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Baby names

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

Original poster

Traditional or Irish Boy's Name

36 replies

LivLemler · 19/02/2018 16:26

We're having trouble deciding on a boy's name. We have a long list of names we like but no clear front runner.

We would probably go with James but close friends got there first and we want something not already used in our immediate circle. Names we like include Matthew, Joseph, Peter.

We would also consider something Irish, but as DH doesn't really speak Irish and we live in a mainly Protestant part of NI, nothing too difficult to pronounce for non-Irish speakers. Irish names we like include Cian (which again, we can't use), Aidan, Conor.

Girl's name will likely be one of Elizabeth, Aisling, Meredith.

Boy's middle name likely John after family but not a deal breaker if the first name doesn't go with it.

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implantsandaDyson · 23/02/2018 12:00

I love the names on your original list. All of my daughters were going to be called Joseph Grin and my husband always loved Peter!

I have a desperate love for Cathal, I know, I know - my kids laughed when I told them (apparently it's like the male equivalent of Geraldine, Assumpta, Bernadette and Concepta all rolled into one and one who wears sensible shoes at that).

Your girls names are lovely too.

bebealpha · 23/02/2018 11:43

My grandfather (Roi) was thady (short for Thaddeus I think). I would have loved to have called one of my boys that but dh wasn't at all keen!

WaxOnFeckOff · 23/02/2018 11:27

Gregor
Miles
Ben
Andrew
Paul
Austin
Kenneth
Callum
Evan
Oliver
Niall

toomanyweeds · 23/02/2018 10:43

In love all three of your options, Matthew, Joseph and Peter. Probably in order

Peter
Joseph
Matthew

dinosaurkisses · 23/02/2018 10:23

Just to say OP- we’ve never had any unpleasantness from people because of DD’s name despite the village being something like 93% Protestant. I think people think they’re too well bred for that nonsense!

Original poster
LivLemler · 23/02/2018 08:29

Lots to consider here, thanks so much Flowers

Interestingly, DH's name and a male version of my name have both been listed!

Just for clarity, we're both Catholic raised aetheists (I'm from ROI, DH from NI), but as we live in a majority Protestant area and DH never really learned any Irish, we want to keep any Irish names reasonably simple. We have no worries about an Irish name attracting unpleasantness around here.

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 23/02/2018 06:41

Lorcan
Donagh/Donncha
Killian
Fintan
Ferdia
Fergus
Lochlan
Enda
Eoghan
Finbar
Eamon
Ronan
Niall
Malachy
Conan
Ciaran/Kieran
Finnian
Moling
Fiacra
Brendan
Ailbe
Coleman/Colman
Jarlath/Iarla
Donal
Murtagh
Ruadhan
Oran/Odhran

Trad names you don't hear much:
Noel
Paul
Hugh
Matthew, Joseph and Peter are lovely imo.

(Eoin John is like John John).

HolyShmoly · 22/02/2018 23:08

NC4Now Sadhbh is like Five but with an S. There's actually a play by John B Keane called Sive so it is an accepted spelling, but not a particularly nice one, imo. And I remember doing the play at school and thinking it was pronounced 'sieve' so I don't think it really simplifies things!

TwentySmackeroos · 22/02/2018 22:54

If you are concerned about a name being too 'Gaelic' in your community (and it is a consideration for some in NI), would you consider something like Rory, Gareth, Manus or Liam?

(I've a friend, a grandmother now, Catholic couple, who called their daughter Victoria in order to 'fit in better' where they lived.)

NC4Now · 22/02/2018 22:40

How is Sadhbh pronounced? I love Irish names but in my circles they tend to be along the Roisin, Aoife lines.

HolyShmoly · 22/02/2018 22:34

Our boy's shortlist was Senan, Declan, Matthew. DH likes Padraig but I'm not a fan (partly cause I don't like it, partly because I'm a bit paranoid of the Paddy stereotype as we live in England.) I love Aidan, Oisin, Cillian and Conal. Liam is lovely but veto'd because of family members. I was going to suggest James, but just realised you have been put off that. How about Harry or Luke?

Scan says girl though, so we're thinking Aoife. Eleanor is the other name on the list, I love Sadhbh but it would be tough in England. Maeve, Niamh, Mairead and Cara are lovely Irish names that are ruled out because of family.

MikeUniformMike · 22/02/2018 21:13

William John Lemler is good.

dinosaurkisses · 22/02/2018 19:58

Same story here OP- I’m from the Protestant side, met DH who is Catholic from ROI and we moved in together to a very naice village (the Queen’s NI residence is round the corner from us).

We had an agreement that if baby was a boy we’d call him William (my pick) and girl would be Sadhbh (DH’s choice)- we had a girl. My side of the family were a bit wtf about the name, but were polite enough not to say anything Grin. She’s four months now and everyone’s used to it.

Agree with a previous poster about Patrick- it’s a fab name, with lots of great nicknames.

Also-
Conn
Francis
Arthur (Art)
John (Jack)

FlaviaAlbia · 22/02/2018 13:08

Aidan, sorry.

FlaviaAlbia · 22/02/2018 13:07

I like Aiden.

We have a similar dilemma, I've tried to go for names that don't mark the kids out as being from one community or the other but there's a couple of names I really do like that don't fit that criteria.

Stephen isn't used much anymore but fits the traditional names. Daniel?

BlueChampagne · 22/02/2018 13:01

Aidan?

thegreylady · 22/02/2018 07:57

Darragh
Quinlan
Eoin
Finn on its own or short for Finbar or Finnian

Faze84 · 19/02/2018 22:16

Declan?

Sophronia · 19/02/2018 22:13

Adam
Seamus
Darragh
Oisín
Samuel
Thomas
Colm

Original poster
LivLemler · 19/02/2018 21:34

Thanks for all your suggestions, lots of lovely names here, will go over the thread with DH later.

harriet we seem to be on the same track in lots of ways atm, I think we had the same due date until mine was changed. Grin

OlennasWimple - not particularly. It's a naice area and I'm not worried about unpleasantness. But at the same time, I doubt many would know how to pronounce Sadhbh, for example! Whereas the Aoifes, Aislings etc would probably be fine.

Although I quite like William and my FIL's face would no doubt be a picture Grin

OP posts:
Rainbowsandflowers78 · 19/02/2018 21:32

Joseph peter John sounds nice though

Rainbowsandflowers78 · 19/02/2018 21:31

Snap 2 pups!

Rainbowsandflowers78 · 19/02/2018 21:30

Oisin John
Mathew John
Eoin john
Rory John

2pups · 19/02/2018 20:31

What about Eoin?

My ds1's middle name.

I like Maeve for a girl.

OlennasWimple · 19/02/2018 20:22

OP - does it matter whether it's a Catholic or Protestant name? There are a few on the thread which I like but was hesitating to suggest (like Liam) because you said you were in a Protestant area