Page "Cormac" Paragraph 1

Mac is Gaelic for " son of ," and can be used as either a prefix or a suffix.

The derivation of " cor " is not so clear.

The most popular speculation is that it is from " corb ," the old Gaelic for wheel, perhaps designating someone who fought in a cart or chariot as male names are often derived from order of battle.

( For instance " Gary, Garth, etc., from " gar " for " spear.

") However, some etymologies suggest it derives from the old Gaelic for " raven ", a bird laden with mystical meaning for the Celts, and often used to mean " legend " or " legendary ".

Similarly, it might refer specifically to Corb, one of the legendary Fomorians of Irish mythology.

In recent years an etymological back formation has been popularized that suggests it means " son of corruption " or " son of defilement " from another Gaelic word also pronounced " corb " which meant " something is not right in the council " and referring specifically to political treachery or dishonesty, but this " corb " postdates the usage of the names Cormac by several centuries, and thus could not be related to the name.

Today the name is typically listed in baby names books as meaning " raven " or " legend " or sometimes as " charioteer ".