Any Irish MNers? Everyone? Advice on this name.

[greenants]

I'm wondering how Erin is seen in Ireland. I believe it's meaning is Ireland and has been around since the 1950s or so. Is it a popular name? I'm trying to work out what kind of name it is - trendy, classic etc - and if its going to stand the test of time.

Could it described as timeless as that's what I'm looking for?

[BRANdishingMistletoe]

I'm Irish and I really like the name. It sounds sweet and cosy to me (I may have watched too many episodes of The Waltons as a child.)

[HarlettOScara]

I'm in Northern Ireland and know several Erins (no babies, though...all aged 15+)

[TakingTheStairs]

I'm Irish and I would not consider it a traditional or popular Irish name. To me it sounds American - Irish or the name of a packet soup. Sorry

[AlfalfaMum]

I like it, it's a nice pretty name.
Know a 10 year old called Erin in Dublin.

[AThingInYourLife]

That would actually make some sense, milkand, if it were a Welsh word.

It's certainly not an Irish one.

[mathanxiety]

It is a made up American name and has nothing to do with Welsh. It started in America when Irish immigrants began to cherish and romanticise their heritage (when they were safely out of the manual-labour-straight-off-the-boat category of immigrants and nicely ensconced in the middle class). Other names in the same category are Tara and Shannon, and Colleen (which arose from a half remembered Irish word cailin, meaning girl). Alannah is another one (from the endearment (vocative case) 'A leanbh' - 'dear child'/'sweetiepie').

It's an anglicisation of the word Eireann, which is the genitive case of the word Eire.
You can find it in the hymn 'Hail Glorious Saint Patrick' --
'Thy people, now exiles on many a shore,
Shall love and revere thee till time be no more,
And the fire thou hast kindled shall ever burn bright,
Its warmth undiminished, undying its light.

On Erin's green valleys, on Erin's green valleys,
On Erin's green valleys look down in thy love.

Ever bless and defend the sweet land of our birth,
Where the shamrock still blooms as when thou wert on earth,
Our hearts shall still burn, wheresover we roam,
For God and Saint Patrick, and our native home.' (iirc)

Irish people tend not to use it and it's uncommon in Ireland for the same reason you don't find many British girls named Brittania. Plus there is Erin Soup.

[mathanxiety]

Yes, pronounced AIR-in.

[AThingInYourLife]

I quite like the name Tara though.

[squoosh]

It's an Americanisation as others have said, like Shannon or Colleen. So some English people/Irish people in England have adopted an American name that orginates from an Anglicisation of an Irish word. I don't think it's actually that common in Ireland though.

I think it's really naff.

I also think of Erin Soups.

[B1ueberries]

Erin packet soup. Cheap soup.

Erin sounds American to me. I mean, that is not bad per se, but I wouldn't pick it if I were looking for an Irish name. What about Edel? much nicer.

I agree with lollypopsicle, there's a sort of third generation-ness about it.

[B1ueberries]

I like Tara too.

[wigglesrock]

I'm in NI and I know about 4 under 8s and I can't think of anyone older than that with the name - I quite like it but I can't have Tara at all

[elah11]

I am Irish also and dont like Erin either, its American sounding and along the same lines as Shannon ], Kerry, Tara, Coleen etc. Its certainly not a traditional Irish name at all and most people in Ireland will immediately think of the soup :)

[babyblabber]

I'm Irish too and also honk of it as a terrible American ''I'm totally Irish" name. Awful.

And the soup.

[Janeatthebarre]

I'm Irish and Erin would definitely be considered the type of name Americans with an Irish background give their children. I do know of one or two Erins over here but it would be considered a bit of a chavvy name in Ireland.

[Mu1berries]

Do you know what I have heard a few times in Ireland though, which I consider American.... Paige! I'm not sure if it's cos they've taken Peig off the leaving cert. Paige came out of Peig I think. NOt sure about that though. mathanxiety would know i bet. I couldn't have touched that name with a barge pole.

[wigglesrock]

Oh, I know quite a few Paiges. I remember when I was about 9 I thought it was the most glamorous name ever I think there was one on Falcon Crest/The Colbys that coloured my notions.

[squoosh]

Yes, Paige has a very 80s American soap opera sound, similar to Brooke or Peyton.

Don't think it has a link to Peig.

[AThingInYourLife]

Oh, I loved Falcon Crest :)

It made up for not being allowed to watch Dallas.

[mathanxiety]

Much more likely to have been inspired by TV than Peig. What a dreary slog that book was.

I wasn't allowed to watch Dallas either...

[BartletForTeamGB]

I know two Erins, one is Irish through and through and one is Scottish.

[chipmonkey]

LOL at not being allowed to watch Dallas but Falcon Crest was fine?

I know an Erin who is 7. Not crazy about it tbh. Would you call your child England, for example?
Reminds me of Shannon (= Thames)
Another one that annoys me is Caitlin, pronounced Katelynn. It's actually pronounced Kathleen.

[MordecaiAndTheRigbys]

I have never heard of an Erin either..except the soup!

I too was only allowed watch Falcon Crest!

Does it have to be an Irish name OP, or are you just looking for a timeless name?

[DublinMammy]

It's a bit "Plastic Paddy" tbh.....