Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Can I name my baby Ira?

244 replies

phonemouse · 28/03/2023 15:44

I live in the uk. We like the name Ira (pronounced Eye-ra).
It's a fairly popular name in the states and Australia but I am aware it has some other connotations.
Do you think honestly that it would be an issue?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
MaloneMeadow · 06/03/2024 14:30

765penny658 · 06/03/2024 14:21

Because he wasn't named after a terrorist group.
I grew up in the 90s and I'd never heard of the IRA till I got much older. So I cant see how anyone his age would be concerned about it, or even know much about the IRA. Everyone has their own opinion and thats fine, I know that not everyone's going to like his name. But its a beautiful name. And thats literally all it is, a name.

Show quote history

Again, Isis is a nice name too but it’s still a terrorist organisation. Obviously nobody is purposefully aiming to name their child after terror groups but you can’t ignore the fact that the IRA is one.

I can assure you that any child growing up in NI or Ireland now is still very much aware of the IRA’s existence and what they did, just because you weren’t aware of it as you obviously didn’t grow up in the same place or circumstances doesn’t mean that everyone else is the same way.

KirstenBlest · 06/03/2024 14:24

I'd think Gershwin too.

@tinytemper66 , eira is pronounced like ey-ra (approximately) not eye-ra.
Some say the name as ira but it's an anglicisation.

@765penny658 ,I grew up in the 90s and I'd never heard of the IRA till I got much older. So I cant see how anyone his age would be concerned about it, or even know much about the IRA.

It's part of the country's history and your post comes across as insensitive.

765penny658 · 06/03/2024 14:21

MaloneMeadow · 05/03/2024 15:46

‘If someone said Ira to me I wouldn’t think of the IRA’

As you obviously don’t live in NI or Ireland. I sincerely hope that your child never wants to move here as spelling their name is going to lead to quite a few raised brows and uncomfortable conversations. Why would you want to name your child after a terrorist group? Isis is a nice name too but that doesn’t stop the connotations!

Show quote history

Because he wasn't named after a terrorist group.
I grew up in the 90s and I'd never heard of the IRA till I got much older. So I cant see how anyone his age would be concerned about it, or even know much about the IRA. Everyone has their own opinion and thats fine, I know that not everyone's going to like his name. But its a beautiful name. And thats literally all it is, a name.

Zaxi · 06/03/2024 13:49

NeverHadANickname · 28/03/2023 15:48

I'm 50:50 on this, nice name though. How about Ida as an alternative?

Oh thats hideous

Ira is fine

tinytemper66 · 06/03/2024 13:42

Eira pronounced the same as Ira means snow in Welsh

gershwinsdog · 06/03/2024 13:14

Ira Levin. Great author. Would never think about the IRA

DappledThings · 06/03/2024 12:36

KirstenBlest · 06/03/2024 12:30

Northern Ireland is in the UK, @DappledThings , OP might be in NI.

@phonemouse , the Welsh name is Eira, and is approximately Ey-ra. It sometimes gets said as Eye-ra, but given that it's the Welsh word for Snow, it should follow Welsh pronunciation. It's definitely a girl's name.

Ira is a Hebrew boy's name

You're right, I had indeed assumed that given OP hasn't seen any connotations herself and not commented further that she's not in NI. I may be wrong but it's an assumption I'm OK with.

I know a 3 year old Ira. Nobody has ever commented on it in any conversation ive been in other to mention Ira Gershwin.

I just don't think it's an issue.

justrecognisedmyneighbouronhere · 06/03/2024 12:35

I know an Eira who pronounces it eye-rah

KirstenBlest · 06/03/2024 12:30

Northern Ireland is in the UK, @DappledThings , OP might be in NI.

@phonemouse , the Welsh name is Eira, and is approximately Ey-ra. It sometimes gets said as Eye-ra, but given that it's the Welsh word for Snow, it should follow Welsh pronunciation. It's definitely a girl's name.

Ira is a Hebrew boy's name

JenniferBarkley · 06/03/2024 12:30

DappledThings · 06/03/2024 09:06

This thread is a year old. Nothing's changed in a year. Ira was a fine name then and now. It doesn't scream IRA and it really isn't controversial.

It may not scream IRA, but when you spell it you literally say IRA.

What's the name?

Ira Smith, that's IRA...

