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Baby names

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

Original poster

Irish mumsnetters-Ishka?

38 replies

AdmirablePlatypus · 22/05/2022 11:45

Hi mumsnet (and Irish mumsnet in particular).

we are trying to pin down baby names here in Australia. I’ve strong Irish heritage and love the word (name?) Ishka.

however, as I understand it, there is a packaged water brand in Ireland which has similar or same name.🙄

Therefore, I am asking if it’s one of those names that would attract ridicule in the UK Ireland? Like would people associate it with the water brand or something?😝😝

thanks so much
💕

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Original poster
AdmirablePlatypus · 22/05/2022 12:52

@Johnnysgirl thank you- yep should have mentioned that i was aware of the spelling difference. It’s an important point you make- anglicisation of names is an issue here as in all settler colonies. I didn’t mean to reproduce this ‘colonialism’ of an Indigenous name.

@SolasAnla my post auto corrected- I had actually written ‘in the UK and Ireland.’ I do very clearly understand the difference! (and the contested meanings of those terms and their connotations).

thank you @SolasAnla and @Johnnysgirl and everyone else, this is most informative:)

OP posts:
Thethreecs · 22/05/2022 12:03

Uisce Beatha would be a nice name 😁😁😁🥃🥃

SolasAnla · 22/05/2022 12:00

uisce is water

The company with the brand:
www.irishspringwater.com/

Ishka would not read at first glance as an "Irish" language word.

ridicule in the UK Ireland 👀 🙊

OchonAgusOchonOh · 22/05/2022 11:57

There was a goddess called Uisce too so technically it is a name. I have come across one woman called Uisce. However, as it is not a common name, Irish people will associate it with the Irish word for water and will likely think it a little odd.

Ishka is not an Irish name (there is no k in Irish) and as Uisce is not a common Irish name, it hasn't resulted in an anglicised spelling the way names like Cillian have. It is a play on words used by a bottled water company.

MissMatty2hats · 22/05/2022 11:54

I was just reading this out to my daughter because I thought it was quite amusing, only to be informed that she knows a girl at college in Galway who is called Uisce. At first she thought it it was a bit odd but now it’s just her name and they’re all used to it.

Johnnysgirl · 22/05/2022 11:52

Neat marketing, for sure.

heretohelpGB · 22/05/2022 11:51

Yes the brand is all over the place in some parts of country eg Galway but I have never seen it in shops in Dublin for example

Johnnysgirl · 22/05/2022 11:51

heretohelpGB · 22/05/2022 11:50

Sorry crossed posts there @Johnnysgirl

Not at all, your post was far more relevant Grin

Johnnysgirl · 22/05/2022 11:50

that has used this connection to call the brand ishka which I think is quite clever.
Ooh, I missed this...

heretohelpGB · 22/05/2022 11:50

Sorry crossed posts there @Johnnysgirl

Johnnysgirl · 22/05/2022 11:49

Oh sorry, it's pronounced Ishka.

heretohelpGB · 22/05/2022 11:49

Just to explain the context "Uisce" is the Irish word for water and it is pronounced like Ishka. And yes there is a brand of water very popular in parts of the country that has used this connection to call the brand ishka which I think is quite clever.

However I have never heard of it as a name . Would I think it strange - yes. Would it bother me if I liked the name - no. Do whatever makes you happy but just be aware of the context.

Johnnysgirl · 22/05/2022 11:48

The Irish word for water is spelt Uisce. It's not a brand, it's the actual thing...