skerry, the Orkney tale of the Goodman of Wastness, and Kópakonan, the seal woman of Mikladalur in the Faroes. Selkie itself is simply the Orkney and Scots word for a seal.

So a selkie name is usually a human name from one of those coasts. Irish gives Rónán and Rónnat, from rón, seal, along with Muireann and Murchadh, both built on muir, sea. Icelandic has Hafdís, Sævar, Unnur and Alda, the last two plain words for a wave. The Northern Isles add everyday forms such as Osla, Sinnie, Mansie for Magnus and Lowrie for Laurence.

Bynames do the rest. Some here are in Gaelic, like Mòrag nan Ròn, Morag of the seals, and Rónán na Mara, Ronan of the sea. Others are English and Scots compounds in the manner of Greycoat and Tidewife, or place epithets drawn from real skerries and islands, from Sule Skerry and Haskeir to Inishkea. A last group pairs an island given name with an island surname, for a selkie long ashore.

How to choose selkie names

  • Match the name to one coast. A Shetland selkie suits Sinnie of Foula or Jessie Tulloch, a Connemara one Coley Conneely, and a Faroese one Marjun of Mikladalur.
  • Give a selkie two names: a sea name that her kin use and a shore name for the parish register, such as Nora Conneely. The sea names here, such as Tonnait (from tonn, wave) and Brimla (from brim, surf), are new coinages on Gaelic and Norse roots, not traditional given names.
  • A Gaelic byname follows the given name: na Mara is of the sea, nan Tonn of the waves, an Eilein of the island. Keep the accents, which lean left in Scottish Gaelic (Mòrag) and right in Irish (Rónán).
  • For an English byname, borrow the shore words of the place. Northern Isles speech has voe, geo, ayre, noust and haar, which is where Thomasina Voe-Dweller and Jessie Haarborn come from.
  • Sealskin tales are gentle and sad. A quiet epithet such as Helga Who Kept Her Skin fits better than anything fierce, which belongs to the kelpie.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good name for a selkie?

One that sounds as if it came from a North Atlantic shore. Try a sea-rooted given name such as Muireann, Rónán or Hafdís, add a byname as in Ailsa Greycoat or Shona Tidewife, or name the rock the selkie comes home to, as in Thora of Sule Skerry.

Do selkies have surnames?

In the stories a selkie ashore joins a household, so an island surname fits: Flett or Isbister in Orkney, Tulloch or Leask in Shetland, MacCodrum in North Uist, Conneely in Connemara. The MacCodrums and the Conneelys were themselves said to descend from seals. The list has pairs such as Inga Flett and Neil MacCodrum.

Are selkie names Scottish, Irish or Norse?

All three. The tales are told from Ireland and the Hebrides to Orkney, Shetland, the Faroes and Iceland, so the list mixes Irish and Scottish Gaelic names with Northern Isles, Faroese and Icelandic ones. A smaller group is newly coined on the same sounds, such as Tonnait, Róinín, Brimla and Kópalín, or is a bare island name such as Raasay or Scarba: treat those as inventions for fiction, not as recorded given names. Pick one tradition per character so the given name, the byname and the home island agree.

Can a selkie be male?

Yes. The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry is a selkie man, and Orkney tales tell of selkie men who come ashore to court island women. Many of the given names here are men's, such as Tormod, Erlend, Jógvan and Sævar.

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All 500 selkie names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 19 names

  • Agnes Nightswimmer
  • Agnes Pottinger
  • Ailsa Greycoat
  • Ailsa MacCodrum
  • Alda
  • Alda of Breiðafjörður
  • Aldra
  • Alexina Oarshadow
  • Andrina Simmer-Dim
  • Andrina Spence
  • Angus John Greymantle
  • Annag Limpet-Eyes
  • Annag MacAulay
  • Anndra a' Bhàta
  • Anndra of the Flannan Isles
  • Aranna
  • Arnfinn
  • Asleif
  • Astrid Sound-Crosser

