C a o d h i n n

[Moanna]

A relative has just named their gorgeous new baby this... how do you pronounce it? I don't want to look silly and ask, but I have never seen it before and nothing comes up on Google.

We're in Ireland btw.

(Sorry for the spaces, I don't want to be Googleable seeing as nothing came up before)

Sorry I should have said the baby is a girl.

Kay-in?

Disclaimer: this is a complete guess based on a very sketchy knowledge of Irish/Scottish Gaelic pronunciation. Very sketchy..

Deffo not a typo? I'd ask as it's not a name.

My best guess is that it's an invented spelling of a Kaeden/Caden type name.

kweeveen

Definitely not a typo, the dad has announced it on Facebook with the weight, time of birth and a picture.

I think that given it's obviously extremely unusual (if not probably made up...), it would be completely fine to reply along the lines of:

"Congratulations! And what a lovely name. How are you pronouncing it?"

And as long as, when he answers "Caroline" you don't scoff and mock, but reply "that's lovely and so unusual" then all will be well.

Right, I'll bite the bullet and ask. I thought maybe I was missing something as no one else has yet.

Thank you

I don't think that's a 'real' name. It looks very similar to the Irish word for Wednesday which is Céadaoin. If so, it's probably pronounced Kay-dean. But that's a complete guess.

SoH is probably right.. Do let us know, OP!

The old Irish names game is giving us plenty to chew on these days, eh?

I agree it's a 'made-up' name whose spelling is very messed around, and it doesn't work, for me at least, in terms of conventional Irish pronunciation. 'Dh' in that position would normally be pronounced as an initial 'y' sound (as in 'you' or 'yap'), but if you combine that with the first syllable, the name as a whole would come out sounding something like 'caoin' - which is Irish for 'cry' or 'lament'.

I agree with Jewly, I also think it's pronounced Kay-dean.

Let us know what the craic is when you hear back from the parents!

My younger sister always says that next thing people will be calling their little darlings Fuinneog, Leaba and the likes..

It's pronounced Kayden. Apparently the female version of Aiden.....