Dallan

There are two possible etymological origins for the masculine name Dallan (also spelled Dallen, Dallin, Dallon and Dallyn). Number one, Dallán is an ancient Irish-Gaelic masculine name meaning “little blind one”, derived from the Gaelic elements “dall” (blind) and “-án” (a diminutive suffix). Dallán was a nickname given to a 6th century Irish saint (born Eochaid Forchella) who is now known as Saint Dallán Forchella. A renowned poet and scholar of early medieval Ireland, Eochaid purportedly went blind as a result of intensive study (hence his nickname). His legend includes a well-known poem written to St. Columba (which apparently restored his eyesight), his death by beheading by pirates who stormed his island monastery, and his head being miraculously reattached by God himself! Such were the lively legends of many saints in the Middle Ages. Aside from Dallán’s Irish etymology, the names Dallan, Dallen, Dallin and Dallon are all English surnames derived from an early Anglo-Saxon origin. The surname was originally rendered as Dallinga in the Domesday Book of 1086 (making it one of the earliest surnames on record). In terms of the surname’s origin, there are a couple different etymological possibilities. For one, it’s a location based surname denoting a settlement positioned in a “valley” (from the Olde English “dæl” meaning “dale”). Alternately, some speculate that old English villages or hamlets with the “Dalling” name attached might have originated as a “dwelling place for the Dealla people” (a pre-7th century Anglo-Saxon tribe) some say means “proud” while others say “to share, divide, dispense” (from the Olde English “dælan”). We are unable to verify for certain any of these etymological hypotheses (except for the Irish Dallan).