Irish spellings for names

I get a bit irked when Irish people on here insist that an anglicised Irish name isn't a real Irish name. Killian for example will elicit 'there's no K in the Irish alphabet!'. True, but it's a very exclusionary way of defining what's Irish. Especially since most Irish people are very far from being fluent in the language themselves. Do they tut at people called Kelly and think 'your surname should be O'Ceallaigh'?

I'm one of those people who commits the sin of suggesting that maybe a rarer spelling of an Irish name or an entirely rare Irish name (Lasairfhíona for example) might be burdensome to a child being brought up outside of Ireland. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying it's okay not to do it. You're not betraying the sons of Róisín by calling your kid Killian.

I'm from ROI living in NI, had good Irish leaving school but couldn't speak it now. Understanding is ok - I understand the posts on this thread but wouldn't want to be reading anything heavy. DH is from NI and identifies as Irish, he doesn't really speak any Irish at all (hopeless at all languages). DD1 has an Irish name, spelled in the Irish way. DD2 doesn't have an Irish name, we picked DD1's because we like it rather than because it's Irish iykwim.

Agree about Irish spellings just being the spellings of the names, and about Irish names being part of our cultural identity and history even for those of us who don't speak Irish.

ps; also love hearing about non-Irish people using Irish names too :)

I have school level Irish, don’t use it except to help the kids with homework. So don’t feel it necessary to only have Irish names.
Child 1 has an English version of a name that exists in Irish but is pronounced differently than in English. English version is a common name in Ireland traditionally. Family reasons for choosing it.
Child 2 has an English name, also used in Poland. Family reasons for choosing it.
Child 3 has an Irish name that is the same in English. No reason for choosing it

I don't think you can talk about the "Irish spelling" of an Irish name. It's just "the spelling" though others may wish to use an anglecised spelling for lots of reasons.

Yes, exactly.

DS was born in London, but has an unusual Irish name. As Eanáir 2020 amach, táimíd ar ais in Eireann, and tá sé ag foghlaim Gaeilge agus ag baint taitneamh as. Níl ach Gaeilge scoile again agus rinne mé an Ardteist i 1990 ach is maith liom Gaeilge a labhairt, agus tá mé an-sásta go bhfuil DS ag foghlaim é.

I don't speak Irish (well beyond very basic school (NI) Irish). Nor do I have any particular desire to learn. (In an ideal world I would of course love to be fluent in my native language). But I consider Irish names spelled correctly as part of my cultural heritage and that of my children even though they were born outside of Ireland. I don't think you can talk about the "Irish spelling" of an Irish name. It's just "the spelling" though others may wish to use an anglecised spelling for lots of reasons.

Interestingly, anecdotally I think more of my friends that stayed in Ireland chose classic English names for their kids. Those of us abroad often went with Irish and some more unusual Irish names. Maybe we feel the need to prove our identity and give that cultural link than those still in Ireland.

We live in Ireland and have a Liam and hopefully an Aoife soon! Gaelic is compulsory so yes they will learn it. Personally, I don’t speak it.

No, my children have Irish middle names (Irish dad/ UK mum, born and live in UK). The understand the meaning of their names but not pushed them to learn Gaelic.