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Baby names

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

Original poster

Irish girls' names - inspiration needed!

90 replies

FlipFantasia · 21/04/2014 15:40

So I'm pregnant with DC3 and looking for ideas if it turns out to be DD2!

I'm Irish, DH is American and we live in the US.

We have a Maeve.

The following are taken:
Liadan (love this)
Orla
Aoibhinn
Sadbh
Niamh
Ciara
Aisling
Aoife

Don't like the following:
Sinead
Grainne
Siobhan
Saoirse (I like the sound but it's too politically loaded for me)
Clodagh
Caoimhe (I like this but DH hates it as it sounds like a rude slang word to him, annoyingly...)
Anything Irish-Americany like Shannon or Colleen (urgh!) or Shauna or Kelly or Kerry or Caitlyn.

I really like Siomha but DH has ruled it out (half the in-laws are Jewish and the pronunciation reminds him of sitting shiva).

I really like Cliona but didn't use it on DD as we lived in the UK and English people pronounced it like cleaner. Dh isn't so gone on it, but it's back on the list.

Also like Eimear (if DS had been a girl he'd have been an Eimear but I went off it when pregnant with DD for some forgotten reason).

I'm liking Una a lot (fada over U - can't do fadas on my phone) but worried it sounds like One in a country where so many speak Spanish (though I know an adult Nada here and sounding like the Spanish for nothing has never bothered her!).

Am also liking Bridget and Nora (thinking Hanora shortened to Nora - it is an old family name that has almost died out).

So Irish MNetters, give me some help!

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Essel · 25/04/2014 22:53

Im not keen on the completely incomprehensible irish spellings, unless it is a very well known name like Siobhan. I haven't heard of most of the names on these lists (or maybe i have and i just don't recognize them) and i have a heap of irish cousins and friends.Im not sure that the irish are even that keen on crazy irish spellings? I love maeve though.

How do Americans go with irish spellings and pronunciations? I think having a name that is impossible to pronounce is much, much more of a hindrance than a name thats difficult to spell. Anyones name can be difficult to spell but its rare to have a name that is impossible to pronounce/ read without memorizing.

Anyway you didnt ask for that advice do here are my favourite (anglo) irish names;

Cara
Clara - love this, has a very different irish spelling.
Roisin - i knew one at school. Teachers would usually call her rosin until corrected.
Una - i really like this but maybe wouldnt use it in the US unless it was a fairly well know name.
Orla
Ciara.

Original poster
FlipFantasia · 25/04/2014 22:17

Ps ninja I never knew Megan was welsh!

OP posts:
Original poster
FlipFantasia · 25/04/2014 22:16

Ninja love your daughter's reaction! Good on her Grin. My name is v common but I always have to spell it (hint: can be spelled with a C or a K and can be spelled with a y). So having to spell or getting misspelled mail doesn't really bother me. I really like Breda and also Deirdre (though the way the English butcher it is dreadful - damn you coronation st!).

Math great suggestions! Sullan would be lovely. I know someone who named their daughter Neidin after kenmare as gaelige and it's lovely. I went to Irish college not far from O'Riada's old stomping ground and I love his music.

OP posts:
smokeandfluff · 25/04/2014 21:29

Richelle
Brid
Fiadh
Ashlinn (means dream)
Mairead
Mairin

mathanxiety · 25/04/2014 05:59

And Sullan (fada on A) if you want something really unusual. The Sullan (or Sullane) is a river in west Cork in the area where Sean O Riada lived and composed. There is a piece by O Riada called 'The Banks of the Sullan'

Also:
Seoighe (can be pronounced Shoyeh) - meaning Joyce
Soireann
Doireann

mathanxiety · 25/04/2014 05:48

Beibhinn (pr Bevin)
Siofra (fada over the i)
Fionnuala/ Nuala/ Nola
Neasa
Rionach (fada on I)
Damhnait (pr Dove-net) means little faun
Deirbhile
Dechtire (unusual)
Roisin (fada on O ,and last I)
Eithne - pr Enya or Eth-neh
Eimear
Sorcha (surr-uh-kha)
Siun (fada on U)

(I also know a girl named Enda)

NinjaLeprechaun · 24/04/2014 10:55

You're going to have to take pronunciation/spelling into account, I'm afraid. My American-born daughter goes by Siobhán, and I think part of the reason she likes it is for the look of panic people get when they see it written down.
Although, her first name is actually Megan which I knew full well was Welsh when I picked it, and the only thing worse than people who think it's Irish are the ones who smugly tell me it isn't and people have trouble spelling (and even pronouncing) that as well.

