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Baby names

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

Original poster

Aoife or Orla

90 replies

Baby2Sep22 · 23/09/2022 14:41

not long to go and we need to decide between

Aoife Lily
or
Orla ... (please suggest middle names)

Lily is a family name but I don’t think it goes with Orla and their are no other family names we would want to use.

Oh should add - living in the UK!

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Cressie2 · 10/10/2022 20:31

Oh Orla is so pretty!

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 27/09/2022 12:30

Love both Aoife and Orla (also spelled Orlagh/Orlaith)

People will get used to it and friends and family obviously. I think both are becoming common enough that she shouldn't struggle

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 27/09/2022 12:26

If you like Irish names have you come across
Aileen Ay-leen (Ay pronounced as in abc)
Ashling (Aisling) Ash-ling

maddy68 · 27/09/2022 12:13

I love Aoife. Yes it's tricky to pronounce but people will soon get it.

DuchessOfSausage · 27/09/2022 11:54

I know an Aofie!
@Ancfib,That's a new spelling!

Ancfib · 27/09/2022 11:07

I know an Aofie! Lovely name, but I do prefer Orla, so pretty

Puffalicious · 26/09/2022 17:20

RaraRachael · 26/09/2022 17:14

We've had a Mirren and Murron at school recently. I don't mind Mirren but my great granny was Marion but known as Murron and was a dreadful woman so I couldn't warm to that name!

I get that. You're allowed to reject a name on that basis!

I'm a teacher and there's too many names that get rejected on the basis of that!

RaraRachael · 26/09/2022 17:14

We've had a Mirren and Murron at school recently. I don't mind Mirren but my great granny was Marion but known as Murron and was a dreadful woman so I couldn't warm to that name!

FartOutLoudDay · 24/09/2022 22:09

Caoimhe IS a lovely name, but if people are struggling with Aoife I’d hate to see how they coped with a more complicated one!

Puffalicious · 24/09/2022 20:55

SirChenjins · 24/09/2022 20:48

Ahh - that makes sense now! I live in Scotland and wondered if I’d missed a spelling of Murrin/Murren Smile

Ah- ha, fellow Scott! I've always only seen Murren, but I suppose folk use Murrin so others pronounce it properly.

I also love Morven. And Murdo fir a boy! I must be in love with the M sound! My 3 DS don't have an M between them either 😅

SirChenjins · 24/09/2022 20:48

Ahh - that makes sense now! I live in Scotland and wondered if I’d missed a spelling of Murrin/Murren Smile

Puffalicious · 24/09/2022 20:44

SirChenjins · 24/09/2022 20:26

Muirne is Irish, isn’t it? Confused

Sorry, half my text disappeared, no idea why!

What i typed was:

If I'd had a DD I'd have called her a beautiful Scottish name, Murren (Murrin) or the Irish name Muirne (Mir-na). My mam was Irish, so the traditions are still close.

SirChenjins · 24/09/2022 20:26

Muirne is Irish, isn’t it? Confused

Puffalicious · 24/09/2022 20:09

FartOutLoudDay · 23/09/2022 17:35

Think yourselves lucky you didn’t have a Caoimhe!

I was just going to say Caoimhe is a far prettier name! DS1 has a friend called Caoimhe (Irish mum) my friend (who is Irish) has an Aoife and a Cillian, and my best friend's daughter is Orlaith (Scottish mum but Irish grandparents). It's much easier if you're in Scotland as the connections between the 2 countries are far stronger/ pronunciation is similar at times. But no matter where you live, call your daughter what YOU want, not based on what others may say.

My 3 x DS all have Scottish names: my friends in England were a bit 🤔 at first, but they got used to it very quickly.

If I'd had a DD I'd have called her a beautiful Scottish name, Muirne (Murrin). You do you, OP.

Roselilly36 · 24/09/2022 19:52

I prefer Orla

SirChenjins · 24/09/2022 18:39

Oarla is how my Irish friend pronounces it Confused how is meant to be pronounced?

AppleCharlottie · 24/09/2022 18:29

I agree that it depends where you are. It really grates on me when I hear Awla or Oarla.

What's wrong with Oarla @Laurelshell?
That's how I say the name (Irish).

sageandbasil · 24/09/2022 13:49

I love orla. When I googled the name lilly it said it was from elizabeth and I think Orla Elizabeth goes nicely

DailyEnergyCrisis · 24/09/2022 10:19

Orla Roisin is nice too.

CultClassic · 24/09/2022 08:07

How about Maeve?

Original poster
Baby2Sep22 · 24/09/2022 03:00

Love Ciara but unfortunately it doesn’t work with our surname

OP posts:
LadybirdsAreNeverHappy · 24/09/2022 01:43

Orla Marie?

If you like Orla and Aoife but they don’t feel right when the baby comes, have you thought of Ciara? It looks pretty much like it sounds and isn’t very hard to pronounce.Or Tara.

Enko · 24/09/2022 01:17

I have an Aoife. She is 18 not that bothered when people can't spell her name (apart from 1 teacher who after 2 years still could not spell it) has some fun w it.

I don't personally like Orla. I find it quite ugly and in Scandinavia whetr I gree up its a boys name and I can't get pass that

SnooozyTree · 24/09/2022 01:08

Not helpful at all, but one of mine was nearly Orla. We both love it. But we couldn't use it in the end because DH and I have different pronunciations (we're both Irish) 🤣🤣

Smallonesaremorejuicy · 24/09/2022 01:03

Love Orla , Aoife sounds calf or cow like to me . I agree Orla Lily doesn’t go , too many L sounds.

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