How Do You Spell O'BRIEN?

Pronunciation: [ə͡ʊbɹˈa͡ɪ͡ən] (IPA)

The Irish last name "O'Brien" is spelled with a capital "O" followed by an apostrophe and the name "Brien." The phonetic transcription of this name in the International Phonetic Alphabet is /ˈoʊbriən/. The initial "O" represents the Irish prefix "Ó," meaning "grandson of," while the rest of the name is derived from the Old Irish personal name "Brian." The apostrophe represents the Hiberno-English convention of indicating the elision of the letter "O."

O'BRIEN Meaning and Definition

  1. O'Brien is a surname of Irish origin that has primarily been associated with Ireland and the Irish diaspora. It is derived from the Gaelic Ó Briain, which means "descendant of Brian." In medieval Ireland, the Ó Briain family was a prominent and powerful dynasty that ruled the kingdom of Thomond in present-day County Clare. Brian Boru, one of the most famous High Kings of Ireland, belonged to this dynasty.

    The surname O'Brien spread widely in the 19th and 20th centuries due to emigration from Ireland, particularly to English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Consequently, it has become one of the most common Irish surnames worldwide, reflecting the significant Irish influence in these countries.

    O'Brien is now often used as a given name or middle name, in addition to its traditional use as a surname. As a given name, O'Brien carries a strong and enduring Irish identity, symbolizing the connection to Irish heritage and ancestral roots.

    Due to its widespread usage and association with Ireland, the name O'Brien has become iconic for Irish culture and history. It represents a rich and ancient lineage and serves as a reminder of the enduring Irish presence and influence across the globe.

Top Common Misspellings for O'BRIEN *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for O'BRIEN

Etymology of O'BRIEN

The surname "O'Brien" has Irish origins and is derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Briain". The prefix "Ó" indicates "descendant" or "grandson", and "Briain" is believed to be derived from the Old Irish word "Brian" meaning "hill" or "high". Therefore, "Ó Briain" can be interpreted as "descendant of Brian" or "grandson of Brian". The O'Brien dynasty was one of the most powerful and influential families in Ireland's history, particularly during the medieval period.

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