Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

A sibling for Méabh

26 replies

rachyconks · 04/09/2013 22:49

I have one DD called Méabh (Maeve). I'm due a brother or sister for her soon, but struggling with names.

So far we like:

Girls
Saoirse
Cora
Caragh

Boys
Ronan
Sé (Shay)

All Irish. But, we aren't necessarily set on an Irish name. But are struggling to find names from different origins that "go" with Méabh. We don't want any Eve, Eva's, Ava etc as DD's middle name is similar to this. Any ideas welcome!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Frangepani · 05/09/2013 08:32

You might find this site helpful www.babynamesofireland.com/ - if you scroll down to the 'View all Irish girl/boy names' links you'll get pronunciations and meanings.
I'm fascinated by names and there are lots of great suggestions on the threads here - a few that come to mind which might go with Méabh are Esme, Madeleine, Julia, Greer & Eleanor. Also Fergus, Cameron, Leon, Bryn and Alistair. From your list I especially like Ronan & Saoirse. I know someone called Aislinn, pronounced as spelt rather than the Irish way - she's the only one I've ever come across. Another 'one off' name which I like belongs to my friend Careen (pronounced Kah-reen with the emphasis on the first syllable).

holycowwhatnow · 05/09/2013 08:42

I know a Maedhbh with sisters Róisín and Éadaoin and brothers Ciaran and Fearghal. I also have a cousin Maebh with a sister Ciara. All lovely, IMO.

looki · 05/09/2013 08:44

Roisin pron.(Ro-sheen)
Eimear/Emer pron. (E-mer)
Ciara pron. (Key-ra)
Grainne pron. (Graun-ya)
Niamh pron. (Neve)
Sorcha pron. (Sor-ka)

Eoin/Eoghan (O-in)
Sean
Donnacha (Dun a ka)

If you google Irish websites/baby names you will find hundreds. Personally if I was going with a name from a specific country I would use the correct spelling. Misspelling a beautiful name like Aisling as Aislinn is wrong on so many levels.

DizzyPurple · 05/09/2013 08:45

Caoimhe (Keeva)

holycowwhatnow · 05/09/2013 08:47

PS I don't like Saoirse, still too many political associations with it (I'm pre-Good Friday Agreement vintage) and Cora, while lovely, IMO is not a sister of someone called Méabh with an Irish spelling.

WhatDyouCallEr · 05/09/2013 09:36

I met a little girl called Méabh/Maeve with a brother called Art. Thought that was lovely. Smile

blueberryboybait · 05/09/2013 09:38

What about Eibhlín?

GrandstandingBlueTit · 05/09/2013 09:56

Sadhbh? They sound nice together, but maybe a bit too matchy-matchy?

MsJupiterJones · 05/09/2013 10:28

Doireann? Cliona?

SummerRain · 05/09/2013 10:34

Aisling
Neasa
Aobhinn

Tadgh
Ciarán

Seaweedy · 05/09/2013 11:45

You will have to insert my fadas, as am on my phone.

Aingeal
Siofra
Aoibheann
Caoilfhionn
Caoimhin
Sadhbh

Ruaridh
Donncha
Seamus
Ciaran
Fergus,
Fearghal
Fionn

wigglesrock · 05/09/2013 14:07

Meabhs I know have siblings from:

Emer
Aoife
Grainne
Seana
Siobhan
Aisling
Roise
Bronagh
Ciara
Nuala
Catherine
Stella
Aoibh
Brid
Bridget

Boys :
Lorcan
Dara
Caolan
Malachy
Domhnall
Ronan

mathanxiety · 05/09/2013 20:50

I wouldn't pick Cora -- it's a middle aged Home Economics teacher name. It belongs in the same category of Irish names as Attracta and Fidelma. (Names like Mavis and Gladys in the UK).

I wouldn't pick Caragh either - it's madey uppey. The GH doesn't make it Irish. The word 'cara' in Irish means friend but is pronounced 'corra', not 'kah-rah'

Saoirse I would also avoid as it has Republican links.

How about:
Fionnuala
Finola (anglicised spelling of Fionnuala)
Nola (short for Finola)
Beibhinn (or Bevin)
Ailbhe (Al-veh)
Eithne (Enyeh or Eth-neh)
Enda (a unisex name)
Una
Orla
Muireann
Mairead
Liadan
Nora - very traditional Irish name, derived from Honora/Honor -->Onora (Irish version of Honora)

Love Aoife, Siofra, Roisin and Neasa

Boys:
Cormac
Ronan
Declan
Lorcan
Laserian
Diarmuid
Donncha
Daragh
Eamon
Oscar (an Irish name)
Liam
Donal
Tadhg
Brendan
Murtagh
Killian (or spell it with a C but can be mispronounced)
Colman
Colm
Rory/Ruairi
Ferdia
Fiachra
Fintan
Finbar
Finnian
Fergus

(sorry, no fadas)

mathanxiety · 05/09/2013 20:51

And Moling (very ancient saint)

rachyconks · 05/09/2013 21:49

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I think I'm more confused. I love Lorcan, so that's on the list. I also like Sadhbh, which a few have mentioned, I was on my list for DD but I had forgotten about it. There are so many here though, it's going to take me ages to think about them all!

I find it strange that people associate Cora with the "older generation", I have never really thought that. It's put me right off! Grin

OP posts:
Frangepani · 05/09/2013 22:01

Gosh, you've a lot to choose from, rachy...
The only Cora I can think of is 'Milady' Crawley in Downton Abbey!

rachyconks · 05/09/2013 22:03

Ah - you see, I don't watch Downton. Maybe that's were I'm going wrong!

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 05/09/2013 22:19

When I see Cora mentioned here on Baby Names I get a vision of my Home Econ teacher from 1978 (in a Dublin school that was the polar opposite of Downton Abbey) and it makes me giggle a bit to think of parents considering it for a real, live baby in 2013.

encyclogirl · 05/09/2013 22:29

Boys: feidhlim; daire; cormac
Girls: Cait or Aoibhinn

OnTheBottomWithAWomensWeekly · 05/09/2013 23:57

babynamesofireland.com...isn't that an american site? considering they haven't got a fada on the entire thing I wouldn't trust anything else on there!

Siofra or Afric are my favourites at the moment.

RedLentil · 06/09/2013 00:10

Wondering if I know Blueberryboybait as we have a Maebh and an Eibhlín ... Smile

ZolaBuddleia · 06/09/2013 13:22

Isa?

ch1134 · 06/09/2013 17:44

Wow I have no idea how to say most of these names, wish I could hear them! Reminds me of a lovely girl I knew called Mallaidh, which goes with Meabh I think?

mathanxiety · 07/09/2013 18:40

Mallaidh is an Irishised version of Molly spelled using Irish phonetic rules. (Like the reverse of what happens in the case of Niamh/ Neeve).

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 07/09/2013 21:26

I know a Corra, pronounced Cora - lovely name.

I do love Caoimhe.

And Ciaran or Cormac for a boy

Swipe left for the next trending thread