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Baby names

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

Original poster

Iarlaight/ Iarla????

39 replies

BarbieLovesKen · 10/12/2010 20:09

Very, very stuck for a boy's name. Loved Jack but am really get put off by popularity (that I hadnt previously realised). Pondering over a few boy's names but finding it very difficult (girls names no problem - too many really!)

BIL suggested this today.

What do you think of Iarla for a boy? (we are Irish and living in Ireland btw) and already have an Oisín.

Its prounouced Ear-la.

Means Prince.

Which spelling is nicer? Iarlaith or Iarla, I think I prefer the look of Iarla and am conscious that people outside of Ireland wont recognise the laith sound and he'll spend forever spelling out/ pronouncing his name.

Thanks a million

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AnnOnimous · 01/01/2011 18:17

Iarla looks like a girl's name, sorry.

What about Donal?

tebbles · 01/01/2011 18:12

I am very ignorant when it comes to Irish names but here are my opinions....

My first impressions of the written name is that both versions are feminine as the end with 'la' and 'ith'. Upon hearing the pronounciation I also think it is a feminine sounding name.

With comparison to you son's name I do recognise Oisin as a male name. I am not certain of the correct pronociation of it but it has much more of a masculine feel to it and I also really like it.

I guess your final decision needs to be made based on the context of your son's future life. If you are very settled in Ireland and it is a well known name there then you should go ahead and call him it! If OTOH you are planning on moving away from Ireland or have strong family ties out of Ireland then you may want to reconsider.

swanandduck · 01/01/2011 17:05

Sorry, meant to add have you thought of Óran or Emmet. Both Irish but not too used.

swanandduck · 01/01/2011 17:04

I'm Irish and I thought it was a girl's name.
I agree with you re Jack. There must be at least a hundred of them in every school in Ireland.

Original poster
BarbieLovesKen · 31/12/2010 12:45

Oh chipmonkey, Rian might be a nice compramise. DH likes Cian, which I hate but I do like Rian..

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chipmonkey · 30/12/2010 23:56

Barbie, go for it! I love Iarlaith! I know a couple and they are lovely little boys! I prefer the -aith ending personally but it's great either way.

Also love Odhran from math's list

Another nice one is Rian ( Ree-an). A colleage and his dw have just named their ds2 this and I love it!

dufduf · 30/12/2010 23:48

It looks a bit girly I think, but I do like it when spoken - I'm muttering it to myself over and over - I also really like Elijah. I think it's lovely that you're looking at traditional Irish names x

RustyBear · 30/12/2010 23:42

For the fada on the iPhone/iPad, keep your finger on the letter you want, and a menu will pop up with all the accent variations. Keep your finger on the screen, slide it to the one you want & let go...

ValiumTinselton · 30/12/2010 23:29

don't like it, too girly.

What about Diarmuid!?!? goes so well with Oisin.

Original poster
BarbieLovesKen · 30/12/2010 23:03

bumping this for myself incase anyone else has any thoughts/ opinions on it. Am now getting really, really worried about lack of boys name (despite having ages yet) as I honestly cant really find anything I love.

help?

OP posts:
skippingturtle · 11/12/2010 20:47

Loving Iarla! Go for it, works really well with Oisin.

spidookly · 11/12/2010 08:08

Also pmsl at an -a ending making a name sound girly when your first son's name ends with -een :o

(disclaimer - Oisin is a very fine name. I can quite see why it is so hard to follow. I think Iarla does it though :))

mathanxiety · 11/12/2010 03:15

Fiacra
Ruadhán
Ailill
Macdara
Caoilte
Moling
Fiach
Fintan/ Fionntán
Finnian/ Fionnán
Senan/ Seanán
Ailbe
Somhairle
Colmán
Dónal
Conleth
Féidhlim/ Féilim
Ferdia
Faolán
Fergus
Malachi
Murtagh
Lorcán
Lochlann
Odhrán
Tadhg
Aran
Colm

Lots of nice unusual names. Iarla is fab though.

DancingThroughLife · 10/12/2010 21:38

You have good names. Still wish I was Irish Envy Grin

Original poster
BarbieLovesKen · 10/12/2010 21:34

Iarla seems to be getting a lot of positives! though not sure if people just dont want to insult me because its Irish (not that I'd care!!)

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Original poster
BarbieLovesKen · 10/12/2010 21:33

Thanks Spidookly and Dancing.

Spidookly, thought I was being silly over "the best name" thing so dont feel quite so crazy now!!. (now really want to know your dds name)

Dancing, Oisín can be pronounced like Roisín without the R but can be pronounced Ush-een (which we use). Good point re Elijah.

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DancingThroughLife · 10/12/2010 21:30

Ooh, Iarla is nice.

For a split second I thought it was a girl's name (in my non-Irish ignorance, sorry), but now I know otherwise, I really really like it.

I love Orla and Roisin for girls. Is Oisin pronounced the same?

Elijah ends in an 'a' sound and that's definitely not a girly name, so I think you're entitled to Iarla.

spidookly · 10/12/2010 21:21

:o

of course you can't have uisneagh and Oisin, what an eejit!

I prefer Finn to Fionn, but it's maybe a bit too popular at the mo.

I really identify with the "shit, we've used the best name there is" thing. Dh and I had this with naming dd2.

At least it's boys' names, there are so many nice Irish names for boys.

stickylittlefingers · 10/12/2010 21:08

I think it is! Paul - Paula, Robert - Roberta, Andrew - Andrea.

I really like Eanna as well (sorry no fadas here either!)

Original poster
BarbieLovesKen · 10/12/2010 21:06

Yes and Cillian, I really dont like it either. (yeah, prounounced the same suwoo)

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Original poster
BarbieLovesKen · 10/12/2010 21:05

I hate Conan, but only because I know one who is a complete and utter dick!!

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suwoo · 10/12/2010 21:04

I really, really strongly dislike cillian. Is it pronounced like a fb friend of mine's DS Killian? If so, I could never get over the first syllable sound of Kill (cill).

Original poster
BarbieLovesKen · 10/12/2010 21:04

Stickylittlefingers is it the "a" sound that makes people think "girly", hadnt dawned on me at all, think you could be right though. Hmm... Naoise though - that sounds a little feminine though, I think I have to agree (although I do love it).

Spidookly, as silly as it sounds, thats the first time I've seen Oisín and Iarla wrote down together and it really helps as I really think it looks lovely!. Smile

Think Uisneagh might be a little too close to Oisín?

Think Fionn is nicer than Finn but not sure and was just looking at an Irish baby name site and think Fiach is quite nice too.

Hmm.. Iarla is really starting to grow on me actually..

Thanks for all your help on this so far, folks, its much appreciated...

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suwoo · 10/12/2010 21:03

Now, you see I love Elijah! That is much more familiar to me. I have a biblical DS.

RockinRobinBird · 10/12/2010 21:01

Love it. Haven't come across it before but like the sound and the look of it.