Baby names - can't decide!

Idris
In Welsh mythology, a giant whose seat was Cader Idris, a mountain ridge in Snowdonia. He was supposed to have the power of conferring poetic inspiration, and of inducing madness or death.

I didn't know that until Google told me.

Never heard of the squash I'm afraid - it's nice to be too young to remember some things! New Andy Pandy is on Cbeebies now and I remember watching that as a child...

And the Clangers, obviously!

Soupdragon, you are probably too young to remember this but there used to be an orange squash called Idris

"I drink Idris when I's dry
Idris is the squash to buy"

etc (can't remember the rest!

Not pronounced like the Welsh one though (isn't it a mountain or something?)

As far as Welsh names go, I've always had a soft spot for Idris. I liked the dragon in Ivor the Engine I'm not sure I'd saddle any of my children with it though! We went for Callum (Scottish) and Aidan (Irish) so if I were to go for a 3rd, it would have to be Welsh!

Having gone through my childhood with a rhyming name, I'm a bit sensitive about this sort of thing. A top tip is not to name your child anything you couldn't stand in the middle of a public place and shout really loud

I went to school with a Karen pronounced Kairen (from Isle of Man I think) and it never seemed a problem to me. I'd imagine she had to tell everyone though. That's the problem with "odd" pronunciations of "normal" names. Pronunciation of more unusual names is not a problem as people expect to get them wrong!

RE Tobee-as Could spell it Tobyas I guess but you said you're not into odd spellings. Go for Tobias and be prepared to correct everyone!

Irish names cause a bit of a bother with pronunciation also - my dd is called Aoife which is pronounced Efa but it is always a laugh to see how people try to pronounce it when they see it written down. I'm going to have to take her back to Ireland before she starts school I think!

There's a Bronwyn at DD's playgroup too and a Reynard (male, is that french for fox?). The whole name thing is such a responsibility for parents because once you decide it takes an awful lot of trouble to change a name.

There's a long list of Welsh names here - doesn't give a pronounciation guide though.

Mollipops, Cai is pronounced Kye to rhyme with tie as C in Welsh is hard, Ieuan is Y (as in yacht)-eye-un.

Have to say that boys can be harder in Welsh, how about Dafydd, Ioan, Rhodri, Llyr,Owain, Euros? There's a brilliant book called Welsh names for your baby by Meic Jones which has loads of great names, it has a pronunciation guide in it.Have to say that I don't like Rhys at all, partly because the Rh sound is slightly different in Welsh and I don't think all anglo-saxon ears/tongues pick it up so the name doesn't sound right and also because of a particularly difficult child I work with called that!

Does anyone else find that they are really influenced by people they meet/know who have certain names? I'm always really on edge with anyone called Amy because the 1st girl I knew with that name (aged 6y) was a spiteful little madam. A nursery teacher friend had real problems naming her DS as she had encountered so many horrible little boys!

BossyKate

Yes she is, we both are.

Enid

SciFi conventions are out though as she thinks most SciFi fans are geeks if they go to those things (and some of my friends that do go just re-inforce that idea).

Mollipops

Spot on, my mother decided that the safest route was to name all her children after saints.

I can't see anything tricky about Ailsa at all! Btw how do you pronounce Cai and Ieuan? I'm thinking Kye and Ewan? There was a boy in a class I did a prac in called Kai (pron. Kye) and I thought it was a great name - he was a ratbag though! I used to work with a Garin - I think he was Scottish...wonderful accent in any case!

I guess your mum chose your name then Simon? We used to say we were calling ds Algernon Jethro Aloysius.

Anqharad, funny how names might be common in some places and unusual elsewhere...nice to know there are some good Welsh names popping up here in Australia! Jaden or Jayden is quite popular here too, ariel, it's a lovely name. Lol about sputnik, sounds like Moon Unit's dad had the same inspiration! I know what you mean about fashions changing, Anqharad - isn't it funny to think that in 70 years or so our retirement homes will be filled with Maddisons and Mosmans etc! But of course there will still be Jacks and Emilys too!

DS has a Ieuan in his class.

I found that alot of people had trouble saying Ailsa before Home & Away.

DD has a Sian in her class but it is pronounce Si-ann.

my elder sister was going to be called Sputnik - as she was born the day it went into orbit and the space age began....luckily for her mum went to the registry office as well.

There we go Simon, that's something social for you and dw, Babylon 5 conventions!

I know someone with a Hermione too, its very popular since Harry Potter fever hit the UK.

simon

your dw must be a b5 fan?

I recently met someone with children called Hermione and Bartholomew - not names I would choose.

My 2 girls are Lily and Tallulah and my boys are Dylan and Rory.

How about Rhys, Morgan, Andreas, Cai, Dylan, Elis, Ieuan, Rhys, Owain, Sian, Marc, Luc, Lewis, Gareth??

I like Rhys and Luc best.

More Welsh names on www.names2be.com

I like Hugh. (It's not my son's name so don't worry).

Angel...mmm...has a Jaden too.

Jodee, Im not keen on Hugh, but as Huw I think it seems altogether a different name! Will have to ask my welsh friend for some ideas.

Angharad, can you think of any nice Welsh boys names please? When I have a second, if it's a girl it will be Sian, but I can't think of any Welsh boys names that I like - definitely OFF the list are Dai, Geraint, Hugh. Thanks!