The Ogham Alphabet
All 25 letters of the ancient Celtic Ogham script, from the four traditional groups (aicmí) plus the extended Forfeda. Click any letter to explore its full meaning, pronunciation, tree association, and examples.
The Ogham alphabet doesn't look like anything else you've probably read. Every letter is a set of straight lines, cut across or along a single guide line called the stem, instead of the curves and loops most alphabets use. That shape comes straight from how it was actually used: carved into the edges of standing stones across Ireland, usually to mark someone's name, starting as far back as the 4th century AD.
There are 25 letters in total. The first 20 are split into four groups of five, called aicmí, each one named after its first letter: Beith, hÚatha, Muine, and Ailme. The last five, the Forfeda, were added later for sounds the original alphabet didn't have. If you want the full backstory on where Ogham came from and how it spread, our guide to what Ogham actually is goes into more detail.
Below is the complete alphabet: every letter's Ogham glyph, its closest Latin sound, and the tree or plant it's named after. Click any letter for the full pronunciation and meaning, or scroll down to the translator to see your own name written in Ogham.
All 25 Letters at a Glance
Full Alphabet Chart
| Ogham | Letter | Name | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| ᚁ | B | Beith | Learn → |
| ᚂ | L | Luis | Learn → |
| ᚃ | F/V | Fearn | Learn → |
| ᚄ | S | Sail | Learn → |
| ᚅ | N | Nion | Learn → |
| ᚆ | H | Huath | Learn → |
| ᚇ | D | Dair | Learn → |
| ᚈ | T | Tinne | Learn → |
| ᚉ | C/K | Coll | Learn → |
| ᚊ | Q | Quert | Learn → |
| ᚋ | M | Muin | Learn → |
| ᚌ | G | Gort | Learn → |
| ᚍ | NG | nGéadal | Learn → |
| ᚎ | ST/Z | Straif | Learn → |
| ᚏ | R | Ruis | Learn → |
| ᚐ | A | Ailm | Learn → |
| ᚑ | O | Onn | Learn → |
| ᚒ | U | Úr | Learn → |
| ᚓ | E | Edad | Learn → |
| ᚔ | I | Idad | Learn → |
| ᚕ | EA | Éabhadh | Learn → |
| ᚖ | OI | Or | Learn → |
| ᚗ | UI | Uilleann | Learn → |
| ᚘ | IO | Ífín | Learn → |
| ᚙ | AE/X | Emancholl | Learn → |
The Five Groups (Aicmí)
Aicme Beith
Strokes to the right of the stem line. Named after Beith (birch).
Aicme hÚatha
Strokes to the left of the stem line. Named after hÚatha (hawthorn).
Aicme Muine
Strokes crossing the stem line diagonally. Named after Muin.
Aicme Ailme
Notches through the stem, forming the vowel group. Named after Ailm (silver fir).
Forfeda
Five extended characters added later for sounds not in Old Irish.
Want to see it in action? Type any name or word below and it'll convert into Ogham using the alphabet above.
Free Online Tool
Ogham Translator
Convert any word or name into the ancient Ogham alphabet
Only letters convert to Ogham — numbers and symbols are removed automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many letters are in the Ogham alphabet?
The standard Ogham alphabet has 25 letters. Twenty of them are grouped into four families of five called aicmí, and the last five, the Forfeda, were added afterward for sounds the original alphabet didn't cover. Some later inscriptions add a 26th character, Peith, for the P sound, but it isn't part of the original 25.
What is the Ogham alphabet used for?
Historically it was used to write Old Irish, mostly in short inscriptions like personal names carved into standing stones. Today it's used mainly for tattoos, jewellery, and names, since each letter maps to a Latin sound.
How do you read Ogham?
Traditional Ogham runs along a central line called the stem, and on standing stones it's read from the bottom up along the edge of the stone. In modern digital and printed use it's usually written left to right instead, the same way English is.
What are the Forfeda?
The Forfeda are five extra characters added to the original 20-letter alphabet: ea, oi, ui, ia, and ae. Old Irish didn't have single letters for those sounds, so these were added to cover them.
Is Ogham a language or an alphabet?
It's an alphabet, not a language. Ogham was used to write Old Irish, the same way the Latin alphabet is used to write English, French, and many other languages.
Can I write my name in Ogham?
Yes. Most names convert letter by letter using the alphabet above. Use the translator on this page to type in a name or word and see it rendered in Ogham right away.
Want to practice reading direction and the stem line in more depth? Our how to read Ogham guide walks through it letter by letter.