B: 36 names

  • Baabie
  • Bairbre
  • Bairbre na Sceire
  • Balta
  • Barbara Mouat
  • Barbara Waveborn
  • Bárður
  • Bárður of Stóra Dímun
  • Bartley Webfinger
  • Beartla
  • Beartla na Taoide
  • Beathag
  • Beathag nan Sgeir
  • Beathag of the Low Tide Rocks
  • Bébinn
  • Beinta
  • Bella Garriock
  • Bella Shorewife
  • Breandán
  • Breeshey of the Calf of Man
  • Breta
  • Bríd
  • Bríd of Inis Meáin
  • Bríd of the Borrowed Shawl
  • Bridie Coyne
  • Bridie Surfsinger
  • Brimdís
  • Brimir
  • Brimla
  • Brimna
  • Brimrún
  • Brita
  • Brita of Unst
  • Brita Who Never Wept on Land
  • Brusi
  • Bryndís Ægisdóttir

C: 34 names

  • Caireann
  • Caireann of Rathlin
  • Cairistìona
  • Cáit
  • Cáit an Chalaidh
  • Calum na Gealaich
  • Caolann
  • Caomhán
  • Carraigín
  • Catrìona
  • Catrìona nan Tonn
  • Catrìona of the Salt Tears
  • Ceit of Mingulay
  • Ceitidh
  • Ceolann
  • Ceonait
  • Christina Hughson
  • Ciorstaidh
  • Ciorstaidh of the Sound of Harris
  • Clíodhna
  • Clíona
  • Clíona na Carraige
  • Cóilín
  • Cóilín na mBád
  • Cóilín of Inis Oírr
  • Coinneach
  • Coinneach Son of the Seal Wife
  • Coley Conneely
  • Coley Shinglefoot
  • Colm na Feamainne
  • Colmán
  • Colmán of Strangford Lough
  • Cuanán
  • Cuanna

D: 20 names

  • Dairine
  • Dairine of Inishkea
  • Dánjal
  • Dara na Gealaí
  • Delia Pearlgatherer
  • Dinny Dripcloak
  • Dinny Sugrue
  • Doireann
  • Doireann na Gaoithe
  • Dolina Kelpcradle
  • Dòmhnall
  • Dòmhnall an Lìn
  • Dòmhnall of the Webbed Hand
  • Donald John MacPhee
  • Donald John Tidefather
  • Donncha
  • Donncha an Cheo
  • Donncha of Tory Island
  • Dùghall
  • Durita

E: 33 names

  • Eachann
  • Eachann of Skerryvore
  • Eachann Ruadh a' Chuain
  • Ealaith
  • Ealasaid
  • Ealasaid na Tràghad
  • Ealasaid the Grey Swimmer
  • Éamonn an Ghainimh
  • Éanna
  • Eday
  • Effie Driftwood
  • Effie MacInnes
  • Eilagh
  • Eileen O'Donnell
  • Eileen Whelkfinder
  • Eilidh of Vatersay
  • Einar of the Pentland Skerries
  • Eiríkur Sæmundsson
  • Eithne of Inishturk
  • Elspa
  • Elspeth Ebbwalker
  • Elspeth Leask
  • Ensay
  • Eòghann
  • Eorsa
  • Eppie
  • Erlend
  • Erlend of Hoy
  • Ertie
  • Ewen Harbourlight
  • Eydís
  • Eyra
  • Eyrún

F: 15 names

  • Fand
  • Faray
  • Feamnait
  • Fenella Dapplecoat
  • Festy Mulkerrin
  • Festy Pebblehand
  • Fionnghal
  • Fionnlagh
  • Fionnlagh a' Bhàigh
  • Fjara
  • Flodda
  • Flora MacKinnon
  • Flora Shorelight
  • Flòraidh
  • Flòraidh na Gaoithe

G: 15 names

  • Gibbie
  • Gioga
  • Gioga of the Ve Skerries
  • Girzie
  • Glasán
  • Glasnait
  • Goodwife of Wastness
  • Gráinne an Oileáin
  • Grey Selchie of Sule Skerry
  • Grim Noustkeeper
  • Grizel Seapink
  • Guðrið
  • Gudrun Slackwater
  • Gunnhild Mother of Seven
  • Gunnvør

H: 27 names

  • Haafa
  • Haafrid
  • Hafdís
  • Hafdís of Flatey
  • Hafliði
  • Hafrún
  • Hafsteinn
  • Hafþór
  • Hakon Skerryborn
  • Hamna
  • Hansi
  • Hansi of Muckle Flugga
  • Hansi Who Left No Footprints
  • Hanus
  • Harald Norquoy
  • Harald Whitewater
  • Havard
  • Havera
  • Havgrímur
  • Havra
  • Hector Wavewatcher
  • Helga Heddle
  • Helga of North Ronaldsay
  • Helga Who Kept Her Skin
  • Hervør
  • Hildina of Sule Stack
  • Høgni

