Brady is one of the most common names in Ireland. There are several derivations of the surname including Brody, Broady and Brodie.
It has origins in both Ireland and England. There are four separate clans that all took up the name independently of each other.
One of the Brady origins in Ireland was from the ancient Gaelic family, the Mac Bradaighs who were a powerful clan in what is now Co Cavan, The ‘Mac’ prefix to the name meant ‘son of’ while ‘Bradaigh’ meant ‘thieving and dishonest chief’ So this clan were descended from a dishonest leader.
Separate English origins
Another origin is from a person who lived in a forest but by a part of land that had been cleared for agriculture. This was known as ‘brad gehaeg’
In England, the name dates back to before the 7th century. It comes from the old English word ‘bradeage’ which meant ‘broad eye’. It would have started as a nickname for people with very good eyesight before eventually becoming an official surname when family names were formally introduced for tax purposes.
Another English origin was a name given to people who lived in part of England called ‘Broad Island’. Again, ‘Brady’ or a similar name would have been given as a nickname before becoming a formal family name.
Famous Bradys throughout the world
Tom Brady is a professional American football player. He plays as a quarterback for New England Patriots. He has won three Super Bowls in his career. In two of those games he was named Super Bowl MVP (Most Valuable Player).
He has had a remarkable career and was a key member of the team that set the longest winning streak in the history of the NFL with 21 consecutive wins from 2003-04. Brady also has the highest Playoff win total in NFL history and has made the second most touchdown passes in a single season.
He is one of only two men, along with his idol, the great Joe Montana, to have won both the NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP on more than one occasion.
Liam Brady
Liam Brady was a professional soccer player from Dublin. He played for some of the biggest clubs in the world as well as the Irish national side. He spent seven years at Arsenal and helped them win the FA Cup in 1979. He was also named PFA Players’ Player of the Year that season.
He then went to play in Italy in the 1980s, an era when the Italian league was considered by many to be the best in the world. He played for Juventus, Sampdoria and Inter Milan, spending two years at each club. He helped Juventus win the Italian league title two years in a row. Brady was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
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Video histories of popular Irish names
Irish names and their meanings
