Conor
Meaning
lover of hounds, wise counsel (legendary King Conchobar mac Nessa)
The story
Conor is the Irish spelling of a name descending from Conchobar, the legendary king of Ulster in the oldest Irish sagas, traditionally explained as lover of hounds or wise counsel; like much early Irish etymology, both glosses are educated tradition rather than settled fact, and our record keeps them side by side. Connor, with two n's, became the runaway American spelling, and Conner followed; Conor is the form Ireland itself prefers. The US curve rises from the 1960s and holds a high plateau from the 2000s through the 2020s, with the single-n spelling gaining visibility as Irish-born bearers, the fighter Conor McGregor among them, kept it in headlines. Families choosing Conor over Connor are usually signaling exactly that: the Irish original rather than the American adaptation. It needs no nickname; the name is already two friendly syllables.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Conor peaked in the 2010s.
When you meet Conor
Most people given the name Conor in the United States are teenagers or young adults today.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Conor deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Conor truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Conor fits with your family’s names and surname.
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