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

Neutral Northern Ireland names

35 replies

Rabbitrescue · 20/11/2023 00:45

Baby girl’s due date is coming soon and we have absolutely no name contenders!

We both prefer classic names - not very modern

I don’t know if I am overthinking it- but I think my difficulty is finding a name that suits our family identity. We are a mixed marriage, although my husband who was raised in Protestant faith has always had an Irish passport ( kept secret from his staunch parents) . I was raised in Catholic faith but have British passport- to give some indication of where our hearts lie. Child will be raised in Catholic faith

Considering names many of my husbands suggestions - I feel are ‘too English/ I am not that sophisticated/ don’t feel comfortable with. He would be better read/ more cultural than me. My husband also likes Irish names- but it is me holding back.
I think my own experiences; as a child ( knowing not to say your name outloud in a public place) and experiences as a working adult ( some service users reacting to my irish - assumed catholic name) puts me off.
I don’t want to deny faith/ heritage but on the other side - I don’t want child to ever feel fearful.
I know it’s a different world now

Perhaps this post seems ridiculous- but just reaching out for words of wisdom/ name suggestions as I am at a loss
Honestly don’t mean to offend

Would anyone be able to suggest names that have subtle Irish hints? I liked the name Cora ( but best friend has just named her baby that) as it’s simple, feels Irish but actually isn’t and is classic

Or names that are very neutral in Northern Ireland
for example - I know lots of men of different religious backgrounds called James.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes time to rely

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Nomnomnom66 · 20/11/2023 07:03

I think you're over thinking things. Maeve, which is an Irish a name as you can get, has become extremely popular in the UK. My neighbours here in Meath are kids called Harry and Emily. People from all cultures choose different names and it has no bearing on your ethnicity.

mathanxiety · 20/11/2023 02:40

Oscar
Oliver
Shay
Callum
Leo (maybe)
Liam (foot in both camps)

Fiona
Alannah
Sadie
Darina
Nola
Honora

Original poster
Rabbitrescue · 20/11/2023 02:20

@salamithumbs
thank you for all suggestions and for sharing your Aunts Story. Good to know I am not only one with same debate!
I will actually re- suggest Evanne with hubby. I actually really like the Irish familiarity but am more comfortable that it’s not actually an Irish name 🙈

OP posts:
user1492757084 · 20/11/2023 02:03

Yes, you are over thinking.
People love to hear afresh culturally old names now, I think.

In Australia, due to being far away and people keeping letters about the troubles from their children, Irish people of differing denominations have been inter marrying happily for a couple of generations.

Many Biblical names have been used for millennia by many faiths...
Feel confident in peace and use any name you love.
These are all popular ..

Aoife
Catherine
Kate
Niamh
Bridget
Saoirse
Sarah
Anna
Roisin
Sinead
Eileen
Mary
Deirdre
Esther

Brian
Cahal
James
Christopher
Digby
Rory
Patrick
Oisin
Lachlan
Declan
Thomas
Gerard
Nicholas
Peter

ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees · 20/11/2023 01:53

Here's a list of the top baby names in Northern Ireland in 2021.

There's only about 10 in it that aren't totally neutral and/or considered very Irish or very English. https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/top-names-in-northern-ireland/

salamithumbs · 20/11/2023 01:52

I get what you mean OP. My aunt gave quite neutral names to her first two children for the same reasons as you (in Derry), but her two youngest children were born after the Good Friday Agreement and she felt more confident to give them Irish names. But it's hard to know what to do! You should go for whatever you like and whatever you're comfortable with.

Names that I'd see as quite neutral:
Abigail, Anna, April, Aria, Ava, Cara, Cassie/Cassia, Caroline, Chloe, Elena, Ella, Elise, Emilia, Emily, Evanna, Freya, Grace, Hazel, Hannah, Holly, Isla, Isabel, Jasmine, Jessica, Juliet, Kate, Lara, Laila, Lily, Lola, Madeline, Olivia, Rosa, Rebecca, Robyn, Sarah, Zoe

(not sure how 'Irish' Evanna is - on one hand it's not really an Irish Irish name I don't think, but on the other it doesn't seem to be at all popular anywhere except Ireland. And even then it's not that popular! I've only met three ever)

Original poster
Rabbitrescue · 20/11/2023 01:25

@BenZodiazapam thanks for suggestions
Will share with hubby
Didnt realise Cara, Nora or Rosaline were Irish. Nora is cute
Thanks for taking time

OP posts:
Original poster
Rabbitrescue · 20/11/2023 01:21

I think you’re right - it does sound like I am overthinking. It’s not until more recently I realised I was ruling out the too English names- but also realised I was resisting Irish names due to my own experiences.
I know it’s different now. I think it’s just my own difficult experiences engrained in me 🙈
A few years ago one of my friends said to me she didn’t use Irish names for her children - as she had seen I was given such a hard time working with members of public when we were younger. I remember telling guilty in someways, and thinking that’s so sad that sectarianism nearly prevailed

Your right in years to come people will be less religious, less memories of the troubles themselves, less segregation ,so probably people wouldn’t bat an eyelid

Thanks

OP posts:
BenZodiazapam · 20/11/2023 01:14

What about something like Caitlin, Cara, Fiona, Rosaline, Kiera or Nora? These are all Irish names but are mainstream and used widely across the UK regardless of religion.

MaloneMeadow · 20/11/2023 00:51

I think you’re massively overthinking things!! Just go with what you both like. I also live in Northern Ireland, even though we’re both technically Protestant we’re very neutral and gave our daughter an Irish name (Maeve). We’re in south Belfast so granted it’s a very mixed area but no matter where we’ve been nobody has batted an eyelid. I certainly don’t have any concerns of her being fearful of using it in the future. In my opinion things have massively moved on from those days

Swipe left for the next trending thread