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Baby names

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

Original poster

Irish or short, classic (?) girls name inspiration needed

33 replies

Blanketsandpillows · 29/01/2013 09:35

We have not found a single girls name that we both like! We still have plenty of time but would love to have a list of possibilities-at the moment we have zero! I think ideally it would be either a name like Katie or Anna (I don't know how to describe those names!) or an Irish name. We wouldn't want the name to be longer than two syllables....and i guess nothing 'fancy'!
Any inspiration out there?
Names which are close but not quite right for us are; Aoife, Niamh, Emer, Mary, Lucy, Orla, Hannah, Sarah, Roisin, Emma, Ellen, Lily, Dara....

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sneeders · 31/01/2013 12:17

caitlin?

atthewelles · 31/01/2013 10:11

Naoise (pronounched Neesha)
Ailbhe (pronounced either Alva or Ayl-va)
Aifric (pronounced Afrik)

mathanxiety · 31/01/2013 03:07

Want to add Tess(a) and Miriam to the classic names from earlier.

3boysgirlontheway · 31/01/2013 00:56

Fiadh (pronounced like Mia) I think it's very pretty.

elah11 · 30/01/2013 21:30

Laoise (Lee-sha)
Rioghna (Ree-uh-na)
Realtin cant do fadas on phone but there is one over the I, means little star (Rayl-teen or Ray-al-teen)
Tierna (Tee-erna)

HoneyandRum · 30/01/2013 21:20

Helen

iheartmycat · 30/01/2013 21:01

Iris? Not Irish but the only iris,s I,ve known have been Irish!

Original poster
Blanketsandpillows · 30/01/2013 20:35

Thank you! Some interesting food for thought here. I think I might be leaning towards the Irish names now. Nessa, Doireann and maybe Una are now on my list (just need to convince DH!). I have just suggested Doireann to my non-Irish DH and he said 'no way'- I don't think we'll ever find a name we both like!

OP posts:
ludog · 30/01/2013 15:54

Moya and Enya are the Donegal pronunciations of Máire and Eithne.

atthewelles · 30/01/2013 15:30

Aine is actually pronounced Awn-ya and is the Irish for Anne.

I agree Erin is not actually an Irish name and would be considered quite an American type name over here.

Other Irish names you might like to consider are:

Enya
Nessa
Muireann (pronounced Mwirann)

I'm not sure if it's Irish but Moya is a name you hear reasonably often over here and would be a change from Maya and Mia. It's often used as a nn for Mary-Anne.

HoneyandRum · 30/01/2013 10:29

Nancy
Naomi (opps 3 syllables)
Betty
Clare
Bridget

PuffPants · 30/01/2013 09:05

Erin is a beautiful name.

DarwinGirl · 30/01/2013 08:58

Aoibhinn us actually pronounced Eve-een. 'Aoi' produces an 'ee' sound as in Aoife.

flyingsprocket · 30/01/2013 08:50

Erin is a Gaelic word used as a name by Americans. So yes, you can say it's an Irish name as its in the Irish language but it's not a traditional Irish name as such Grin

A little bit like Coleen which is derived from Cailín (meaning girl) used more by expats than Irish people.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 30/01/2013 08:32

Its a gaelic word used as a name. How isnt it irish? Hmm

Northumberlandlass · 30/01/2013 08:14

lady

Northumberlandlass · 30/01/2013 08:14

A ladt has just started in our office called Feirin - I have never heard it before but loved it.

wiltingfast · 30/01/2013 08:14

And Erin is gaelic for Ireland, not an irish name as such.

wiltingfast · 30/01/2013 08:12

Sinead (shinaid)
Eilish (ileesh)
Aoibhinn (aaveen)
Brid is how you spell briege above. Fada on the i.

Enda is a boy's name! Never heard it attached to a girl.

Lisa
Judith
Julia
Sarah
Ruth
Mary
Janis
Jane
Colette

anonymosity · 30/01/2013 03:09

SHORT names I agree these are lovely - Orla, Una, Aine (pronounced onya)

DessieLou · 30/01/2013 02:57

Lauren
Sophie
Marie
Alexa
Leila
Una
Hayley
Jenny
Naomi
Neva/Niva
Noa
Megan
Bethan
Mia/Maya /Mya

mathanxiety · 29/01/2013 23:33

Classic names:

Rachel
Laura
Alice
Eva
Clara
Lara
Frances
Edith
Esme
Daphne

Irish names:
Fionnuala or Finola (maybe a bit long?)
Beibhinn (pr Bevin)
Caoilfhionn
Aoibheann
Ailbhe
Cara
Cliona/Cliodhna
Muireann
Doireann
Eithne (pr either Enya or Eth-neh)
Enda (unisex)
Nessa or Neassa
Nola (short for Fionnuala or Finola)
Nora (short for Honora/Onora)
Una
Riona

Maryz · 29/01/2013 21:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wigglesrock · 29/01/2013 20:59

Bronagh, Cara, Eve

BikeRunSki · 29/01/2013 11:34

Emer is Irish
Niamh

Emma

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