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Baby names

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

Original poster

Pearse or Tiarnán

34 replies

lovebeingmuma · 15/08/2025 19:43

What Irish name do you prefer?

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deeahgwitch · 20/08/2025 10:25

To do fadas on a phone @mathanxietyyou press on the letter and it will give you lots of options, including a fada.

Seacatt · 20/08/2025 01:47

I lke Tiarnan.

mathanxiety · 20/08/2025 01:40

Pearse is a bit Up-the-Ra.

I'd choose Tiarnan (sorry, can't make my phone do fadas). It's a name with a really imposing feel to it imo.

SnowFrogJelly · 20/08/2025 00:50

I don’t like either

OSTMusTisNT · 20/08/2025 00:44

I really like Pearse, I'm more familiar with the spelling Pierce but presume that's Scottish rather than Irish.

I would be a tad nervous the bullies would jump on the 'arse' bit though. Personally I would loved my name to have had a hidden swearword as a kid 😆.

Ifyousitinabarrel · 20/08/2025 00:44

Early3Rise · 20/08/2025 00:29

Does Tiernan definitely have a fada? Wouldn't it make the pronunciation Teer-Nawn instesd of Teer-nin?

The Irish form is Tiarnán, anglicised Tiernan. The á does give an aw sound in much of the country, not in the North though.

SinisterBumFacedCat · 20/08/2025 00:35

Definitely Tiernan, that’s a really lovely name.

Early3Rise · 20/08/2025 00:29

Does Tiernan definitely have a fada? Wouldn't it make the pronunciation Teer-Nawn instesd of Teer-nin?

roslyn80 · 19/08/2025 19:55

Tiernan is lovely, i had thought of calling my own son that. We live in Ireland and the name is common enough. It makes me think of Tir na nog, from the Irish legend.
Pearse is nice too, the first thing that comes to mind with that spelling is Padraig Pearse

deeahgwitch · 19/08/2025 09:25

Ooops Tiarnán. 🙈

Skissors · 19/08/2025 09:25

Tiarnan. I know a young Tiarnan and am in England

Pearse is a bit like Piers. Not keen

deeahgwitch · 19/08/2025 09:25

Tiernán is lovely. Are you living in Ireland @lovebeingmuma ?

londongirl12 · 19/08/2025 09:22

Unless you live in Ireland, be prepared for people getting Tiarnan wrong. I have no idea how to pronounce it.

Original poster
lovebeingmuma · 19/08/2025 08:59

Thanks, I agree!!

OP posts:
Abhannmor · 19/08/2025 07:16

Ps I have a nephew Tiarnan. They are in England and don't use the fada. You see it written Tiernan too of course. That can't happen in the Irish language as broad or slender vowels have to flank the consonant, can't be one of either. But it doesn't matter really.

PPS. There's kids from about 12 different nations in our local primary. I doubt an accent over a vowel is going to be a major issue in that setting!

Abhannmor · 19/08/2025 07:05

Tiarnán. Meaning 'lord' or similar in English , from the root Tír / Land.

Pearse , Pierce , Piers are ok too. Basically variants of Peter. Not specifically Irish though.

Original poster
lovebeingmuma · 19/08/2025 06:55

Oh waow so many lovely comments about potential baby names. Thanks so much guys for your input 🥰 I especially can’t wait to call my son after a purse or a dive bar. At least it’ll have some meaning 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

OP posts:
HugoYorway · 18/08/2025 23:36

PurpleChrayn · 18/08/2025 23:27

Pearse sounds like a Scouser saying “purse”.

Tiarnan sounds like an Irish dive bar in a crap town.

Pearse is pee-urs
Purse in scouse is pairce

PurpleChrayn · 18/08/2025 23:27

Pearse sounds like a Scouser saying “purse”.

Tiarnan sounds like an Irish dive bar in a crap town.

mumtoadhdadult · 16/08/2025 07:24

lovebeingmuma · 15/08/2025 20:30

perhaps if you have nothing nice to say then maybe hold your opinions to yourself

Perhaps if you are that thin skinned you don’t post on MN?

you asked which people prefer and people (me included) don’t like either.

which also will give you an idea how people would react IRL.

RuthW · 16/08/2025 06:52

How do you pronounce them? As they are written. I’ve not heard of either.

user1492757084 · 16/08/2025 04:26

Both fine.
Pearse, I would assume, is a family surname.

Ifyousitinabarrel · 15/08/2025 20:43

I haven’t seen Pearse used as a first name, just Pierce, which I quite like.

Tiernán is okay too. Depending on where you live, people might have some trouble with the pronunciation and spelling, so you and your child would need to be okay with that. I’d say it as Teer-nawn personally, emphasis on the nawn bit, but it varies a bit within Ireland.

DramaAlpaca · 15/08/2025 20:34

Tiarnán is the nicer of the two. Pearse is too obviously a surname.

KittytheHare · 15/08/2025 20:33

I’ve never seen Tiernán with the fada, only Tiernan. I prefer this to Pearse.