Ceallaigh

Ceallaigh is an Irish Gaelic name used as both a surname and a given name. It derives from the Gaelic personal name Ceallach and from the patronymic Ó Ceallaigh, meaning 'descendant of Ceallach.' The spelling Ceallaigh reflects the modern Gaelic orthography; the name is historically associated with families in the west and midlands of Ireland, particularly the Ui Maine region in what is now Counties Galway and Roscommon.

The meaning of Ceallach is not definitively settled. Medieval and early modern sources offer various interpretations linked to old Gaelic roots, with suggested senses including 'warrior', 'strife', or 'bright-headed.' The precise sense likely reflected a personal attribute or a martial or ecclesiastical association in early Irish naming practices.

In historical records, the Ó Ceallaigh family were a Gaelic Irish dynasty and held status in parts of Connacht. Over time, as Gaelic names were anglicized, Ó Ceallaigh became O’Ceallaigh and, more commonly in modern usage, Kelly or O’Kelly. Today Ceallaigh survives primarily as a surname in Ireland and within Irish diaspora communities, and it also occasionally appears as a given name in Gaelic contexts.

Related forms include Ceallach (the given name from which Ceallaigh is derived) and Ó Ceallaigh as the founding lineage. The name is part of the broader Irish naming tradition and remains a marker of Gaelic heritage in Ireland.

See also: Kelly (surname).