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Baby names

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

Original poster

Irish baby names

122 replies

Melissarella · 22/01/2016 10:56

First post! DH is English, I am Irish and pregnant with DC1. Looking for Irish name suggestions.

Struggling to find names we both like and that DH doesn't immediately associate with just one member of my family/friend/famous person. For example, I like Ronan for a boy but he said it was 'too Boyzone'. I know loads of Ronans so don't think it's an issue and I'm going to be giving birth so think I should get to decide.

We live in inner London. Kids at school will have names from a wide range of countries and cultures, so not worried about the name being unusual in the UK.

Surname starts with F so would prefer to avoid F names. I have a very common Irish girl's name starting with A and would like a different name for any DCs.

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Hi there - this thread is a little old. [[https://www.mumsnet.com/baby-names/most-popular-irish-baby-names
If you’re looking for an Irish baby name, find inspiration here]]. MNHQ

OP posts:
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Chelsea26 · 23/01/2016 16:34

Oh I also had a friend called criostoir at school - he was cool

CrystalMcPistol · 23/01/2016 16:14

I'm from Dublin and I only know Nee-uvs

IoraRua · 23/01/2016 16:12

Agree Reiltin - I live in Dublin and I think 90% of people I know would pronounce it Neev.

IoraRua · 23/01/2016 16:11

Oh, and Oran OP! I think it is Irish. Had forgotten how lovely that name is.

Reiltin · 23/01/2016 16:03

FYI, I'm Irish, live in Ireland, and am called Niamh. I pronounce it Neev. So it's not necessarily an English thing!

BookNeek · 23/01/2016 15:44

Oisin is still hands down my favourite boys name, and its not common in London (yet), I dont think.

Saoirse and Roisin are my favourite girls names.

More unusual ones, or ones not yet mentioned I dont think:

Girls:
Liadan - possibly mythical/possibly real 6th Century Irish poetess. LOVE this name and wanted it for DD, but DH vetoed Angry
Liamhain (lee-ah-vin)
Caoimhe (kee-va or kwee-va)
Lasairfhiona (las-ah-reena) also vetoed by DH Sad
Sorcha (surr-uh-ka)
Máiréad (LOVE this, although I have heard people from different parts of Ireland say 'Mur-ade' 'Maw-rade' and 'Mah-reed')
Una
Ita or Ida (I love Ita, although its seen as a very old fashioned name in Ireland)

Boys:
Feidhlim (fay-lim) - love this
Iarfhlaith (eer-la)
Osan (sort of 'uh-sawn' is the closest I can get to pronunciation!)
Finnian
Donnchadh (Don-ah-ka)

geekaMaxima · 23/01/2016 15:43

Neasa is pronounced NASA

Weeeelllll it is and it isn't Smile

It definitely should be pronounced Nassa with its spelling the way it is, if it were to be consistent with normal Irish pronunciation. (Unless you're from the north, in which case Neasa really does sound like Nessa, a bit like the Áine - Enya thing.)

But it's more often pronounced Nessa in practice, probably due to Conor Mac Neasa/Nessa being a well-known legendary figure to people in Ireland.

CrystalMcPistol · 23/01/2016 15:22

Yes, it's hilarious!

Rainatnight · 23/01/2016 15:22

Have you watched Catastrophe on Channel 4? You MUST watch the episodes where English people react to her calling her baby MuireannGrin

Embolio · 23/01/2016 15:11

I've an Aidan and an Oisín, am in NI. I know two other wee Oisín's and there are 3 Aidan's in P1 alone (doubt you'd have that issue in England tho). Other boys names we considered are :

Lorcan
Niall
Faolan
Eoin
Caolan
Finn
Connor
Ciaran
Cian

Thinking of more unusual ones I know a wee Daithi and a Donnacha.

Girls -

Rioghnach
Fodhla
Caoimhe
Eibhlin
Muireann
Niamh
Maeve

That's the more unusual ones I can think of Smile

BathtimeFunkster · 23/01/2016 15:10

Aodh and Art are already catching on, especially Art.

Neasa is pronounced NASA

geekaMaxima · 23/01/2016 14:43

I'd love if these caught on...

For a boy:
Aodh (pron. Ay, rhymes with hay)
Art (pron. sort of like Awrt but with a very short A)

For a girl:
Neasa (pron. Nessa)
Tuala or Tuathlaith (pron. Too-a-la)

Original poster
Melissarella · 23/01/2016 12:57

Wow – thanks for all the suggestions. Think I'm going to need a spreadsheet….

I have loads of cousins/second cousins so it’s going to be hard to avoid using one of their names. Helpful suggestions from my family so far have included Gobnait (a popular one on this threadSmile), Cúchulainn, Maolsheachlann, Concepta (and then Contracepta for DC2)

TheFear I think Aodhnas might have to be top of the list though. Can’t imagine why that one’s died out…

OP posts:
BathtimeFunkster · 22/01/2016 22:46

Attracta got more than she bargained for when she agreed to go on her holidays with Majella.

MitzyLeFrouf · 22/01/2016 22:42

Stunning names! I'm weeping at their beauty.

Ireland should reinstate a royal family and we could have King Aodhnas and his beautiful Queen Assumpta.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 22/01/2016 22:39

I loved Malachy but my PILs said they would never speak to me again if we chose it . Also loved Oisin but ended up with an Orla.

TheFear · 22/01/2016 22:38

Whatever happened to the good old fashioned names like
Assumpta
Brigid
Bridie
Imelda
Nuala
Francis
Maire
Emer
Maoiliosa
Padraig
Aodhnas (yes, pronounced anus)

BathtimeFunkster · 22/01/2016 22:27

Poor, poor Gobnait 😢

Moobear14 · 22/01/2016 22:22

Malachy
Brendan

Tara
Niamh
Clodagh

Smile
MitzyLeFrouf · 22/01/2016 22:22

'Or the last member of the local Legion of Mary, never sure if it was the weight around her middle or the sideburns to blame for her boyfriend of 40 years never popping the question (or her cherry).'

And if only she knew that when Enda said he was going on a parish pilgrimage to Medjugorje he was actually going to a swingers' weekend in Bulgaria with Fr Finbar and Majella who does the flowers for the altar.

Poor Gobnait.

IMurderedStampyLongnose · 22/01/2016 22:20

No one ever suggests Eamon on these threads😮First president of Irish republic,easy to spell and pronounce. Aoibhinn for a girl though it's a bit close to Aoife.

Chelsea26 · 22/01/2016 22:17

I've got a Rory - it's a great name! Thinking of names of cousins that I don't think have been mentioned

Girls
Brogan (love)
Gabrielle
Maria

Boys
Garrett (also love!)
Fintan
Niall

LadyMaryofDownt0n · 22/01/2016 22:16

Darragh
Turlough
Cathal
Sean
Conleth
Dirmuid
Eoghan (Owen)

That's my favourite boys names.

Can't think of any girls that haven't been mentioned already.

BathtimeFunkster · 22/01/2016 22:16

And it would be awful if Gobnait turned out to be a florid faced lady pig farmer in size ten wellies.

Or the last member of the local Legion of Mary, never sure if it was the weight around her middle or the sideburns to blame for her boyfriend of 40 years never popping the question (or her cherry).

That would demean the beauty of the name.

It really would.

MitzyLeFrouf · 22/01/2016 22:06

That's true Bathtime, it is a very dainty and elegant name. And it would be awful if Gobnait turned out to be a florid faced lady pig farmer in size ten wellies.

That would demean the beauty of the name.

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