Oisín

[Ondine]

I love the name Oisín, im not Irish though and live in England.

Do you think I could still use it or do you think the pronunciation will get mangled all the time and it's too Irish for someone who isn't from there? I'm thinking of Euan as a second choice but don't love it.

[PattySimcox]

You and he will spend forever pronouncing / correcting but you probably know that

[MissHonkover]

I love it, but I'm not sure I could cope with the inevitable "I didn't know you had Irish roots! Oh, you don't? Er, right, er, well anyway, it's lovely." etc etc.

[AKMD]

Go with your second choice...

[Ondine]

That's exactly what I fear MissHonkover, aghhh I don't think I can use it -how annoying, it's the most lovely name ever imo.

I will have to relagate it to middle name. Euan seems very stoic and dull compared to Oisín.

[why5am]

There's a Welsh version of Osian, in case you have any Welsh ancestry..

[Ondine]

Unfortunately not Welsh either, I am of English / South African stock so am trying to reign in my love of Celtic names to something reasonable.

[hollyw]

If you like it use it :-)

I wouldn't assume that someone had a certain heritage because of their name
x

[forgetmenots]

Love it. And also love Odhran and Oran...

[Tuschinski]

If you love it, use it, no question. I am Irish but don't particularly like Irish names. I called my Ds Reuben and have been asked if I am Jewish quite a few times but that doesn't bother me

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

I would have had an Oisín if I had a boy. Love the name and if you do then use it.

[CointreauVersial]

It's very Irish; I think you can get away with names like Conor or Declan wherever you are from, but people will always think you have Irish heritage and will struggle with the spelling and pronunciation.

But don't settle for a "stoic and dull" name - keep looking!

[hester]

It's a very cool name, but most people here say 'O-SHEE-an'. But it's getting more popular and people will get the hang eventually.

I have a very close relative with this name - now in his 40s - he loves it and has never had a problem with having to explain it to people.

[aquashiv]

WOnderful name use it! The multi cultural world we live in means we have many many different names. Lots of people will know how to say it and the ones that check thats fine too.

[MerryMagdalene]

Beautiful name. iI would find it quite surprising to hear someone with no Irish roots whatsoever had this name, though, I have to be honest. But if you love it, use it. It is gorgeous.

[graciousenid]

my neighbour is called Oisín (he is Irish) ... I like it but am sure that I make a complete hash of it every time I say it (sort of Oisheen) .

[MmePamplemousse]

I do think you will be continually asked if you have Irish roots. In which case, have a romantic story ready to hand and before the child is five it will be a part of your (new) family history :). Seriously, there is no reason you should worry about the Irishness. It's a nice name and plenty of people use names that have no direct connection with their heritage.

[MangoMonster]

Beautiful name, have a cousin called Oisín.

[plainwhitet]

Never met anyone with this name and it makes me think of Hoisin duck. But I do know an Ossian (boy) which sounds lovely i m o.

[MerryMagdalene]

lol@Hoisin.

It is pronounced Osh-een or Oh-sheen or occasionally Ush-een.

[TwoIfBySea]

I always thought it would be a good alternative to the hippy Ocean! It is a lovely name and so what if people assume you have Irish roots. My dts1 is Niall so he gets sometimes called Neil (how we Scots should pronounce it) but instead we had gone for the Irish pronunciation so from that point he gets cards address to Nile, Nyll and variations.

If it is a name you love then go for it.

[hester]

It is rapidly getting much more popular and lots more people will know how to say it soon. For my first 30 years of life, I only knew of one Oisin and that was my relative. In the last decade, I've heard of several. It's the new Noah, you mark my words.

[magicOC]

How should it be pronounced then?

The one I know pronounces it Oceaan (as in the water but with a long A)

[Tuschinski]

Over here (Dublin) Ush-een would be the usual pronunciation, maybe more Osh-een in the north, have never heard it said Oh-sheen, that sounds totally wrong to me.

[GobbyCah]

In the south east of Ireland I have heard Oisin nostly pronounced Oh-sheen.

Similar to the girl's name Roisin, which is pronounced Ro-sheen in some part sof Ireland and Rosh-een in other parts.