Ogham Translator
Convert any name, word, or phrase into the ancient Celtic Ogham script. Used across Ireland and Britain over 1,500 years ago — now free to use online.
Free Online Tool
Ogham Translator
Convert any word or name into the ancient Ogham alphabet
Ogham Translator vs Transliterator — what's the difference?
Most people search for "Ogham Translator" — and that's perfectly fine. Technically, what this tool does is more accurately called an Ogham transliterator: it converts individual letters from the Latin alphabet (A, B, C…) into their corresponding Ogham symbols (ᚐ, ᚁ, ᚉ…). A translator converts meaning between languages; a transliterator converts characters between scripts.
Ogham is not a language — it is an alphabet, just as the Latin alphabet is used to write English, Spanish and French. The ancient Irish used Ogham to write Primitive Irish, the earliest known form of Gaelic, from around the 4th century AD onwards.
What's Your Name in Ogham?
Looking up your name in Ogham is one of the most popular uses of this tool. If your name is English, the most historically accurate approach is to find the Irish (Gaelic) equivalent first — for example, John → Seán, Mary → Máire — and then transliterate into Ogham. We've compiled a list of the 100 most popular names in Ogham to help you find yours instantly.
| English | Irish (Gaelic) | Ogham |
|---|---|---|
| John | Seán | ᚄᚕᚅ |
| James | Séamus | ᚄᚕᚋᚒᚄ |
| Kevin | Caoimhín | ᚉᚐᚖᚋᚆᚔᚅ |
| Mary | Máire | ᚋᚐᚔᚏᚓ |
| Sarah | Sorcha | ᚄᚑᚏᚉᚆᚐ |
| Patrick | Pádraig | ᚚᚐᚇᚏᚐᚔᚌ |
Most Popular Ogham Words & Phrases
Beyond names, the most common searches are spiritual words and Irish blessings. Here are the most popular:
| English | Irish (Gaelic) | Ogham |
|---|---|---|
| Love | Grá | ᚌᚏᚐ |
| Family | Teaghlach | ᚈᚕᚌᚆᚂᚐᚉᚆ |
| Strength | Neart | ᚅᚕᚏᚈ |
| Peace | Síocháin | ᚄᚔᚑᚉᚆᚔᚅ |
| Ireland | Éire | ᚓᚔᚏᚓ |
| Life | Saol | ᚄᚐᚑᚂ |
A Brief History of Ogham
Ogham is an Early Medieval alphabet used to write the early Irish language, known as Primitive Irish. Evidence shows Ogham was in use from at least the 4th century AD — long before the Latin alphabet reached Ireland. The script is traditionally written along the edge of a stone, read from bottom to top, which is why it is displayed vertically.
Around 400 inscribed stone monuments survive across Ireland and parts of western Britain, most recording personal names — memorials to the people of early Gaelic society. Here is a real inscription from the Breastagh Ogham Stone in County Mayo:
How Ogham Transliteration Works
Ogham transliteration maps the sounds of modern English or Irish names onto the traditional 25-letter Ogham alphabet. Each Ogham character — called a fid (plural feda) — represents a sound rather than a spelling, so phonetic matching is used rather than letter-for-letter conversion.
The alphabet is divided into four groups of five letters called aicmí (singular aicme), named after the first letter of each group: Beith, hÚatha, Muine, and Ailme. A fifth group — the Forfeda — extends the alphabet with characters for sounds not found in Old Irish, such as diphthongs and the "P" sound.
Because Ogham was designed for Old Irish phonology, some modern sounds have no direct equivalent. This translator uses the nearest phonetic match following conventions established in modern Celtic scholarship and widely adopted by tattoo artists worldwide.
Tips for Tattoo Transliterations
If you're planning an Ogham tattoo, a few things are worth keeping in mind. First, decide whether you want a phonetic transliteration of your name's spelling or its pronunciation — for Irish names these can differ significantly (e.g. Saoirse is spelled with 7 letters but sounds like "Seer-sha").
Second, note that Ogham is traditionally written bottom-to-top along a vertical stem line — most modern Ogham tattoos use this orientation. The horizontal left-to-right rendering you see on this site and in most digital contexts is a modern convention.
Third, take a moment to review the letter breakdown for your name. Understanding each character — and its traditional tree association — adds a meaningful layer to the design. Read our complete Ogham alphabet guide for more on each letter's meaning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Ogham translator work?
The translator uses a process called transliteration — mapping modern Latin letters to their closest Ogham equivalents. Each Ogham letter is matched to one or more Latin sounds using the traditional 25-letter alphabet.
Is the Ogham translation historically accurate?
Ogham was designed for Old Irish, not modern English. Transliterating English names is a widely accepted modern convention used by Celtic scholars and professional tattoo artists.
Can I use this for a tattoo?
Yes. Our transliterations follow conventions used by tattoo artists worldwide. We recommend reviewing the letter breakdown and understanding each character before committing.
Why are some letters not in the Ogham alphabet?
Ogham was designed for Old Irish phonology. Letters like P, V, and Y had no equivalent, so transliterations use the closest phonetic match — for example, P is rendered as Peith (ᚚ).
What direction is Ogham written?
Traditional Ogham is written bottom-to-top along the edge of a stone. In modern use and tattoos, it is typically written left-to-right horizontally.
Can I write full sentences in Ogham?
Yes — the translator handles multi-word input. On traditional stones, words were separated by a notch across the stem line. This translator uses the Ogham word boundary markers ᚛᚜.