Iarlaight/ Iarla????

[BarbieLovesKen]

Very, very stuck for a boy's name. Loved Jack but am really get put off by popularity (that I hadnt previously realised). Pondering over a few boy's names but finding it very difficult (girls names no problem - too many really!)

BIL suggested this today.

What do you think of Iarla for a boy? (we are Irish and living in Ireland btw) and already have an Oisín.

Its prounouced Ear-la.

Means Prince.

Which spelling is nicer? Iarlaith or Iarla, I think I prefer the look of Iarla and am conscious that people outside of Ireland wont recognise the laith sound and he'll spend forever spelling out/ pronouncing his name.

Thanks a million

I prefer Iarla. Agree that "laith" will often be mispronounced by people outside Ireland.

Not Irish, no experience. Tbh? Sounds like a girls name to me.

I'd choose Iarla for the sake of pronunciation, and because it's more modern Irish than Iarlaith would be (I feel the same about Orla/Orlaith).

Lovely name.

There's the anglicisation 'Jarlath' too.

Iarla is a great name. My choice for a boy was Oisin but I had an Orla. Agree about the -aith part, I tested it on a couple of people and they couldn't manage it so went for a different spelling.

Thats true mathanxiety and to be honest is sort of putting me off as I really, really dont like the name Jarlath - it doesnt matter though, does it?

Ok, think you are all definately right about the laith. Thank you so much.

KenDodds, my little cousin is an Orla too - for the same reason (as opposed to Orlaith). Am so pleased your choice was Oisín too - it really is the best boy's name ever . Actually, I really do believe that, its my favourite boy's name ever and I feel that, if this ones a boy, he will just get a "second best" name as I cant find one I love as much as this . Silly I know.

readywithwellies was wondering was it a little feminine too? didnt really think so but you could be right. I loved Naoise (Nee-sha) but have gone off it as everyone has pointed out its way to girly for a boy (and I now agree, sheep that I am ).

Hmm...

Does everyone like the name regardless of spelling though? (please be as blunt as you can! Im not desperately in love with it so dont mind )

Sorry but have never heard of it. I appreciate and commend your traditionalism as I hate 'made up' names but to an english ear/eye it looks/sounds like a girls name. That is probably irrelevant given that you live in Ireland though.

If you love it, go for it

What other names have you got? Oisin was absolutely 'the one' for me too. We did have Padraic, Dara ,Niall on the list to begin with.

No, thanks a million for your honesty, suwoo - thats what Im looking for!! He is going to travel the world so I do appreciate another perspective!!.

Oh and Cillian. Apologies have no idea how to do fada on iPhone!

Ken, Im literally banging my head against a wall with boy's names. Theres none I really love (again, I just dont think I can use Jack now).

We've considered Elijah, which is obviously very different and I have never, ever heard of one around here in all my life but the reaction from people in RL has been really, really awful and Im not sure if I even love it at all.

So basically, Elijah and Jack have been half considered and Iarla has been suggested today, when I said it to DH, for the first time ever he said "yeah, I like that" so I jumped and posted on here!! (cannot agree at all) apparantly there is some Irish hurler called Iarla (so Im told) so it got his approval.

it seems a shame that names like Dualta, Enda etc might die a death just because non-Irish people think that an "a" ending means female. I see your reasoning for not making your son fight the "-a" rebellion all on his own though!

Iarfhlaith is the spelling I'm familiar with, but Iarla is much nicer.

Oisin and Iarla - lovely

what about Cormac?

Uisneagh?

Cillian a massive climber in the charts at the mo I reckon, but very nice.

Conan (two fadas)?

Finn?

Fiach?

I love Naoise, and it isn't girly, but English dh disagrees.

Love it. Haven't come across it before but like the sound and the look of it.

Now, you see I love Elijah! That is much more familiar to me. I have a biblical DS.

Stickylittlefingers is it the "a" sound that makes people think "girly", hadnt dawned on me at all, think you could be right though. Hmm... Naoise though - that sounds a little feminine though, I think I have to agree (although I do love it).

Spidookly, as silly as it sounds, thats the first time I've seen Oisín and Iarla wrote down together and it really helps as I really think it looks lovely!.

Think Uisneagh might be a little too close to Oisín?

Think Fionn is nicer than Finn but not sure and was just looking at an Irish baby name site and think Fiach is quite nice too.

Hmm.. Iarla is really starting to grow on me actually..

Thanks for all your help on this so far, folks, its much appreciated...

I really, really strongly dislike cillian. Is it pronounced like a fb friend of mine's DS Killian? If so, I could never get over the first syllable sound of Kill (cill).

I hate Conan, but only because I know one who is a complete and utter dick!!

Yes and Cillian, I really dont like it either. (yeah, prounounced the same suwoo)

I think it is! Paul - Paula, Robert - Roberta, Andrew - Andrea.

I really like Eanna as well (sorry no fadas here either!)

:o

of course you can't have uisneagh and Oisin, what an eejit!

I prefer Finn to Fionn, but it's maybe a bit too popular at the mo.

I really identify with the "shit, we've used the best name there is" thing. Dh and I had this with naming dd2.

At least it's boys' names, there are so many nice Irish names for boys.

Ooh, Iarla is nice.

For a split second I thought it was a girl's name (in my non-Irish ignorance, sorry), but now I know otherwise, I really really like it.

I love Orla and Roisin for girls. Is Oisin pronounced the same?

Elijah ends in an 'a' sound and that's definitely not a girly name, so I think you're entitled to Iarla.

Thanks Spidookly and Dancing.

Spidookly, thought I was being silly over "the best name" thing so dont feel quite so crazy now!!. (now really want to know your dds name)

Dancing, Oisín can be pronounced like Roisín without the R but can be pronounced Ush-een (which we use). Good point re Elijah.

Iarla seems to be getting a lot of positives! though not sure if people just dont want to insult me because its Irish (not that I'd care!!)