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Is Aidan politically neutral or not?

36 replies

Elvisis · 21/11/2023 19:13

Saw a post about religious names and neutral names in Northern Ireland. I live in Belfast and while I was raised in the Catholic religion I'm an atheist and plan to send my children to an integrated school and allow them to make their own religious decisions when older.
I love the name Aidan for a boy and feel it's pretty neutral having known a few from England and America as well as actors. But now I'm wondering if you would strongly associate it with being a Catholic/Irish?

I know there are quite a few spellings but id go with Aidan myself.

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Liv999 · 21/11/2023 20:10

Aidan is a very Irish/Catholic name, definitely not neutral, its my Dhs name!

WindowsSmindows · 21/11/2023 20:06

Aidan for trans men? Never heard that.

mathanxiety · 21/11/2023 19:59

Definitely RC.

Oscar is an old Irish name that is also fairly trendy and found in many other European cultures, if you're looking for suggestions.

MaloneMeadow · 21/11/2023 19:44

I’m from Belfast and it’s certainly more commonly used in catholic community

LegoLegoParrot · 21/11/2023 19:42

I grew up in a Protestant/Unionist area and no, it's not a name I'd ever have come across to be honest.
I don't think I met any Aidans until uni actually!

UnimaginableWindBird · 21/11/2023 19:39

I grew up in a mixed area of Belfast and my initial baseline assumption about an Aidan would be that he was Catholic. Or at any rate, certain not from the sort of family who thought of themselves as Protestant.

Gcsunnyside23 · 21/11/2023 19:35

Nope not neutral

user1471464218 · 21/11/2023 19:22

Not neutral no.

Elvisis · 21/11/2023 19:18

walkingdread · 21/11/2023 19:15

It's a nickname for transgender men. It's a very commonly chosen name when transitioning from female to male.

I've come across this in several places.

I've never heard this in my life but good to know!

OP posts:
Mrsjayy · 21/11/2023 19:16

surely if you live in Belfast you will know how neutral Aidan is ? the only Aidans i know are RC , I'm in Central Scotland where your religion was also a thing. granted not as much as NI obviously.

walkingdread · 21/11/2023 19:15

It's a nickname for transgender men. It's a very commonly chosen name when transitioning from female to male.

I've come across this in several places.

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