{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''{{lang|sga|Éogan}}''' is an early Irish male given name, which also has the hypocoristic and diminutive forms '''{{lang|mga|Eoganán}}''', '''{{lang|mga|Eóghainin}}''', '''{{lang|mga|Eóghain}}''' and '''{{lang|mga|Eóghainn}}'''. The Modern Irish form of the name is '''{{lang|ga|Eoghan}}''' ({{IPA|ga|ˈoː(ə)nˠ|pron}}).
In Scottish Gaelic, the name is '''{{lang|gd|Eòghann}}''' or '''{{lang|gd|Eòghan}}'''. All of the above are often anglicised as Euan, Ewan, Ewen or, less often, Owen. The name in both Goidelic languages is generally considered a derivative of the Greek and Latin name {{lang|gel-Latn|Eugenes}}, meaning "noble born".<ref name="UK surnames:Owen">''Surnames of the United Kingdom'' (1912), reprinted for Clearfield Company, INC by Genealogical Publishing Co. INC, Baltimore 1995, 1996. Cormic gives this origin for Eogan (one MS, Eogen); and Zimmer considers Owen to be borrowed from Latin {{lang|la|Eugens}}, as noted by MacBain, p. 400. The mediaeval Latinization of Owen as {{lang|la|Oenus}} led to a belief that the etymology was the Welsh and Breton {{lang|cy|oen}}, "lamb". With much stronger reason it was at one time considered that the name represented Irish {{lang|ga|eoghunn}} = Gael. {{lang|ga|Ogan-}} [f. Old Irish {{lang|sga|oc-}} Welsh {{lang|cy|og}}, young], ‘youth’. ''Surnames of the United Kingdom'' cites Tomás Ua Concheanainn, {{lang|ga|Mion-Chomhrádh}} (p. 126), that "{{lang|ga|Eóghan}} is a diminutive of {{lang|ga|Eóghainin}}, = Owain, Eugene"</ref><ref name="Welsh Surnames:Owen"/><ref name=Bromwich/>
==Etymology== The {{lang|la|Corpus Inscriptionum Insularum Celticarum}} derives ''Eógan'' from the Primitive Irish ''*{{lang|pgl|Iwagenas}}'',<ref>Macalister, R. A. S. {{lang|la|Corpus Inscriptionum Insularum Celticarum}} Vol. I. (1945) Dublin: Stationery Office</ref> while others such as {{lang|ga|Tomás Ua Concheanainn}} ({{lang|ga|Mion-chomhradh}}, in 1903) have stated that {{lang|ga|Eóghan}} equates to {{lang|cy|Owain}} and Eugene;<ref name="UK surnames:Owen"/> Dr Rachel Bromwich has commented that {{lang|ga|Eoghan}} is a derivation of the Latin {{lang|la|Eugenius}},<ref name=Bromwich>As cited by T.J. Morgan in ''Welsh Surnames'', page 172</ref> making these names long-attested in Gaelic areas, yet still based on loan-words.<ref name="Welsh Surnames:Owen">Morgan, T.J. and Morgan, Prys, ''Welsh Surnames'', University of Wales, 1985, ''Owain (Owen, Bowen, Ednowain)''. According to T.J. Morgan in ''Welsh Surnames'' (page 172/173) Owen is a derivation of the Latin {{lang|la|Eugenis}} > Old Welsh {{lang|owl|Ou(u)ein}}, {{lang|owl|Eug(u)ein}} ... 'variously written in Middle Welsh as {{lang|wlm|Ewein, Owein, Ywein}}. LL gives the names {{lang|wlm|Euguen, Iguein, Yuein, Ouein}}. The corresponding form in Irish is {{lang|ga|Eoghan}}. Additionally, another Latinized variation of the name Owen is {{lang|la|Audoenus}} in certain parish registers.”</ref> Morgan notes that there are less likely alternative explanations and agrees with Dr Rachel Bromwich that Welsh {{lang|cy|Owein}} “is normally latinized as Eugenius," and "both the Welsh and Irish forms are Latin derivatives".<ref name="Welsh Surnames:Owen"/>
