How would you pronounce this name Kaelan or Kaylan

I know a few Caelans, in Scotland. I think you're more likely to get people using the pronunciation you want if you spell it with a C.

That's not how I heard it. I felt I was listening in on a marriage proposal. Tender, passionate... how much emotion can a man instil into a single syllable? 😁

Bloody hell that second “male from Ireland” sounds sinister! It sounds like the next words will be “I will hunt you down and kill you..”

As pp said it’s a subtle difference. If you listen to the British speaker saying Shaun and the Irish speakers saying Seán in these links they do sound a bit different.

https://forvo.com/word/shaun/

https://forvo.com/word/se%C3%A1n/

https://forvo.com/word/se%C3%A1n_%C3%B3_heochaidh/

You could say it’s just different accents…but the sounds letters make in Irish are different to English, so if you were speaking Irish and pronounced Seán as Shaun it wouldn’t be quite right.

https://www.teanglann.ie/ga/fuaim/caol%c3%a1n
That's Caolán three ways.

https://www.teanglann.ie/ga/fuaim/sl%C3%A1n
This is "slán", which rhymes with Seán.

@Needmorelego , it just sounds ever-so-slightly different. It's subtle.

Hi OP. I named my DS Kaelan. He is now 10 and no one has ever mispronounced it. We're Scottish. I first seen the name Caelan and changed it to a K because I preferred it that way.

Sorry but can someone please explain the difference between Shaun and Sean (sorry my phone doesn't do the thingy) to my English midlands/southern accent.
Shawn
Shawn
That's how I hear/say it.

There's me trying to figure out how Ciarán could sound different to Kieran.
So Caolán in a Southern dialect would sound very different to Kaylan. More like Quailawn?

I just say Shaun as Seán 😁
Shaun said in an English accent often does sound different to Seán though.

@ThunderFog , thanks!

I hear Shaun and Seán differently.

@Emanwenym

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_(film)
😀

I'd say it kay lan but without the emphasis on the Y that I would I'd it was spelled Kaylan. So more like bae as in the beginning of baby (but with a k) rather than bay IYSWIM

I think cáel is an older spelling of caol, not an anglicization. There was a Cáel in the Fianna iirc.
So it should maybe have two fadas, not one, if the spelling is based on the older form.

Cáelán/caolán is or was also used as a word for gut/intestines/catgut btw. It can also be used to mean a small inlet or creek. Thin and narrow things basically.

I think it's a lovely name but also like Caelan better.

If we are on the issue of spellings, Caelan (an anglicized spelling )is a different pronunciation to Caelán (completely incorrect although modern parents in Ireland throw in a fada because they think it looks well. It's like a decoration)

I would consider Declan Irish, yes. Shaun as well really, though clearly not Irish language. So just a different way of looking at things I suppose.

Kieran isn’t a completely different pronunciation imo, especially not in places like Donegal as á doesn’t give the ‘aw’ sound there.

Anyway, we’ll have to agree to differ 😁

Nowadays Conor is usually left as Conor and I've seen Conor in an Irish book (teacher) but never Kieran. Conor isn't it Irish language pronunciation but the spelling is I keeping with the Irish for the newer pronunciation, if that makes sense. Kieran has changed both spelling and pronunciation whereas Conor has become an accepted modern form (ime).
Yes re Rónán but like Orla and Conor they seem an accepted modern form rather than a complete change - a K that doesn't exist, lack of fada plus a different pronunciation makes Kieran a completely different name (to me!)
You're right tho that in a school book the fades would be included for Ronan and Orla and Oran say.
I wouldn't consider Declan Irish either. Would you? Or Shaun (that to me.is an almost perfect equivalent of Kieran tho the pronunciation is the same as the Irish).
Really Irish has changed so much with time. Some people even spell their Seáns without the fade, which is madness to me 😆 But I zip it! Most of the time 😉

Yes, I think we all have own own way of thinking of these things 😅
Personally, I think any name that leaves out the fada can’t be considered Irish language anymore. Still Irish in the broader sense obviously.

Kieran retains its pronunciation just as much as Ronan does surely? The án bit has been altered in both. Maeve sounds the same but definitely an anglicised spelling.
You’re right that Kierans became Ciaráns in Irish class, but Ronans also became Rónáns and the spelling of Maeve changed.

Where I was the Conors always became Conchúrs in Irish class. Still do to my knowledge? The pronunciation of Conor isn’t an Irish language pronunciation. Neither is the pronunciation of O’Connor. That’s translated to Ó Conchúir too.

Yes I find these interesting too. They are certainly a more modernised spelling. Anglicised? Maybe, but also true to irish spelling in the case of Conor anyway, which the K names are not. In the case of Kieran it sounds different, Maeve and the original sound the same. I know Conor does too to the original. I suppose I think of Conor as a.modern Irish name like Ronan or Orla whereas Kieran maybe one with Irish roots, but not Irish. I may only make sense to myself 😆
Kierans I knew growing up would have translated their names in Irish class, whereas Maeves and Conors wouldn't have. The original spelling of Conor is something to behold! Conchubhair or similar, pronounced Cruh-hoor, then it became Conchúr same pronunciation, and finally the one we know now (single n!!)

Old Irish, written with a capital o mostly, is a different thing. I think pp might have meant old in the sense of well-established though?

We’ll have to agree to disagree re Kieran so. We’re tripping over Kierans where I live so that could be affecting how I think of the name 😁

ETA Just wondering what’s your position on names like Maeve or Conor etc, as they don’t have the original Irish spellings either?

Yes, I see your point for sure re O'Sullivan but personally, I wouldn't think of Kieran as an Irish name. Maybe I my head a family name is different! I definitely wouldn't describe Kieran as old Irish, either way.

I’d be tempted to pronounce it

Kay -E - Lan.

Not sure about pp but I’d definitely call Kieran an Irish name. There are loads of them in Ireland, mostly older though.

I heard someone on MN once distinguish between Irish names and Irish language names and I think that’s a good way of putting it. It’s the same with surnames.
I don’t think anyone would claim that O’Sullivan isn’t an Irish name just because it’s not the Irish language spelling or pronunciation of the name. Kieran is the same imho.

That said, I do prefer Caolán or Caelan to Kaylan. Because the latter isn’t a well established name it’s harder to make the Irish connection and it seems a bit more ‘makey-uppy’, maybe unfairly.

@Whoarethoseguys , the names tend to be ones that date badly. Kevin and Karen seemed fresh and new when i was very young. They're dated now.