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Baby names

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

Original poster

Irish names for a girl

218 replies

HarrietM87 · 03/09/2019 13:58

I’m Irish, DH is English, baby will have DH’s English surname and live in London. Our DS has a standard (though uncommon) Irish boy’s name (similar to Sean - ie Irish spelling but generally recognised in England so not many issues with pronunciation or spelling so far).

I’m pregnant and if it’s a boy we’ll probably go for Patrick (just saw another thread on this - love the name!).

If it’s a girl we’d like to give her an Irish name but ideally nothing that will cause her too many problems, and also don’t want to use an anglicised spelling. Can’t use Aoife, Niamh, Meabh, Eimear, Orla or Derbhla due to close friends/family.

Any suggestions of names that fit these criteria (ie recognisably Irish but straightforward-ish spellings)? My absolute favourite is Ailbhe but I think that might be difficult for English speakers and if it’s spelled Alva it loses the Irish connection completely. Also love Nora but DH hates because of “bloody Nora”. Also considering names which aren’t Irish as such but commonly used in Ireland like Mary and Anne. All suggestions welcome!

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opinionminion · 14/09/2019 02:22

Ailish

OkPedro · 14/09/2019 02:15

What is not an Irish name mathanxiety ?

mathanxiety · 14/09/2019 02:10

That's not an Irish name either though.

OkPedro · 14/09/2019 01:55

Maria isn’t an Irish name though lemonchorizo
Do you mean Marie? pronounced Mar ee

Lemonchorizo · 14/09/2019 01:10

Just names of my family in Ireland Maria is in her 20s. It's a suggestion don't take it so seriously :)

OkPedro · 14/09/2019 00:24

rathkelter I’m curious, what is your name? (If you don’t mind saying)

Rathkelter · 14/09/2019 00:08

Okpedro I know what you're saying: we shouldn't dumb down for anyone; they should learn how to pronounce our names. From experience, having lived in several different countries where they couldn't pronounce my name EVER, I found it quite tedious to constantly have to tell people how to say it and then have the conversation about what my name meant. Seriously! I wouldn't wish it on my daughter. I'd sooner choose an easy name. And I did...

Whoseagooddoggiethen · 13/09/2019 22:36

Rosary
Rosa-Rie

Omg i wonder if thats where they got the cats name from on Bosco? Rosa-ria! They were brainwashing us even then

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 13/09/2019 22:31

It’ll be rosary, to be sure to be sure Grin

Whoseagooddoggiethen · 13/09/2019 22:27

Sairoise... Say a Rosie?? Ring a ring a? Say a rosary?

AlwaysOnAbloodyDiet · 13/09/2019 22:21

😂😂😂 @ 'Jesus, Mary and the carpenter'

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 13/09/2019 22:20

😂 Christ!

whattodo2019 · 13/09/2019 22:19

Sairoise

Whoseagooddoggiethen · 13/09/2019 22:02

Jesus Mary and the carpenter, please dont call her Margaret as thats a lunatics name. Granted I only know the one but she birthed me so I have experience HmmGrin

Miread meaning Mairead?

Is Maria not Italian?

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 13/09/2019 21:26
Grin

I love this thread.

beanaseireann · 13/09/2019 21:21

Isnt Miriam a Jewish name ?

Lemonchorizo · 13/09/2019 21:18

Margaret / Miread
Miriam
Caitriona
Maria

JuneSpoon · 13/09/2019 21:14

I never heard Fíadh up until a friend of mine called her child Fíadh 3.5 years ago. Now I know 4 Fíadhs.

It's a beautiful name though

Rosere · 13/09/2019 21:05

@agteacht I love Roisin. Its great. I pronounce Aoibhe as Eve, my sister calls it Eva. I like either. Love Aoibheann too, pronounced as Even or Aveen. Whichever depending on where you are.

MindyStClaire · 13/09/2019 19:49

The only Erin I know is a little girl from a Protestant background in NI. The name did surprise me I have to say! I don't know any in ROI, but tbh it's a brand of soup there.

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 13/09/2019 14:28

Im in NI and know a few Erin’s here too. Also Fiadh becoming very popular here over the last 5/6 years.

AlwaysOnAbloodyDiet · 13/09/2019 12:57

I adore Maeve too, but much prefer the 'bh' (Irish) spelling

I've never met an Irish Érin in Ireland, but many Americans!

FreddyFazbear · 13/09/2019 10:02

I love Maeve - utterly beautiful. The great warrior queen. I wanted it on my list if we'd had a girl, but DP hated it because it made him think of Mavis.

Not sure why pp thinks Irish people don't use Erin. I'm in NI and the place is teeming with Erin's - a popular name 'on both sides', as they say.

Enko · 13/09/2019 09:29

OP don't worry ro much about the spelling people get used to it or ask. Dd3 is Aoife she has more issues w people calling her E-fer rather than E-fa than with how to spell. People will admit to struggling with the spelling but get strangely off with you if you say "you are pronouncing it wrong " so if the name is straight forward sounding don't worry so much about the spelling.

Personally I love Caoimhe Niamh and Iona they were on our short lists many years ago (my Aoife is almost 16) but you could also go with more angalised names like

Fiona Dana Finola Erin Cara or Brianna names people can spell and who has the Irish roots

YellowOfficeBlock · 13/09/2019 09:15

My 16year old is Bridget, it's a fab name, x

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