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Baby names

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Original poster

Opinions of Séamus?

106 replies

ChrisTheSheep · 28/10/2013 14:25

We've just found out that DC2 is, in fact, DS2, and I'm a bit thrown because I'm dreadful about picking out boys' names...

DH is Irish, I am English/Scottish (my Mum is from the Western Isles), and we had always said we'd give our children Irish or Gaelic names. The problem is, the only one we seem to be able to compromise on for a boy is Séamus, and I'm getting distinct "I don't like it" vibes from my mother.

I just wondered what other people think of the name?

We live in the UK, not Ireland, but we do have a very Irish surname. Other family connections are that there are lots of Jameses and Séamuses (sp?) on DH's side, and FIL was friends with Séamus Heaney, so I suppose it would be a nice tribute. DS1 is Eoin Pádraig, and DS2's middle name will be Peter after my dad. My mum says, "why don't you just use James instead?" but I think that's a bit odd considering DS1 has a very Irish name: we'd like the two to be similarly Celtic, if that makes sense.

Opinions, comments and virtual slaps all gladly received!

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Weegiemum · 28/10/2013 16:07

April, I can offer my son and his friends names : Logan, Lewis (Leodhas), Harris, Lorn, Kyle, Aidan (or Aodhan), Ruariadh, Brodie, Brendan, Col, Pol (Paul), Alasdair, Duncan.

Gaelic etc names are great.

And, Chris, Eilidh is an awesome name. My best friend at school was Eilidh, my dd1's bf is also Eilidh. Dd1's best friend loves that Helensburgh (near us) is called Baile nan Eilidh in Geelic!

FarelyKnuts · 28/10/2013 16:04

Lone voice of dissent here (Irish person living in Ireland). To me its a real old mans name and not one I'd hear used for anyone under 60yo these days unless passed down as son of fathers name.
There are so many fabulous Irish boys names but Séamus is not one of them imo.

Original poster
ChrisTheSheep · 28/10/2013 16:02

April, I had so many alternative girls' names if DH took against Eilidh. Boys' names are trickier for me!

MinesAPint, I don't remember Seamus in HP: he's not a ratbag, is he?

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squoosh · 28/10/2013 16:01

LOVE Séamus! Séamí is a lovely nickname for a child and Shay/Sé works brilliantly for a man.

Your Mum has named her own kids, I wouldn't let her opinions bother you too much.

blondiep14 · 28/10/2013 15:54

Absolutely love it.
Wanted it for all 3 DC!

April13 · 28/10/2013 15:49

I love it :) I am trying to stick to Scottish names too, but I would comprimise on anything Gaelic too. My name is Gaelic so I am biased. I am struggling for a boys name though.....

MinesAPintOfBlood · 28/10/2013 15:37

Your mum has had her turn choosing baby names, now its your turn.

I did come on to say "Only if you're Irish" but you are, so that's fine. And you are aware there was a Harry Potter character "Seamus" which is where my mind immediately goes with word association, but that's not a problem really.

neunundneunzigluftballons · 28/10/2013 15:32

Love it. Shay is my favourite shortened version.

Original poster
ChrisTheSheep · 28/10/2013 15:31

Cherub, DH was saying he really like Shay/Sé as a nickname, and I think Séamí is sweet too.

DdraigGoch, there's no danger of DH considering himself English! Wink

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DramaAlpaca · 28/10/2013 15:31

It's a great name & goes very well with DS1's name. Go for it!

Original poster
ChrisTheSheep · 28/10/2013 15:28

GalwayGirl, the girl's name was Eilidh. My mum always tells me how much she loved it and how she didn't use it for fear of people mispronouncing or misspelling it. She gave me a nice, sensible English name (though it's very popular in Scotland) which nobody could spell either! I figure you may as well embrace the Gaelic and/or Irish Grin

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Littlecherublegs · 28/10/2013 14:57

I like it, love the nn Shay!

YDdraigGoch · 28/10/2013 14:56

Great name, as you have Irish connections. But my DH, who is of Irish extraction and has Irish names (and surname) gets fed up of people saying "Are yo Irish?). He considers himself English!

Weegiemum · 28/10/2013 14:54

I'm in Scotland, and my dc are bilingual English/Gaelic. Ds's best friend is Seamus and there are several others in their (Gaelic medium) school.
I still think some of the older generation have an anti Gaelic/Irish attitude as it was literally beaten out of some of them. Use what you like - but Seamus is a great name.

galwaygirl · 28/10/2013 14:53

My DS very nearly had this name but I didn't think I could handle the mispronunciation here in Sweden. I don't think you'd have that problem.
Love Séamí as a nickname, so cute.
What was your girls name you couldn't use? X

bludgerwitch · 28/10/2013 14:50

I love Seamus too, it's a fab name.

BrianTheMole · 28/10/2013 14:49

I love that name.

Original poster
ChrisTheSheep · 28/10/2013 14:46

Sorry: that was in response to Guitargirl...

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Original poster
ChrisTheSheep · 28/10/2013 14:46

My mum has a bit of a troubled relationship to her Gaelic background: grew up a Gaelic speaker but then went to an English-speaking school, was picked on for not speaking the language, and promptly forgot it all in self-defence. Then, when she was older, she was compelled to take the Native Speakers Gaelic Higher exams by the school, even though she didn't want to (she wanted to do French!) and she really wasn't a native speaker by that point. I think it's always been a bit of a sore point and she finds it hard to embrace.

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scarevola · 28/10/2013 14:45

I like it - perhaps because I was at school with a rather dashing one!

Guitargirl · 28/10/2013 14:41

I never post on baby names threads but I had to come on here and say I love that name - one of my favourite boys names. If we ever had another boy (not likely) that would be at the top of my list.

Does your mum not like it because she feels as though you already have lots of Irish names?

Beautiful name - please don't pick James over it!

Original poster
ChrisTheSheep · 28/10/2013 14:40

I have to admit to being a teeny bit disappointed we don't get to use our choice for a girl: I really loved it. It was what my mum wanted to call me, but she backed out because of the aforementioned fear of Gaelic spellings...

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Original poster
ChrisTheSheep · 28/10/2013 14:38

Thank goodness people like it!

We had a dilemma the first time round as DH wanted to call DS1 Paddy, but I felt that was a bit of a "make or break" name outside of Ireland: you'd have to be able to carry it off. With our surname, it would have been the equivalent of calling a Scottish child Jock MacSporran! I was worried that people might think Séamus would be the same. DS1 is Eoinín for short, and we thought Séamie/Séamí went quite well with that too.

OP posts:
TheNunsOfGavarone · 28/10/2013 14:37

It's lovely and it's not your mum's decision Grin

TheGirlOnTheLanding · 28/10/2013 14:34

Love it, was on our short list (but we had DDs in the end) and goes really well with his brother's name too.

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