Aodh Ross O'Something

[working9while5]

Well...?

Aodh is pronounced like the capital "A" or the "ay" in say/day/May etc.

Ross is a family name, but name of dh's brother so not a goer for first name as we avoid that kind of name sharing here.

If Aodh decides he hates it and has had enough of having to spell it say, his name is easily anglicised to Hugh at any point, or Ross will be an alternative. Though friends of mine here with Irish names seem to feel pretty positive even with having to explain origin/spelling etc, I know some people really don't like that aspect, but it is fairly pronounceable anyway.. so...

Interested in reactions. Know that Irish names in particular seem to stir up a bit of bunfighting on MN so waiting with bated breath for the views of the MN jury....

Perfectly nice name if you're Irish living in Ireland, but 99% of non Irish people won't have the foggiest clue how to say it if they see it, nor how to spell it if they hear it. Something like 'ode' as in 'ode to joy' would have been my first attempt at pronouncing it, closely followed by 'ede' from the aoife connection. You'll probably get a lot of Ade's too, as in Ade Edmonson.

If you're happy for a lifetime of explaining it then it's nobody's business but yours (and your son's). I rather like it.

Ay Ross could easily be "arse". IMO if you're living in Britain then Gaelic names will be constantly mispronounced as well.

Very true, IblameThatcher, I can just hear people trying a fake exaggerated Irish accent and coming up with 'Arse' and thinking it's just hilarious...

I know but 99% of English people don't have the foggiest clue how to say many Asian/Latvian/Polish etc names either but, having worked in an extremely ethnically diverse area, I would say most people make the effort to be decent and work out how to say names they don't know how to say. It's not really rocket science.

Certainly, there are no "English" names in my son's nursery. This comes up a lot with Irish names for some reason I think. I think because we have an O'Something name I don't feel a lot of English names go well with it to be honest, and a lot of the "traditional" Irish names have been used up by family.

How Ay Ross is arse is beyond me. Besides, it is a second name so don't think that will come up that often.

I work with an Aodh. I think he suffers with it. People do take the piss a bit and whenever he introduces himself to people you can see him bracing himself for the confusions.
But hey, whatever.

If you want to name him that, go for it - but you posted on here presumably looking for some general feedback

OP it's a lovely name. We live in the UK & DD is called Sadhbh. The spelling throws people first time round but then they get it and are unfailingly complimentary. She is unique amongst the plethora of Isabellas, Rubys & Olivias at nursery. Like Aodh, the name easy to pronounce so no problems there. Currently expecting DC2 & our names list is once again comprised of Irish names with Irish spellings. Don't listen to the narrow-minded naysayers ("arse"? Rude & daft thing to say) & go for the name you love

As I say I rather like it, and I think it sounds lovely to the ear. But I wouldn't have a clue how to say it on seeing it written down. You're right that most people are perfectly normal and decent and will have a go, but as long as you understand they'll get it wrong despite trying their best, and don't get irritated with them, then that's fine.

Feedback on the name, not the validity of using an Irish name. There is no one in rhe Uk who can't say A. People don't tend to comment on this wrt to South Asian names, say.

I am not British so get easily confused by any name that is more unconventional that, say, 'Peter' . I love Irish names though - once somebody has been kind enough to explain to my how to pronounce them. My favorite girl's name is Niamh.

So, after that disclaimer, I have to say, I don't particularly like Aodh - yes, easy to say as you point out, but to my ears sounds too much like 'oi' as in 'oi, you, over there' or 'ey, you just stood on my foot'. Sorry, but it's a no from me.

How about something like Tagh??

than, buggerit

I have never heard of this name, but once explained, I think it's lovely. It doesn't go with Ross though.

Oh goodness, me, not my, sorry.

I would have idea at all how to pronounce it, but that is not a reason not to use it - people learn.

Now that I've read it, it rather sounds like you've only given him an initial.

Ross is the family bit... it's dh's mother's maiden name and dh's brother is called Ross too. It's actually really hard to pick a second name to go with it, wouldn't bother but ds1 has one so I think a second ds should have one too!

I suppose I need to think about how different people in the UK say "ay". Here it wouldn't sound like "oi" but I suppose maybe in Bermingham it would? Is that right?

God it's so complicated. Ds is Brendan, which was very easy and obviously not a prob (though of course he gets called Brandon ALL the time even though there are a lot of Brendans knocking about on telly etc). We already have a Sean, Liam, Cormac, Finbarr and Declan as first cousins and any of the other "English" sounding ones I can think of I just don't like).

We basically want an Irish name that is not too common but not impossibly difficult. I like Aodhgán and Fedhilm for example (Ay-gawn and Fay-lim) but these are pushing it in my opinion. At the same time I don't feel that it should be necessary to have to have a 100% decodable name so that my child doesn't get the piss taken out of them for having an Irish name! I read on an old thread that a primary teacher says she knows all the kids with Irish names will be troublemakers! . Don't know if we'll even be here in ten years time and a name is for life!

FWIW, I have a very unusual name and people cope fine - after a while . It does get misspelled though, all the time, so as long as that does not bother you...

I do love Fedhilm, never heard of it before, but love it!

There's a lot of Irish names I like, including ones that (in English) aren't pronounced as they look. But (and you did ask for reactions!) this sounds like a really boring name. "My name is A" is essentially what your DS will be saying. I'm sorry, but it feels like it's got no life in it.

Don't like Aodh. What about Macdara?

Prefer fedhilm in terms of how it sounds.

If aodh is pronounced "ay" it will sound like he's called Ayo Something rather than A O'Something.

Just doesn't really go.

It does sound too much like A ross.

Aodh Patrick Ross
Aodh Seamus Ross

Both sound better imo.

Oh not MacDara. Never heard of it! Don't like it!

In London or Manchester or any big city in the UK, you'll have no problems, because people will be used to names they cant pronounce and will ask how its pronounced and then move on!

I remember when Siobhan, Sinead and Sean were unusual names (when I was growing up in London) - now most people can pronounce them.

Irish person living in the UK here, so am biased entirely in favour of the gorgeous array of Irish male names - honestly, the more I hear that 'British people won't be able to spell/pronounce it', the more impatient I get. I'm sure they'll work it out, the way I manage on a daily basis with the Polish, Turkish, African, Asian and diverse continental names I come across.

I adore the look of Aodh (we considered it briefly for our baby to be) but am not convinced by the soound of two single-syllable names. You could anglicise slightly to Felim or Phelim, for instance...?

I love most Irish names but I have to say Aodh isn't really doing it for me. It sounds like an inital - like J. Edgar Hoover or something.

It sounds like part of a name to me. Would also worry that could be teased- 'a x' 'a y' etc

How about Egan) I've come across one, its easy to say and a form of Aodh. You could use the Irish speeling and sounds nce with Ross.

www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Egan