I: 16 names

  • Iain a' Chladaich
  • Iain of the Dark Eyes
  • Íde of Cape Clear
  • Ina Seawife
  • Inga Flett
  • Inga Who Found the Key
  • Ingibjorg
  • Ingirid
  • Ingrid Firth
  • Ingrid Neaptide
  • Inisha
  • Iseabail
  • Isla Skerrywatch
  • Isobel Sandison
  • Ivar Ayre-Walker
  • Ivar Hourston

J: 13 names

  • Jacobina Merry-Dancer
  • Jacobina Ratter
  • Jákup
  • Janet Inkster
  • Janet Tidemother
  • Jean Brineheart
  • Jeemsie Haarwalker
  • Jessie Haarborn
  • Jessie Tulloch
  • Jógvan
  • Jógvan of Mykines
  • Jógvan of the Twelfth Night
  • Johnina Netmender

K: 14 names

  • Kári Hafsteinsson
  • Katla Sævarsdóttir
  • Kirsteen Foamfollower
  • Kirsty Halcrow
  • Kirsty Wrackgatherer
  • Kitty Gullfriend
  • Kitty O'Malley
  • Kolbein
  • Kolbein of Copinsay
  • Kolbein the Grey Father
  • Kópa
  • Kópakonan
  • Kópalín
  • Kristín Hafliðadóttir

L: 13 names

  • Lachie Boatfollower
  • Lachlann
  • Lachlann of Staffa
  • Leebie
  • Lí Ban
  • Líadan
  • Liathnait
  • Liathra
  • Linga
  • Ljot
  • Lowrie
  • Lowrie of Fair Isle
  • Lowrie of the Seventh Stream

M: 60 names

  • Macdara
  • Macdara na Curaí
  • Magnie
  • Magnie of Yell
  • Magnus Foubister
  • Mairead
  • Mairead na Mara
  • Mairead of the Long Look Seaward
  • Màiri
  • Màiri a' Cheò
  • Máirín
  • Máirín an Chuain
  • Máirín of Achill
  • Manannán
  • Mansie
  • Marion Springtide
  • Marjun
  • Marjun of Mikladalur
  • Marjun Who Went Back
  • Marnagh
  • Marsaili
  • Marsaili nan Eilean
  • Mary-Ann Kistkey
  • Maura Mulkerrin
  • Maureen Dirrane
  • Maureen Sandwalker
  • Merran
  • Merran of Mousa
  • Mhairi MacPhee
  • Mhairi Silverpelt

M, continued

  • Michaeleen Coyne
  • Micil of Roaringwater Bay
  • Mima
  • Mòr
  • Mòr of Haskeir
  • Mòrag
  • Mòrag nan Ròn
  • Morven Saltpelt
  • Muircheartach
  • Muirea
  • Muireann
  • Muireann na dTonn
  • Muirgel
  • Muirgheal
  • Muirgheas
  • Muirín
  • Muirín of Inishbofin
  • Muirín of the Ninth Wave
  • Muirne
  • Muirneach
  • Muirsha
  • Murchadh
  • Murdag
  • Murdina MacIver
  • Murdina Slipskin
  • Murdo
  • Mureen
  • Murnait
  • Murrough
  • Murty Salthair

N: 17 names

  • Nan Netwife
  • Neasa
  • Neasa na hOíche
  • Neasa of the Great Blasket
  • Neil MacCodrum
  • Neil Spotmantle
  • Niamh
  • Nóirín
  • Nóirín na hInse
  • Nora Conneely
  • Nora Shallowsong
  • Noreen Faherty
  • Norman MacAskill
  • Norman Silkenhide
  • Nuala
  • Nuala na Trá
  • Nuala Whose Shoes Are Always Wet

O: 13 names

  • Oighrig
  • Oighrig an Eilein
  • Oighrig of the Monach Isles
  • Oirbsen
  • Olaf Deepbreath
  • Olaf Yorston
  • Ólavur
  • Ollavitinus
  • Óluva
  • Omey
  • Osla
  • Osla of the Locked Kist
  • Osla of the Out Skerries

