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Baby names

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

Original poster

Is this name usable in England?

89 replies

caitlinrose · 27/10/2022 18:55

I stumbled across Aisling recently, I heard it in a movie and thought it was so beautiful.

It was pronounced ash-ling in the movie but I found out that ash-leen is another possible pr. and I think I like that a bit better.

Thoughts on Aisling, pr. ash-leen? What about ash-ling?

Is it fine to use without Irish ancestry? I know some people with Irish names who don't have ancestry so think it would be okay even though she might get some questions. Sinéad and Siobhán and Maeve seem to have been common in England, Scotland, Wales as well.

Thoughts? I'm thinking maybe as a middle names as I love the meaning and sound. As a first name I like it too but worry she'll get Ashley/Ashleigh a lot.

If you are Irish does it feel out of style to you? Just wondering because the statistics tell me it was Top Ten in Ireland in the past but not anymore.

OP posts:
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GrumpyPanda · 27/10/2022 19:41

anotherscroller · 27/10/2022 19:14

I thought it was German?

Definitely not.

Apollonia1 · 27/10/2022 19:38

I'm Irish, and only heard it pronounced ash-ling.
I think it's a lovely, pretty name, and means Dream,

slowquickstep · 27/10/2022 19:37

Use it if you love it.

honeyfox · 27/10/2022 19:36

I'm Irish in Ireland and I've never heard it pronounced Ash-leen.

Ashlin is nice too.

AreYouAFeminist · 27/10/2022 19:36

There are certain thick regional accents that invert vowels. Eg. The word 'thing' would be pronounced 'theen'.

West of Ireland often replace i sounds with ee

KirstenBlest · 27/10/2022 19:33

It's a bit 1980s.

AreYouAFeminist · 27/10/2022 19:33

@caitlinrose those that you think are saying 'een' rather than 'ling' are actually saying ling they just have very thick country accents.
See the other two Irish posters who also say it's ling Smile

AreYouAFeminist · 27/10/2022 19:30

Ah @HairyHipppo it's a nice name! You're just so used to it. Admittedly it is a bit 80s/90s here but to other countries it would sound fresh and unusual.

Original poster
caitlinrose · 27/10/2022 19:30

AreYouAFeminist · 27/10/2022 19:22

Here are some accurate pronunciations on Forvo, the first one is from a gaeilgeoir (native speaker)

forvo.com/word/aisling_ghrá/#ga

Here are a few more:

forvo.com/word/aisling/#ga

Thank you. I'm actually a bit confused now because I hear:

#1 ash-ling
#2 ash-ling
#3 ash-linn (like Ashlyn)
#4 ash-linn
#5 ash-ling, ash-linn
#6 ahsh-linn

For the aisling ghrá one I hear Ashley but that's probably because it's said quickly.

Is ash-leen not correct? Maybe I should double check that source. It was listed as a possible pr. and some people here wrote that they know an Aisling said ash-leen so I assumed it was correct as well.

Which one is the most common one? I guess it would be best to go with that. I do slightly prefer ash-leen but they are all gorgeous. In the movie it was ash-ling so that would be the most common one then?

Thanks for your help.

OP posts:
Onecattwocats · 27/10/2022 19:29

Typically pronounced Ais ling in Ireland never heard the aisleen pronunciation.

HairyHipppo · 27/10/2022 19:27

This is my name, and I am Irish! I hate it!
It's usually spelled Aisling but mine is Ashling so I have a life time of correcting it.
Abroad e.g. USA I get "Ashley" but it might be a bit more familiar in UK.
It's definitely very much pronounced ash-ling, never encountered the alternative.
Hated it as I was one of three in primary, secondary, uni.

OnABreeze · 27/10/2022 19:26

Reminds me of that god awful Aisylene (different spelling) who was on Big Brother.

Chickenpeppers · 27/10/2022 19:23

That's my daughters name. We're not Irish. Never had anyone struggle to pronounce it or spell it.

AreYouAFeminist · 27/10/2022 19:22

Here are some accurate pronunciations on Forvo, the first one is from a gaeilgeoir (native speaker)

forvo.com/word/aisling_ghrá/#ga

Here are a few more:

forvo.com/word/aisling/#ga

Foolsandtheirmoney · 27/10/2022 19:22

I'm irish in Ireland. Where I am people pronounce it Ash-ling. I don't think it is odd for someone ot irish to use it. I haven't come across any children called Aisling in a long time, like someone else said I think it's dated. I don't particularly like or dislike it as a name, it's a bit boring but if you like it go for it.

Choconut · 27/10/2022 19:18

I wouldn't use it personally without any Irish heritage.

HaveYouSeenNancy · 27/10/2022 19:17

I have a sister and a niece called Aisling (different sister's daughter), I think it's beautiful.

Runnerduck34 · 27/10/2022 19:16

I've heard of it and know how to pronounce it but I think you/ your daughter will need to accept it will be mispronounced on occasions as its not a phonetic spelling.
It's a lovely name , a lot of people in UK people would have heard of it and know how pronounce it but not all

MassiveSalad22 · 27/10/2022 19:15

Loved it for my daughter but didn’t use as not at all Irish (well, 4 generations ago!) and felt weird. Which is doubly weird because we’re really not at all welsh and used an anglicised welsh name for DS with no second thought at all 😵‍💫

But, beautiful name OP and I think you should do it. There was someone on Big Brother spelled Aisleyne or Aislene… probably total butchery of the irish way but maybe not.

anotherscroller · 27/10/2022 19:14

I thought it was German?

NC12345665 · 27/10/2022 19:14

There's a lot of gatekeeping when it comes to Irish names.

AreYouAFeminist · 27/10/2022 19:13

Definitely use it OP, it's a beautiful name. It means 'dream'.

Sago1 · 27/10/2022 19:13

I’m half English half Irish, I was brought up n England with an Irish name, I had no problem.

abblie · 27/10/2022 19:13

My friend is called aisling pronounced ashleen

AreYouAFeminist · 27/10/2022 19:13

It's pronounced Ash-ling here in Ireland, not Ashleen

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