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Baby names

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

Original poster

Irish girls names

185 replies

JedBartlet · 10/04/2017 15:39

Orla
Tara
Clodagh
Alannah
Cara
Una

I want a nod to Irish heritage without having something difficult to spell or pronounce for people in the UK - voice of experience!

Thoughts on the above, or any other suggestions that fit the bill?

OP posts:
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Chavelita · 16/04/2017 00:12

I know, Clee, but I still don't have a lot of patience for Irish-American 'tribute to the Old Country' names that trickled back to Ireland (possibly via the UK?), especially when it seems to me quite a lot odder to call an Irish child living in Ireland 'Ireland' than a third-generation Irish-American living in Texas...?

littlejeopardy · 15/04/2017 22:13

My best friend's baby is called Órla, I'd never heard of it before but I think it is a beautiful name.

Cleebope · 15/04/2017 22:03

Loads of girls in Ireland are called Erin though even if it's not originally an old Irish name. Soirla should have been Seorla pronounced Sairla, without an sh sound.

PuppyMonkey · 15/04/2017 21:57

Eek have never had "Oh-na" Lizzie, that would seriously annoy me though.

MrsDustyBusty · 15/04/2017 20:35

Ah was the Keevagh a dig at me?
It's a place in co clare!

You appeared to be suggesting it as an alternative spelling of Caoimhe to change it from a phonetic Irish spelling to an approximate version of a phonetic English spelling.

courtwood · 15/04/2017 16:59

How about Keelin, Roisin ,Liadan(Lee-a-dan)?

BrowsOnFleek · 15/04/2017 16:15

Ah was the Keevagh a dig at me?
It's a place in co clare! Don't see anything wrong with it, unless you're of the Katie Hopkins don't name your child after a place opinion.

Original poster
JedBartlet · 15/04/2017 14:11

Agree about the Caitlin issue! I also promise never to do Keevagh or anything similar Grin

DH not sure about Una, although it's my current favourite. I really like Siorla which someone posted
Upthread but a) I've never heard of it, is it actually a name? And b) we can't have a 'sh' sound.

God girls are so tricky. I have a ton of boys names. I think Roise is growing on me but will everyone think I've misspelled Rosie??

OP posts:
Gwenhwyfar · 15/04/2017 09:05

Platiumum - Karen is English as well as Danish
www.behindthename.com/name/karen-1

Gwenhwyfar · 15/04/2017 09:03

"gwenhywfar Caitlin easy to English speakers??? I'm guessing you think the correct pronunciation is Kate-Lyn?"

Ah yes, the anglcised version might not be the same as the proper pronunciation. I was thinking of Dylan Thomas's wife.

SuperBeagle · 15/04/2017 08:43

I like Niamh.

I also like Saoirse, but I think that'd get butchered outside of Ireland. I didn't have a clue how to pronounce it before hearing Saoirse Ronan speak about it.

Chavelita · 15/04/2017 08:12

Right, Grey. Erin will always be a brand of packet soup to me.

Greylilypad · 15/04/2017 07:46

Erin is not really a name in Ireland. It's an Irish American name.

Platimum · 15/04/2017 07:20

Karen is Danish not English.

I think of a Nuala as being a right old pinny-wearing matriarch. But i csn see it coming back.

Met a doireann. (Deerin). Too close to Doreen for comfort.

harrietm87 · 14/04/2017 21:12

gwenhywfar Caitlin easy to English speakers??? I'm guessing you think the correct pronunciation is Kate-Lyn?

lizzieoak · 14/04/2017 19:33

Puppymonkey, that surprises me. Just asked my very bright ds. He said he'd never heard the name before and would guess Oh-na. It was on my list when I was pregnant.

MikeUniformMike · 14/04/2017 19:33

I really like Donna or Dona (welsh & Cornish name pronounced Donna)

PuppyMonkey · 14/04/2017 19:23

I'm an actual Oonagh and I have to tell you that people everywhere get it wrong all the time. Yoona. Donna. Oo-nana. OO- Nag GrinSad

Once explained, it's fine. But I do have to explain it quite a lot.

MikeUniformMike · 14/04/2017 19:21

Yes. I like it but it isn't welsh. I don't really like names from another language or culture being given if the parents have no connection.
There are so many wonderful names to choose from, why lumber a child with a mispronounced or misspelt name.

Gwenhwyfar · 14/04/2017 19:10

"I know more than one Caren too."

Ah yes, Caren is just a Welsh spelling of the English Karen.

Chavelita · 14/04/2017 18:58

God, is Nuala making a comeback in Ireland? That's such a holy joe battle axe name.

I know, I once went into an expensive boutique in New York which was selling a stratospherically expensive yoga wear range designed by some supermodel (Christy Turlington?) called Nuala, and I was weak with laughter as the expensive assistants glared expensively at me.

I gather pronounced 'Noo-ahla', but it's still says 'floral pinny and twenty decades of the Rosary and the men get the best of the roast' to me. Grin

I confess I get very annoyed by the mispronunciation of Sorcha as Seoirse -- I mean when people get it wrong and call their daughter Sorcha but pronounced Seoirse. They're two entirely different names, pronounced entirely differently. And Seoirse is George!

I'd go with Clodagh from your original list, OP. Though my English-born son has an unusual deeply unphonetic-in-English Irish name and an English accent, and has never had any problems spelling it or pronouncing it, or with other people not getting it.

MikeUniformMike · 14/04/2017 18:39

Gwenhwyfar, It probably got used as a name by welsh people because it is a pretty name and is spelt phonetically. It would still be pronounced Carra. I know more than one Caren too.

Judgejudy1 · 14/04/2017 18:34

I know some of these have already been said, but I like:
Erin
Niamh
Lilidh (pronounced Lily, probably my favourite!)

Gwenhwyfar · 14/04/2017 18:33

Cara as a Welsh word means love as a command form (informal 2nd person). It doesn't make much sense for it to have become a name.

ScarletSienna · 14/04/2017 18:31

I like Una and have only heard it pronounced correctly in SE England.

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