ðə nˈeɪm mˈeɪ biː dᵻɹˈaɪvd fɹʌmðə pˈætɹənˌɪm ˌoʊɐkjˈuːt fˈɪɹɡeɪl mˈiːnɪŋ "dᵻsˈɛndənt ʌv fˈɪɹɡeɪl", hˌuːz nˈeɪm mˈiːnz "mˈæn ʌv vˈælɚ", ðˌoʊ ðɪ ˈæŋɡlɪsˌaɪzd fˈɔːɹmz ʌv ˌoʊɐkjˈuːt fˈɪɹɡeɪl ɑːɹ pɹˈɪnsɪpəli oʊfˈæɹəl ænd fˈæɹəl.
The name may be derived from the patronym Ó Fearghail (meaning "descendant of Fearghail", whose name means "man of valour"), though the anglicised forms of Ó Fearghail are principally O'Farrell and Farrell.