Proper names are essential linguistic markers that individuate persons and places, and naming practices are central to cultural formations as well, differentiating the identity of peoples. Naive translators often see names as resting places where no translation is needed, but in fact names are central textual elements to be translated and the paradoxes of translating phonological, semantic, and semiotic aspects of Irish proper names, including the name Cú Chulainn, illuminate the very essence of naming. The translation of such names, prima facie the least problematic area of translation, in turn takes us deep into the heart of issues having to do with knowledge, cultural power and prestige, assertion of identity and self-determination, and the legacy of colonialism in the modern world.