How Do You Spell Claddagh Ring?
You know exactly what ring you're looking for. You've seen it on a friend's hand, heard your grandmother talk about it, or spotted it on a celebrity. But every time you go to search for it online, spell check lights up like a Christmas tree. Sound familiar?
You are far from alone. "Claddagh" is one of the most commonly misspelled words in Irish jewelry — and there's a perfectly good reason for it. The spelling comes from Irish Gaelic, which plays by completely different rules than English. This guide will give you the correct spelling, show you the most common misspellings people use, explain how to pronounce it, and tell you the story behind the name itself.
The Correct Spelling
Let's get straight to it. The correct spelling is:
Claddagh Ring
Two d's, g, and that silent-but-important ending. Commit that to memory and you'll never have to guess again.
How Do You Pronounce Claddagh?
Claddagh is pronounced KLAD-uh — it rhymes with "ladder" (minus the "r"). The "gh" ending is effectively silent for English speakers, though in the original Irish it produces a soft guttural sound similar to the "ch" in the Scottish word "loch."
Here's a simple breakdown:
- Cla — like "clap" without the p
- dd — a standard "d" sound, no difference from one d
- agh — pronounced "uh," the gh is silent
Put it together: KLAD-uh. That's all there is to it.
The Most Common Misspellings of Claddagh Ring
Here are the most frequent ways people misspell claddagh ring when searching online. If you typed one of these and found this page, you're in exactly the right place.
Missing Letters
The most common mistakes come from dropping one of the double letters or leaving off the "gh" ending:
- cladagh ring — missing one "d" (very common)
- claddah ring — missing the "g"
- cladah ring — missing both a "d" and the "g"
- claddag ring — missing just the final "h"
Extra Letters Added
Others go the opposite way and add letters, trying to spell the word phonetically:
- clauddagh ring — extra "u" slipped in
- cladaugh ring — letters rearranged
- claddaugh ring — almost correct, extra "u"
- claddagh ring — this one IS correct!
The Creative Variations
And then there are the truly imaginative searches that Google has seen more times than you'd expect:
- clatter ring
- cladder ring
- clauda ring
- claudia ring — a personal favorite
- clarda ring
However you spelled it to find us — welcome. You found the right place.
Why Is Claddagh Spelled That Way?
The word "Claddagh" comes from the Irish phrase An Cladach, meaning "flat stony shore." It was the name of a small fishing village just outside the walls of Galway City on the west coast of Ireland — the birthplace of the claddagh ring over 300 years ago.
When the name was anglicized, the spelling was adapted to help English speakers approximate the Irish sound. The "gh" ending was added to signal a soft guttural sound — a sound that exists in Irish and Scottish Gaelic but has no single equivalent character in English. Over time, Claddagh became the standardized spelling used worldwide.
So the unusual spelling isn't a mistake. It's a bridge between two very different languages — and a small reminder of the ring's deep Irish roots.
The Meaning of the Claddagh Ring
However you spell it, the meaning stays the same. The claddagh ring features three elements, each representing a core value:
- The Heart ❤️ — Love
- The Hands 🤝 — Friendship
- The Crown 👑 — Loyalty
Together these three symbols make the claddagh ring one of the most meaningful pieces of jewelry in Irish tradition. It's given as a token of love, worn as a symbol of heritage, and passed down through generations as a family heirloom.
Read our full guide to claddagh ring meaning and how to wear it →
How to Wear a Claddagh Ring
The way you wear your claddagh ring communicates your relationship status — a tradition that goes back centuries:
- Right hand, heart pointing outward — single and open to love
- Right hand, heart pointing inward — in a relationship
- Left hand, heart pointing outward — engaged
- Left hand, heart pointing inward — married
Quick Reference: Claddagh Spelling FAQ
Q: How do you spell claddagh ring?
A: C-L-A-D-D-A-G-H. Two d's and a "gh" ending that is silent in English.
Q: Is it cladagh or claddagh?
A: Claddagh — with two d's. Cladagh with one "d" is the single most common misspelling.
Q: How do you say claddagh?
A: KLAD-uh. The "gh" is silent.
Q: What language does claddagh come from?
A: The word comes from Irish Gaelic — specifically An Cladach, meaning "flat stony shore."
Q: Is the claddagh ring only for Irish people?
A: Not at all. While the ring has deep Irish roots, it is worn worldwide by anyone who connects with its symbolism of love, friendship, and loyalty.
Now that the spelling mystery is solved, explore our full collection of authentic claddagh rings — available in gold, silver, platinum, titanium, and more.
