Callan

Callan is a newly invented masculine personal name taken from a surname, Callen or Callan, which itself is the anglicized form of an old Irish clan name. The clan name O'Cathgalain essentially means “descendent of Cathgalain” whereby the etymology of the personal name Cathgalain can be found in the name’s Gaelic elements “cath” (battle), “gal” (brave), and “-ín” (an Irish diminutive to indicate smaller, younger, littler). Therefore the root meaning of Callan is “brave little battler” or “little battle-chief”. Cathalán mac Indrechtaig was a 9th century King of Ulaid (now known as the province of Ulster most of which resides in Northern Ireland today). Callan is also a place name in Ireland (County Kilkenny) which was supposedly named after Niall Caille who was a 9th century High King of Ireland. The King’s name was really Niall mac Áeda but he is often referred to as Niall Caille (Neil of the Callan) because Callan was the name of a river in Northern Ireland where he drowned during a flood. The surnames Callen and Callan are not very common and usage of them as forenames is super new.