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Baby names

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

Original poster

Caitrìona, Ùna and Mhàiri

212 replies

dunkydunker · 15/11/2011 00:58

What do you think?

I want something Scottish but not very very obvious (DH is very very far away from Scottish)

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OhBuggerandArse · 15/11/2011 11:09

What macsaid said. And Aitch.

(Perhaps not the moment to point out that Hamish is also definitely wrong, by the same token?)

macsaid · 15/11/2011 11:04

Also, Shona is different as it is an anglisisation of Seonag which is already pronounced Shonnag in its stand alone nominative form

macsaid · 15/11/2011 11:02

Well lizziebennet if you agree that it is 'an accepted adaptation' ok. Personally,I do not really find it acceptable, I find it wrong... sorry

lizziebennet · 15/11/2011 10:48

But the OP isn't necessarily going to be speaking in Gaelic to her/about her DD, so you could view Mhairi as an accepted adaptation of a name which is Gaelic in origin. Kind of like Shona, no?

macsaid · 15/11/2011 10:26

The correct stand alone name is Màiri which is the noun in the nominative case. The form of Gaelic nouns changes depending on how they are used and when you are addressing Mairi by name you then use the noun in the vocative case, i.e. A Mhàiri.

The point is that Mhàiri used as a stand alone name is incorrect although people do it and even change it to Varri/Varry/Vari although there is no letter 'v' in the Gaelic language!

AitchTwoOh · 15/11/2011 10:24

(i know. anyone spelling it mhairi basically marks themselves out as A Bit Of A Numpty Grin)

lizziebennet · 15/11/2011 10:23

Oh dear

AitchTwoOh · 15/11/2011 10:22

it is pronounced vari, but vari isn't a name. it's the vocative case of mari. so 'come here vari' but 'mari went down the street'. mari changes to vari under certain circumstances but doesn't exist on its own.

lizziebennet · 15/11/2011 10:15

Ok Aitch I have no idea what you're talking about there, but what I meant is that Mhairi is pronounced Vari as far as I know.

AitchTwoOh · 15/11/2011 10:05

Mhairi means Mairi, as in 'come here, mairi!" the m is lenited with the h to make it softer, but it's not the name, it's a (iirc) vocative case.

lizziebennet · 15/11/2011 10:03

You don't say if you're in Scotland, but if not, I think Mairi would be more practical than Mhairi as many non-Scots would mispronounce the 'Mh'. Una is lovely, also Elspeth is not too popular and very pretty. Not sure which names are obviously Scottish and which aren't, but personally I would steer clear of the accents if you are trying not to over-Scotify.

Original poster
dunkydunker · 15/11/2011 01:01

By obvious I meant names like Shona and Angus and Donald.

OP posts: