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Baby names

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

Original poster

Help me find a beautiful Irish name that isn't too hard to pronounce/spell!

63 replies

Glittermania · 22/04/2011 18:20

Please help me! I am Irish, but my DH is English, and we live in England. I really want to give DD1 a beautiful Irish name,

My favourites are Aofie, Saoirse, Caoimhe and Aoibheann, but no-one is able pronounce/spell them!

DH is suggesting Niamh, because its quite common and well-known, but I'm not keen on Niamh.

Do you know any other Irish girls names that are easy for non-Irish people to say? Thank You!

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BibiBelle · 22/04/2011 20:03

thousands of Caitlins/Katelyn/Caitlyn up here in Scotland if popularity bothers you?

ADealingMummy · 22/04/2011 20:04

Roisin pronounced Rosh sheen is a pretty irish name or

Fuctifano · 22/04/2011 20:18

Sorcha, pronounced Sorsha not too republican as is the Gaelic Sarah
Cara, dear one or friend
Caoimhe, can be anglicized to Keavy (one of the Lynch twins in the Irish girlband bewitched of the 90's is called Keavy) means gentleness, courtesy and grace
Aoife
Aine
Beinhinn
Good luck and enjoy browsing there are so many lovely Irish names. My DDs learned early how to spell their names and what they meant as people always comment how unusual and pretty their names are and how much they suit them.

mathanxiety · 22/04/2011 20:52

Eithne can be Eth-na or Enya
Eily is a nice nn for Eileen (pr eye-lee)
Una is nice and quite unusual , easy to pronounce
Finola/ Nola/ Fionnuala
Nessa
Alva/ Ailbhe
Nora
Dymphna

lateSeptember1964 · 22/04/2011 20:58

I love Anya, Ailish and Mairead.

ValiumBandwitch · 22/04/2011 21:01

Orla, Maeve and Clodagh are all lovely and very easy for English people I think.

ValiumBandwitch · 22/04/2011 21:02

Shona is also very easy

SlightlyJaded · 22/04/2011 21:02

Love Roisin, Dervla, Maeve and Orla

Sinead is ok
Siobhan - most people know how to spell

Friends have just had an Una which is growing on me.

Maryz · 22/04/2011 21:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DamsonJam · 22/04/2011 21:20

Personally I wouldn't worry to much about people not being able to pronounce/ spell them as I've found that people in the UK are very open to ethnically diverse names and once you tell people they get it straight away (I have a Saoirse). I also think that Saoirse is going to be become a better known name as I reckon the actress Saoise Ronan (was in the Lovely Bones and Atonement) is pretty talented and likely to make it big.

Also like the names:
Roisin
Eimear
Dervla
Siofra
Doireann
Alannah
Aisling
Sive
Caoimhe
Ailbhe
Aoibheann
Aoife
Caitlin
Aideen (or Eadaoin)
Keelin
Cara
Ciara
Etain

KenDoddsDadsDog · 22/04/2011 22:23

Aoife is becoming quite popular and I think people generally know how to deal with it!
Clodagh and Maeve both lovely too.

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 22/04/2011 22:30

Pick a name you like. People will learn to spell it. You shouldn't have to pick a phonetic name. And isn't Aisling pronounced Ash-ling?

Vallhala · 22/04/2011 22:31

I know an Acushla which, I believe, means "beat of my heart", which I think is rather lovely.

I struggle with the pronounciation of many of the names above. Blush

ebbandflow · 22/04/2011 22:31

Feena means small fawn, really easy to pronounce.

TapselteerieO · 23/04/2011 00:13

I do think English people can struggle with Dervla, the r and v together doesn't quite roll together with an English accent... there are some lovely names here, I would go for Orla if I could have just one more dd.

Lonnie · 23/04/2011 01:14

Being the mum of an Aoife (no irish connections we just loved it and it fitted our criteria)

I have only had very possitive comments and because the spelling is that whacky to look at people ask and its rare we have to explain twice. So I wouldnt let that put you off..

GwennieF · 23/04/2011 14:51

My sister is called Sorcha and absolutely hates it when people pronounce her name 'Sorsha'. It is pronounced 'Sor-a-cha'.

growing3rdbump · 23/04/2011 15:40

I know a Ronagh (not sure if it's Irish, but her mother is...) she and the name are beautiful!

mathanxiety · 23/04/2011 16:17

Riona is nice but would be pronounced to rhyme with Fiona all the time, when it should be REE-uh-na

valiumbandwitch · 23/04/2011 16:21

what about Raonadh? Rayna (i think)

GenevieveHawkings · 23/04/2011 16:32

Phydgthjx is beautiful I think. It's pronounced Susan.

CarefulWithThatAxeEugene · 23/04/2011 18:35

Grin @ GenevieveHawkings

Was about to say Dervla makes me think of diesel. You could have twins - Diesel and Dervla.

WinterOfOurDiscountTents · 23/04/2011 18:50

It should be Dearbhla, so if they can't handle the Anglicized spelling you;ve no hope! Likewise Maebh, and most things with a bh sound. Sorcha is Sor-a-KA, not sorsha, it can't make that sound with the letters in it in Irish.

I think if you're worried abour pronounciation you want something either short, or already anglicized; Orla, Siofra, Sive etc.

SilkStalkings · 23/04/2011 19:08

Maeve is do-able, v sweet
Darina (Allen)
KerryGrin

TapselteerieO · 23/04/2011 19:11

I think Dervla is an accepted alternative spelling - dh and I considered going for the trad spelling, but tbh we are not very precious about it - the language was spoken before they codified the spelling. I can imagine a true Gaelgoir wouldn't be impressed.