Cainnear is a female Irish given name. Potentially deriving from caoin and der, meaning "gentle daughter",^{[citation needed]} it is the name of one of the legendary daughters of Queen Medb of Connacht and several Irish saints.^[1] Variants of the name include Canair,^[1] Cainder,^[2] and Cainner,^[3] and at least two early Christian saints have borne these variants.^[4]

Bearers of variants of the name

• Cainer (or Cainder), a daughter of Queen Medbh;^[5][6] and the wife of Lugaid son of Curoi.^[7] Also called Red Cainnear, she was killed with a spear, saving her mother.^[8]
• Cainnear Caomh, a tragic heroine from the book 'The Story of Caolan.'^[9]

• St. Cainnear of Inis Cathaig, who is also referred to as 'St. Canair of Bantry Bay',^[1] is associated in some sources with Senán mac Geirrcinn of Scattery Island.^[10]

• St. Cainner of Rinn-hAllaidh, an early Irish virgin saint. Her feast day is 5 November.^[11]

• St. Cainnear of Cluain Claraid, an Irish virgin and an abbess who was healed of muteness by St. Brendan.^[10]

• Cainnear of Clonsilla (Cainer of Cluain-da-Saileach), the mother of St. Mochua of Clondalkin and six other male saints.^[12]

• St. Cinnera of Kirkinner, a Scottish virgin, associated with Kirkinner, who was a recluse and possibly also a martyr.^[4][13] Her feast day is 29 October.^[3]

• St. Cainnere of Cill Chainre (Kilcandra, County Wicklow).^[14]