A Chief of the Name was a person recognised by the Chief Herald of Ireland as the most senior known male descendant of the last inaugurated or de facto chief of that name in power in Gaelic Ireland at or before the end of the sixteenth century, see Irish nobility. After embarrassing official blunders in the 1990s which saw several impostors receive recognition, the Irish government decided in July 2003 to abandon this practice as there was no proper legal basis for it, and to continue such recognition would, on the advice of the Attorney General, necessitate a constitutional referendum to amend Bunreacht na hÉireann.This decision was criticised by, among others, Etienne Rynne, Professor Emeritus of Archaeology at NUI Galway. At abandonment the position was as follows:

Chiefs of the Name

• The O Brien, Prince of Thomond - The Rt Hon. The Lord Inchiquin (Clare).

• The O Callaghan - Don Juan O Callaghan (Spain).

• The O Donoghue of the Glens - Geoffrey O Donoghue (Wicklow).

• The O Conor Don, Prince of Connacht - Desmond O Conor (England).

• The MacDermot, Prince of Coolavin - Nial MacDermot (Kildare).

• The O Donovan - Morgan O Donovan (Cork).

• The Fox - John W Fox (Australia).

• The MacGillicuddy of the Reeks - Richard McGillicuddy (France).

• The O Morchoe - David N. C. O Morchoe (Wexford).

• The O Neill of Clannaboy - Hugo O Neill (Portugal).

• The O Grady of Kilballyowen - Henry Thomas Standish O Grady (France).

• The O Kelly of Gallagh - Walter L. O Kelly (Dublin).

• The Mac Morrough Kavanagh, Prince of Leinster - William Butler Kavanagh (Wales).

• The O Donell of Tirconnell - Fr A. O Donnell (Zimbabwe).

• The O Dochartaigh of Inishowen - Ramon O Dogherty (Spain).

Designation dormant

• The O Toole of Fer Tire.

Designations disputed

• The O Long of Garranelongy.

• The Maguire, Prince of Fermanagh.

• The O Carroll of Eile O Carroll.

• The O Ruairc, Prince of Breifne.

• The Mac Donnell of the Glens.

• The Joyce of Joyce Country.

Designation withdrawn

• The MacCarthy Mor, Prince of Desmond. The recognition of Terence Mac Carthy (Morocco) was withdrawn in July 1999.

Application for recognition pending

• The MacCarthy Mor, Prince of Desmond

• The MacLochlainn

• The Mac Sweeney Doe

• The O Dowda

• The O Hara

• The O Meehan

Recognition not applied for

• The O Neill Mór, Prince of Ulster - Claimed by Carlos O'Neill, Marques de la Granja (Spain).

• Around one hundred chiefships attested in historical records which have no known modern representative.