You said you don't like Bridie, but what about Breda? Not at all because it may or may not be my own. I love the name Deirdre, although the English pronunciation sets my teeth on edge, most other names I like have already been suggested.

oldbutnotpastit · 24/04/2014 10:30

fidelma

hollyisalovelyname · 23/04/2014 21:23

Iseult is so beautiful as is Isolde.

stottiecakes · 23/04/2014 12:10

I have a Niamh, she hates her name as people can't pronounce it. I had Erin or Niamh and she always says i hate my name you should have called me Erin

LionsTeeth · 21/04/2014 21:57

Fiona
Ffion
Cathleen

Original poster
FlipFantasia · 21/04/2014 20:13

I'm liking Ailbhe. It echoes the 'v' sound of DD's name which I like (though I am not fussed about siblings' names 'matching' at all).

I love Blathnaid too.

Luna, I've met a little Nila over here (she has English parents in fact).

Spotty, Erin is in the Irish-American camp of Shannon/Tara/Shauna for me I'm afraid! And Etain sounds nice but I hate the link to jealousy (seems a very negative connotation to me!).

There are great names on here though. Bet I end up with a boy (we have a boy name we love so it's just middle names to play with).

OP posts:
Spottybra · 21/04/2014 19:56

Erin
Etain

Are they Irish enough? I know they are Celtic.

Ailba

LunaOnTheBrooma · 21/04/2014 19:47

I really like Hanora. Another to throw in the mix: Nyla?

Brussel · 21/04/2014 17:41

Síofra

hollyisalovelyname · 21/04/2014 17:36

Alana
Alanah
Alannah
Siofra - fada over the i
Sibeal fada over the e
Naoise for a girl

NuggetofPurestGreen · 21/04/2014 17:29

Well you have a fine big list to present to him now Grin

Original poster
FlipFantasia · 21/04/2014 17:27

I also like Iseult

Nuggets, I wish DH would suggest some names! Thing is that he genuinely appears to only think about it when I bring it up (which fascinates me as I love daydreaming about names!). But I know that Irish names can seem wtf to non-Irish people, so I just need to find some and get him used to them and then we can choose.

OP posts:
NuggetofPurestGreen · 21/04/2014 17:21

Yeah Cara is a good choice as no pronunciation or spelling issues. Good luck agreeing one with your DH Smile

Original poster
FlipFantasia · 21/04/2014 17:21

Puppymonkey Dh hates Oonagh - it's funny as he likes Una (fada on U) but hates Oonagh. I also prefer the U spelling.

OP posts:
Original poster
FlipFantasia · 21/04/2014 17:19

Loads of great suggestions!

I know DH will be against some because of spellings. I can see his point though i have a super common name that I always have to spell (but everyone can pronounce) - it's more that pretty much no one would recognise how to say the names (including most of the family we see regularly as we only make it back to ireland at most once a year and this will tail off once we're paying for 5 full fares!). People have struggled with Maeve and we get lots of mispronunciations and misspellings (which surprised me!). Lots to think about.

Cara I like as DH is a Quaker...but he has an old school friend called Kara so he's not keen.

Naoise is a boy's name to me, as is Darragh (I do know one female Dara though).

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 21/04/2014 17:19

Do Una as Oonagh and then you have less confusion possibilities with "one."

NuggetofPurestGreen · 21/04/2014 17:16

Muireann
Bronagh

cremeggafoam · 21/04/2014 17:10

MALLAIDH
Cailin
Aifric
Seoirse
Bridhgin

Turquoiseblue · 21/04/2014 17:08

Ok here goes .....

Orna
Carragh (cara)
Saorla
Keeva (caoimha)
Keelin / Caoilinn / caoilfhiann
Aoibh / aoibheann
Eabha
Saoirse
Ruadhrai
Siubheann
Blaithnead
Blaithin
Fiadh
Grainne
Alannah
SmileGrin

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