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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Orlaith

34 replies

foxyjbro99 · 28/07/2010 10:03

Hi,
I love the name Orlaith, when i mentioned it to dd1 she said "all aboard"! This has put me off a bit as our surname is Wright, so she'd be called Orlaith Wright - does this sound like you are asking the question "all right? are you all right? are you all a right?" DYSWIM?? Or am I going mad?

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ValiumSingleton · 30/07/2010 19:43

hmm, it does sound like Alright?!

If you do use it, just use Orla. This is a perfectly acceptable spelling even in Ireland.

bigstripeytiger · 29/07/2010 23:19

I think the name is lovely, but I think that you would have problems with your surnames.

I think that Zenons suggestions are lovely. Probably a name that starts with a consonant would be better than a vowel.

Aims80 · 29/07/2010 14:56

I'm Irish too and have a few friends called Orla, all spell it Orla, it's not an English spelling! I'd say it would save any pronunciation problems if you're in England. Pronounced properly it doesn't sound like All alright, I say go for it! Lovely name.

GladioliBuckets · 29/07/2010 10:14

I think it sounds better if you have an accent that pronounces the . Awla not as nice as Orrla.

sparkle12mar08 · 29/07/2010 05:58

I feel bad, because I immediately thought 'Orlaith Wright, Isle of Wight' I'm really sorry, because I love Orlaith and especially with that spelling.

PaulineCampbellJones · 29/07/2010 04:34

Thanks! I will stop feeling bad about picking the "wrong" spelling now!

Bubbaluv · 29/07/2010 02:22

I would have picked up the joke in a second I'm afraid.
And I would have laughed behind your back.
And when I was 10 I would have teased poor little Orla.

mathanxiety · 29/07/2010 02:10

Orla was originally Orfhlaith, shortened to Orlaith and then Orla (all pronounced the same). All are acceptable Irish spellings. Modern Irish cuts out a lot of the unsounded consonant combinations in names. For instance, the name Mairead used to be Mairghread, then it became Maighread, and it's now mostly Mairead.

Or = gold
Flaith = princess/ noble lady

kitsmummy · 28/07/2010 21:51

We have an Orla and I think Orla Wright is fine actually. Be prepared though for new baby cards addressed to Olla, Ola, and Urla!

skidoodly · 28/07/2010 21:42

mathanxiety - snap on the Rs!

skidoodly · 28/07/2010 21:41

Orla Wright sounds fine to me, although I'm Irish so the name Orla is a very familiar one to my ears and also I pronounce my Rs correctly

Don't spell it Orlaith, especially if you don't like in Ireland.

One of the great things about the name Orla is that it is so easy to spell and pronounce for people from anywhere.

When there is such a simple alternative spelling why be all fancy with Orlaith?

Where did that weird spelling come from? Anyone know?

LaundryLyne · 28/07/2010 21:36

How about

Jennifer Wright
Abigail Wright
Emma Wright
Corinne Wright
Aisling Wright

zenon · 28/07/2010 21:09

No, your are going mad.

It does sound like "Are you all right?"
Orlaith/Orla/Or anything together with Wright is going to sound OWRITE!!!! to any english speaker.
How about

Clemency Wright
Xanthe Wright
Leonora Wright

All sound lovely, yet are pretty underused.

PaulineCampbellJones · 28/07/2010 20:18

mathanxiety Why do my DH's family say that we chose the English spelling then? Are they wrong? I do hope so
I just thought it would be easier to handle.

Rockbird · 28/07/2010 19:55

It should be OR-la anyway, anyone pronouncing it AW-la is plain wrong.

Well, up to you but I think it's a fab name and a very silly reason not to use it.

mathanxiety · 28/07/2010 17:37

Another vote here for the Orla spelling, which is not the 'English' way. As I pronounce my Rs properly (), being Irish, it took a while to figure out what your problem was here. Can you pronounce the R instead of making it sound like 'all-ah'?

runnybottom · 28/07/2010 14:39

What do you mean don't spell it that way...thats how its spelt!

CreepyFunbags · 28/07/2010 14:36

What about Oona instead?

I was trying to think of vaguely similar sounding names and thought of Alma, but that's worse! Almawright, i'm alright!

I have a pesky surname too that makes loads of names sound weird, like a sentence, so I totally feel your pain here!

LaundryLyne · 28/07/2010 13:29

It does sound like "all right". What other names do you like?

NiceCuppaT · 28/07/2010 12:52

Definitely made me think of All Alright before I had read your last line!!

Shame as lovely name!

Rockbird · 28/07/2010 11:48

What Michael Barrymore thing?

PaulineCampbellJones · 28/07/2010 11:40

soremummy I am regretting not spelling it Orlaith! As all of DHs family (Irish) spell it like that anyway and not the "English" way.

soremummy · 28/07/2010 11:38

Don't spell it that way please!! I have done it and regretted it since for my 3yr old. I get various weird ones such as
Or - Late /Or Leath etc I am seriously thinking of making sure when she goes to nursery in Sept that I will change her name to ORLA. Im also sick of people asking her name and than when you say Orla response is sometimes ooh OLA thats hello in Spanish

It is a beautiful name though

Original poster
foxyjbro99 · 28/07/2010 11:34

rockbird thanks, i just don't think i'd be able to get it off my mind - I'm a bit about it, cos really struggling to find any others i like as much.
i did make a bit of a mistake with dd1, called her first name beginning with I, second name beginning with M, (Miss I'm Wright) ha! suits her though!

OP posts:
PaulineCampbellJones · 28/07/2010 11:34

I have been worried that kids at school wil call my Orla "Orla the crawler" but I think that you can do bad things with every name! Don't want to be the person that has put you off it, I truely wasn't being mean, it just made me laugh.