Eoghan has also been translated into English as "well born", in an example c. 1923, due to this Latin derivation, with the note that in common usage it is usually anglicised to "Eugene".<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.libraryireland.com/names/men/eoghan-eoghan.php |title=Eoghan |publisher=www.libraryireland.com}}</ref> The name corresponds to the Welsh {{lang|cy|Owain}}, often spelt {{lang|cy|Owen}} in English;<ref name="UK surnames:Owen"/><ref name="Welsh Surnames:Owen"/> as well to Ewen, Ewan and Euan. The most likely and widely accepted origin of the Old Welsh {{lang|owl|Owain}} is, like the Old Irish {{lang|sga|Eogan}} also from Latin {{lang|la|Eugenius}}.<ref name="UK surnames:Owen"/> <!-- While the Irish language phoneme ''Eo-'' is a rarely-used component found in some Old Irish ''place-names'' (not personal names) associated with yew trees,<ref name=pwj>{{cite book | last = Joyce | first = Patrick | authorlink = Patrick Weston Joyce | title = The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places | publisher = McGlashan & Gill | year = 1875 | location = Internet Archive | url = https://archive.org/details/originhistoryofi00joyc | doi = | id = | isbn =| page = 492 }}</ref> The Old Irish name for the yew tree is ''ibar''.<ref name=YewOI>eDIL s.v. ''[http://www.dil.ie/27126 ibar]'' Forms: iubar, iobar, ibhar</ref>; the modern names for yew are ''iúr'' in Irish<ref name=YewGaeilge>[https://www.teanglann.ie/en/eid/Yew ''iúr'']</ref> and ''iubhar'' in Gaelic.<ref name=YewGaidhlig>[http://www.cairnwater.co.uk/faclair/?txtSearch=yew ''iubhar'']</ref> NOTE: This is only here - IN HIDDEN TEXT - because people were putting in the incorrect "folk etymology" "born of the yew tree", which wasn't in any sources before the 1980s. While notes like this are clumsy, this is to explain why not to put this back in. -->
==List of people== ===Celtic nobility=== * {{lang|ga|Éogan mac Durthacht}}, king of Fernmag in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology * {{lang|ga|Eógan mac Muiredaig}}, king of {{lang|ga|Dál Riata}} * {{lang|ga|Eógan mac Néill}}, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, eponymous founder of the {{lang|ga|Cenél nEógain}} and {{lang|ga|Inis Eógain}} * {{lang|ga|Éogan Mór}}, eponymous ancestor of the {{lang|ga|Eóganachta}} * {{lang|ga|Éogan|nocat=y}} of Ardstraw (6th century), Irish saint * {{lang|ga|Eóganan mac Óengusa}} (died 839), king of Fortriu * {{lang|ga|Éogan|nocat=y}} of Argyll ({{lang|ga|Eóghan MacDubhgaill}}) (died in or after 1268) * {{lang|ga|Eoghain Ó Cianáin}}, harper and a servant of the 9th Earl of Kildare * {{lang|ga|Mug Nuadat}}, sometimes known as {{lang|ga|Éogan}} * {{lang|cy|Owain ap Dyfnwal|nocat=y}} (fl. 934), King of the Cumbrians * {{lang|cy|Owain ap Dyfnwal|nocat=y}} (died 1015), King of the Cumbrians * {{lang|cy|Owain Foel}} ({{floruit|1018}}), King of the Cumbrians
===Recent times=== * Eoghan Corry, Irish journalist and historian * Eoghan Fitzsimons, former Attorney General of Ireland * Eoghan Harris, Irish politician * Eoghan Hickey, rugby player * Eoghan Kenny, Irish politician * Eoghan McDermott (MacDiarmada), TV broadcaster * Eoghan McGettigan, Gaelic footballer * Eoghan Quigg, Singer
==See also== * Eòghann and Eòghan at List of Scottish Gaelic given names * Egan, Eoin, Euan, Evan, Ewan, Ewen, Ewin, Ewing * {{lang|ga|Tír Eoghain}} ** List of rulers of {{lang|gd|Tír Eoghain|nocat=y}} * {{lang|ga|Cenél nEógain}} * McEwan ({{lang|gd|MacEòghainn}}) * MacEwen, Clan MacEwen * McCown ({{lang|gd|Mac Eòghain|nocat=y}}) * Clan MacCowan * Clan Ewing * Clan Ewen of Otter * Eóganachta * Irish name
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
{{Irish names}} {{Given name}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eogan}} Category:Irish-language masculine given names Category:Masculine given names