P: 12 names

  • Patcheen Dirrane
  • Patcheen Sealcloak
  • Pætur
  • Pætur of Nólsoy
  • Peadar
  • Peadar an Bháid
  • Peerie Inga Ebbfoot
  • Peggy Skinkeeper
  • Peigi
  • Peigi na Geodha
  • Peigi of Eriskay
  • Peigín

R: 34 names

  • Raasay
  • Raghnall
  • Ragna Stillwater
  • Rakul
  • Rannvá
  • Rannvá of Suðuroy
  • Rannvá Who Warned the Hunters
  • Raonaid
  • Raonaid na h-Oidhche
  • Raonaid of Hirta
  • Rasmie
  • Rhona Longdive
  • Robbie Kirkness
  • Robbie Rockbasker
  • Robina Jamieson
  • Robina Northlight
  • Roddy Lanternwatch
  • Roddy MacAulay
  • Rognvald
  • Rógvi
  • Róinín
  • Rona of North Rona
  • Ronagh
  • Rónait
  • Rónán
  • Rónán na Mara
  • Ronavar
  • Ronella
  • Rónnat
  • Rónnat Between Two Tides
  • Rónóg
  • Ruairidh
  • Ruairidh na Sgeire
  • Ruairidh the Stranger from the Shore

S: 69 names

  • Sæbjörg
  • Sæbjörn
  • Sadhbh of Clare Island
  • Sædís
  • Sáilín
  • Sámal
  • Sæmundur
  • Sandy Isbister
  • Sandy Storm-Warner
  • Særún
  • Sæþór
  • Sæunn
  • Sæunn of Grímsey
  • Sævar
  • Sævar of Vatnsnes
  • Scarba
  • Sceirín
  • Selbjörg
  • Seldís
  • Selja
  • Selrún
  • Selvör
  • Senga Softwhisker
  • Seonag
  • Seonag an t-Sàile
  • Seonaid
  • Seumas
  • Seumas an Rubha
  • Sheelin
  • Sheila Flaherty
  • Sheila Low-Singer
  • Shiora
  • Shona MacAskill
  • Shona Tidewife

S, continued

  • Sigrid Coldcurrent
  • Sigrid Scollay
  • Sigurd Drever
  • Sigurd of the Midsummer Ebb
  • Sigurd Roost-Rider
  • Síle
  • Síle an tSáile
  • Síle Who Swims at Moonrise
  • Sìleas
  • Sìleas the Shore-Shy
  • Sìne
  • Sìne a' Chaolais
  • Sinnie
  • Sinnie of Foula
  • Sjóla
  • Sjúrður
  • Skerja
  • Skuli
  • Skuli of the Swelkie
  • Snorri Sæbjörnsson
  • Soay
  • Sóley Hafþórsdóttir
  • Sólrun
  • Sólrun of Skúvoy
  • Somhairle
  • Somhairle of Colonsay
  • Sorcha
  • Sorcha an Chladaigh
  • Sorcha Who Sings to the Boats
  • Sulaith
  • Sunneva
  • Sunneva of Fugloy
  • Sunneva Who Dances on Twelfth Night
  • Sweyn
  • Sweyn of Swona

T: 28 names

  • Tadhg na Rón
  • Tadhg of Inishvickillane
  • Tam Bairnson
  • Tam Tanglehair
  • Tammie
  • Tammie of Papa Westray
  • Teàrlag of Canna
  • Thady Kilbane
  • Thomasina Voe-Dweller
  • Thora of Sule Skerry
  • Thora of the Seven Tears
  • Thora Rendall
  • Thorfinn
  • Thorfinn of Eynhallow
  • Tonnait
  • Tóra
  • Torcuil
  • Torcuil of the Shiant Isles
  • Tormod
  • Tormod a' Chuain
  • Tormod Who Came at Midsummer
  • Þórunn Brimisdóttir
  • Trálann
  • Trondra
  • Tróndur
  • Turið
  • Turið of Kalsoy
  • Turið Twice Returned

U: 8 names

  • Ùisdean
  • Úna
  • Úna na Farraige
  • Úna of the Cold Hearth
  • Unnla
  • Unnur
  • Ursilla
  • Uyea

V: 2 names

  • Vágný
  • Vaila

W: 2 names

  • Wattie Corrigall
  • Williamina Taingwatcher