Celtic onomastics

Study of Celtic proper names Onomastics is an important source of information on the early Celts, as Greco-Roman historiography recorded Celtic names before substantial written information becomes available in any Celtic language. Like Germanic names, early Celtic names are often dithematic. Suffixes suffix -rix "ruler" Ambiorix Boiorix Cingetorix Dumnorix Orgetorix Vercingetorix suffix -maris / -marus "great" Britomaris Indutiomarus Viridomarus Celtic polytheism Some information on prehistoric Celtic polytheism can be drawn from names in Irish and Welsh mythology, which often continue older theonyms: Gwenhwyfar, from *Uindā Seibrā "White Phantom" Brigid, from *Brigantia "the High one" Lugh and Lleu, cognate with Gaulish Lugus Surnames Many surnames of Gaelic origin in Ireland and the other Celtic nations derive from ancestors' names, nicknames, or descriptive names. In the first group can be placed surnames such as MacMurrough and MacCarthy, derived from patronymics, or O'Brien and O'Grady, derived from ancestral names. Gaelic surnames derived from nicknames include Ó Dubhda (from Aedh ua Dubhda—Aedh, 'the dark one'), O'Doherty (from Ó Dochartaigh, 'destroyer' or 'obtrusive'