Cumhall
/ˈkuːvəl/noun
Cumhall is a figure in Irish mythology, best known as the father of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Did you know?The name appears in variant forms such as Cumal and Cumhall, and scholars caution that its association with Old Irish cumal “female slave” may be an interpretation rather than a certain derivation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Celtic (proposed)
Proto-Celtic
*komalā
“A reconstructed form sometimes proposed as the ancestor of Old Irish cumal; the reconstruction and semantic development remain uncertain.”
Old Irish
Old Irish
cumal
“A female slave or bondwoman; also used as a personal name.”
Medieval Irish
Middle Irish
Cumal / Cumhall
“The personal name of the mythological father of Fionn.”
12th–15th Century
Irish
Cumhall
“A legendary warrior and father of Fionn mac Cumhaill in Irish narrative tradition.”
Modern English
English
Cumhall
“A proper name referring chiefly to the mythological figure in Irish literature.”