Personally, I wouldn't want that little jolt of recognition every time I spelled my name out, so I wouldn't give it to my DC even though Ira itself is a perfectly nice name when said out loud.

DappledThings · 06/03/2024 12:19

MaloneMeadow · 06/03/2024 11:55

Tell me you don’t live in Ireland without telling me you don’t live in Ireland..

Show quote history

Nor does OP. And I did live in Belfast for 3 years.

If OP did it might be a different matter.

Lauren0000 · 06/03/2024 12:18

Totally fine, I bet no one in her school year would have even heard of the IRA. Totally not an issue

MaloneMeadow · 06/03/2024 11:55

DappledThings · 06/03/2024 09:06

This thread is a year old. Nothing's changed in a year. Ira was a fine name then and now. It doesn't scream IRA and it really isn't controversial.

Tell me you don’t live in Ireland without telling me you don’t live in Ireland..

DappledThings · 06/03/2024 09:06

This thread is a year old. Nothing's changed in a year. Ira was a fine name then and now. It doesn't scream IRA and it really isn't controversial.

user1492757084 · 06/03/2024 08:59

No to Ira ..
How about:
Ivor
Ian
Islay
Irwin
Igor
Irving

FirstBaba · 06/03/2024 00:24

Well, he'll never be able to visit Northern Ireland but you can decide whether that's a good or bad thing 😀

MaloneMeadow · 05/03/2024 23:48

Marcipex · 05/03/2024 23:45

I know a woman who wanted to name her daughter Ira, but as someone had pointed out that it’s spelt I R A, she added another i.
Iria. Honestly, if you saw that you’d say Irry-ah, wouldn’t you?
I expect Iria has spent her whole life saying it’s pronounced Eye-rah.

There must be a better alternative.

Ida
Isla
Eira

Yep - phonetically it is definitely irry-ah. Poor girl must spend her life correcting people mistakenly using the proper pronunciation…

Marcipex · 05/03/2024 23:45

I know a woman who wanted to name her daughter Ira, but as someone had pointed out that it’s spelt I R A, she added another i.
Iria. Honestly, if you saw that you’d say Irry-ah, wouldn’t you?
I expect Iria has spent her whole life saying it’s pronounced Eye-rah.

There must be a better alternative.

Ida
Isla
Eira

Bunny44 · 05/03/2024 22:21

Amadeaa · 31/03/2023 20:59

It means ‘anger’ in Italian, that bothers me more than the IRA connection…

And in Spanish

KirstenBlest · 05/03/2024 16:25

Moreteaandchocolate · 05/03/2024 15:07

Eira (Welsh for snow) is said the same as Ira and avoids the problematic associations.

No it's not, and Eira is a girl's name. The thread is an old one.

rainydaysandwednesdays · 05/03/2024 16:15

Eek possibly not with that spelling. The pronunciation is nice though, maybe try and adjust the spelling?

MaloneMeadow · 05/03/2024 15:46

765penny658 · 05/03/2024 13:40

I've named my child Ira. I'm from the UK. No one has ever mentioned the IRA to me. Everyone says its a beautiful name. I once got randomly talking to Irish lady and I had LO with me. She asked his name, and when I told her she said it was a beautiful name, and that it really suited him. If someone said Ira to me I wouldn't think of the IRA. It all depends on the person

‘If someone said Ira to me I wouldn’t think of the IRA’

As you obviously don’t live in NI or Ireland. I sincerely hope that your child never wants to move here as spelling their name is going to lead to quite a few raised brows and uncomfortable conversations. Why would you want to name your child after a terrorist group? Isis is a nice name too but that doesn’t stop the connotations!

Moreteaandchocolate · 05/03/2024 15:07

Eira (Welsh for snow) is said the same as Ira and avoids the problematic associations.

Lindy2 · 05/03/2024 13:52

I'm aware of it as an American name. I was quite shocked when I first saw the spelling of it.

I'm afraid it really doesn't work as a UK name. Either spell it differently or choose something else that won't have such negative overtones.

765penny658 · 05/03/2024 13:40

I've named my child Ira. I'm from the UK. No one has ever mentioned the IRA to me. Everyone says its a beautiful name. I once got randomly talking to Irish lady and I had LO with me. She asked his name, and when I told her she said it was a beautiful name, and that it really suited him. If someone said Ira to me I wouldn't think of the IRA. It all depends on the person

Swipe left for the next trending thread