In Scotland Wales and Ireland (UK bit)

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

Is it more common to have a very scottish Welsh Irish name or a more English easily pronouncible one in a say a class of kids?
Does this depend on areas eg close to borders are more anglicised? Or just those with english connections (family possible moves etc)
There are so many names that are so beautiful that I'd never heard of before reading them on here but theyre almost never pronounced how I expected

[CaitAgusMadra]

Ireland (UK bit)???? Can we assume you are referring to Northern Ireland

[longdiling]

I'm not sure what you're asking really. Are you asking if it's more common to have Welsh names in Wales and Irish names in Ireland?!

[Ginmakesitallok]

You do know that we speak English in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland?

[SaoirseLikeInertia]

Areas that border NI aren't known for being very anglicised, seeing as they are all in Ireland (the non UK bit)

[BikeRunSki]

OP, my brother teaches in a largely Welsh speaking part of Wales, and he says his classes are about 50/50 Welsh and English names, and a few from other nationalities in the class. His own children have English first names and Welsh middle names - with our Irish surname (although Irish connections are long gone).

[wobblywonderwoman]

Ireland is not the UK and that's quite offensive

[Notso]

I live in Wales though it's mostly English speaking in the area I live in. I find most of my Welsh speaking friends have called their child a name that works in English but spelled to fit in with the Welsh language. For example Anni, Harri, Elinor, Tomos.
Where as more of the children I know with Welsh names like Mabli, Deryn, Rhys etc are from English speaking families.
There are more children I know with 'regular' names James, Stanley, Poppy than anything else though.

[wigglesrock]

Ireland (UK bit) ? Really? - Dicky, ill thought out title.

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

Yes of course I know you speak English!

I'm asking whether it's more common to have a very Welsh Scottish Irish name ie one with spelling that requires previous knowledge of the name or language origin etc or whether they're becoming less popular over time whether there's a border change whether having English family influences etc as people move around more now etc.

I can never remember whether it's northern ireland or southern Ireland which comes under UK - Irish history is something I was never taught at school but I'm learning more and more about it recently (too young to remember any conflict). Ireland was always ireland to me... I didn't even know it was split until I was an older teenager! Crazy really.

I was born in Scotland but my parents chose a non specific origin name because they were moving back down south.

I've never lived in Wales Scotland or Ireland at an age to remember so don't know what it's common to be called there whether the 'harder to pronounce' names are becoming more unpopular which would be a shame as there are so many beautiful names often with lovely folklaw surrounding them. It would be a shame for them to die out.

Also is there anywhere that could tell me the language rules ie in aisling the noise is a sh sound - is that across the board that that's what noise those letters make?

I'm really trying not to offend but it's interesting and I'm ignorantrying and I'd like not to be

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

I thought part of Ireland was part of the UK? Is it not?! Is it part of great britain and they're different?

[GruffaloPants]

Ireland is a completely independent country.

Northern Ireland is a separate country, part of the UK.

There is no such place as Southern Ireland.

Ireland suffered occupation and oppression. It upsets people to,have it regarded as part of the U.K. or called "Southern Ireland".

Maybe we need to pin this somewhere on mumsnet?!

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

I'm really sorry if I offended anyone.
Thank you for clarifying gruffalo. .

Irish history clearly needs to be taught in england!

[eachtigertires]

It used to be taught as part of GCSE history - the conflict in Northern Ireland was part of the coursework section when I did it (at an English secondary school). That would have been in about 2007/2008.

[Ginmakesitallok]

It's not irish history- it's basic geography!

[Spindelina]

This is off topic, but what is the correct term for the island comprising Ireland and Northern Ireland?

[Stevefromstevenage]

In Irish schools the 'non UK part' there is a mix of English/Irish children's names. The number of Irish names rises and falls as trends change but I think there are probably always more English names outside of all Irish speaking schools.

Funny how pages and pages of the Irish curriculum, primary and secondary school, are devoted to the lead up to partition and what followed. Maybe some of this knowledge would have been useful when voting on Brexit.

[Stevefromstevenage]

Spine the island is Ireland.

[Spindelina]

So OP's phrase 'Ireland (the UK bit)' is correct in as much as it refers to the bit of the island which is in the UK? And the shock is that she doesn't know which bit that is?

[titchy]

'I don't know what countries are in the UK cos I was never taught at school' Jesus... Google it ffs and don't blame someone else for your ignorance.

[MaudGonneMad]

Yeah the OP is technically correct.

The island of Ireland is partitioned into the Republic of Ireland (a sovereign independent state) and Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom).

In practise many people use 'Ireland' to refer to the Republic of Ireland.

[Spindelina]

Just checking! Thanks.

[Spindelina]

I've heard it called 'the island of Ireland' quite a lot, and wondered if that was the correct term rather than just a bit of clarification to avoid confusion with 'Ireland' in the sense of ROI.

I'm guessing that which one you think of when you hear the word 'Ireland' is a complex political / sociological question.

[Eigg]

I'm a little confused about your idea that there are parts of Scotland that are "Anglicised" or subject to "English influence through families".

I would suggest that you start visiting different parts of the U.K. In your next holidays because you seem to have e done very odd ideas.

There are all sorts of names in my children's school. From all over the world.

A large number of the names you no doubt consider "English" are biblical names so have been used all over the world for a long time. So for example;

Elizabeth
Sarah
Ruth
Hannah
John
Matthew
Andrew
James
John
Thomas
Daniel etc etc

People in Scotland might also use some Gaelic versions of these names eg

Ian for John
Hamish for James
Elspeth for Elizabeth

But John, James and Elizabeth have also be standard names in Scotland for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Not all of Scotland was ever Garlic speaking btw large parts of the country spoke Scots instead.

Yes there are lots of S Irish names you might not know how to pronounce, but I'm sure there are also French names you don't know how to pronounce. Spend a bit of time in the country concerned and you'll learn.