Opinions of Séamus?

[ChrisTheSheep]

We've just found out that DC2 is, in fact, DS2, and I'm a bit thrown because I'm dreadful about picking out boys' names...

DH is Irish, I am English/Scottish (my Mum is from the Western Isles), and we had always said we'd give our children Irish or Gaelic names. The problem is, the only one we seem to be able to compromise on for a boy is Séamus, and I'm getting distinct "I don't like it" vibes from my mother.

I just wondered what other people think of the name?

We live in the UK, not Ireland, but we do have a very Irish surname. Other family connections are that there are lots of Jameses and Séamuses (sp?) on DH's side, and FIL was friends with Séamus Heaney, so I suppose it would be a nice tribute. DS1 is Eoin Pádraig, and DS2's middle name will be Peter after my dad. My mum says, "why don't you just use James instead?" but I think that's a bit odd considering DS1 has a very Irish name: we'd like the two to be similarly Celtic, if that makes sense.

Opinions, comments and virtual slaps all gladly received!

[ChrisTheSheep]

Thanks, skyler! I try not to make a mockery of any celebration of sheep.

I love the meaning of Faolán: I'm going to have to put that to DH, along with lots of the others on this thread! Unfortunately Cormac is out (close relation's name) as is Daire/Dara, as DH went to Uni with Dara O'Briain, and he reckons it would look odd to name a child "after" him...

[ChrisTheSheep]

It's great to hear that things were ok the second time round, emblosion: I'm keeping a close eye on things at the moment as I've had a few wobbly weeks, but I'm trying not to think myself into it happening again, if you see what I mean.

Niall is a very uncle-y name

[Bunbaker]

I don't have a special characters option - I'm using Firefox.

[ChrisTheSheep]

Me too, Bunbaker, but I'm using it on a Mac - maybe that's the difference. I'm afraid it's ages since I've used a PC: I can't remember how you do it, but I'm sure there's a way.

[ChrisTheSheep]

There is a Firefox Accented Characters add-on here, if that's any help: addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/easyaccent/

[Nospringflower]

Bucking the trend here but really not keen on Seamus.

[NuggetofPurestGreen]

Fairly sure there's a keyboard shortcut for fadas on PC and Mac. On my phone now so can't think how to do it but I think on PC is just alt and the letter??? Might be imagining it though. I do it every day too!!!

[Retroformica]

Love it! There's also silus sp?

[hollyisalovelyname]

I don't like Seamus or Sean.
Niall is nice.
Ruairi?
Eamon?
I love Tarlach. Strong and different.

[emblosion]

I'm typing on my phone but think keyboard shortcut for fada is alt gr + letter? That's pc not Mac tho...

[squoosh]

I don't like Eamon, Ruairi, Niall or Liam.

I kindly give the nod to Cillian though.

[MrsOakenshield]

I'm not sure if you're living in England or not, but if you go for it it might be easier to drop the accent, as I reckon 99% of the time people would not realise it's meant to be there and your DS would spend all his time correcting it, which might become a bit tiresome - my middle name has an unusual spelling (it's a fairly common name but I think a lot of people wouldn't even know it had an alternative spelling) and I actually really wish my parents had spelt it the normal way, it's such a drag sending things back to be corrected all the time! And that's how the wonderful Seamus Heaney spelt it, which is a good thing, surely?!

[squoosh]

If in the UK I'd definitely put the fada on the birth cert but wouldn't expect it to be used day to day.

[ChrisTheSheep]

MrsOakenshield, we're in Wales, so I'm guessing people will be used to accents and some variant spellings of names: our DS1, who is Eoin, gets written down as Owain rather a lot! To be honest, I think it's hard to win on the spelling issue: my mum deliberately didn't give me a Gaelic name as she thought people wouldn't be able to spell it. Unfortunately, no-one can spell the (really very simple and straightforward) name she did give me. DH has his name mispelled all the time, and it's about the most everyday name you could imagine.

As regards the fada, we'd definitely have it on the birth certificate (DS1 has one on his middle name) but I understand that people are very likely to drop it. As a non-Irish person, I admit I sometimes get a bit confused by whether or not there should be a fada on a word!

Holly, NoSpring: I admit to some reservations on Séamus (hence the thread), and they're largely centred around the fact that I did wonder if it might be a bit of an "old man" name. I'm relieved to see a lot of people don't feel that (and indeed have small Séamuses of their own!), but its always good to get both points of view.

Squoosh: I really like Cillian. My mum, again, doesn't, but I think DH could be won over....

[ArabellaBeaumaris]

I love Seamus & know two small ones, of Irish heritage but but not in Ireland.

[lalalonglegs]

In case no one else has pointed it out, it's very, very similar to the Italian word for idiot which may or may not be a problem for you.

[Mumpire]

I like Séamus but wouldn't use it in the UK. I'd use something a bit less stereotypically Irish. The whole name together will not just label him, but sort of offer him up as a stereotype. I like Diarmuid and Gregor.

[QueenMedb]

Am Irish. I concur that it's something of an old man name, but judging by one or two baby Seamuses (no fada possible, am on iPad) I've encountered lately, it may be having an old man chic revival, like Bertie, Archie in England.

[NuggetofPurestGreen]

Hi Queen on the iPhone you just hold the letter down and all the options for accents etc come up. Would have thought same on iPad.

Wouldn't worry about the fadas though loads of people in Ireland don't put them on in everyday use either.

[ChrisTheSheep]

Lalalonglegs, I hadn't thought of that: I only knew "idiota" or, rather more rudely, "stronzo". Which word are you meaning? It's probably quite important, as, when we do go on holiday, we tend to go to Italy!

[lalalonglegs]

Seamus (pronounced SHAY-muss) is very close to scemo (pronounced SHAY-moh). Sorry to bring it up but my family is Italian and I went to a very Irish school and always felt terribly embarrassed for the Seamuses there because of that. Scemo is definitely a word used a lot in the part of Italy my family are from - it's used in the same way we would call someone a twat.

[likelytoasksillyquestions]

I love Seamus (sorry - don't know how/if I can do the fada on my phone). It's on the list if I ever have a DS2. And I lovelovelove Seami as a nickname.

Seamus Heaney connection is v cool too.

[ChrisTheSheep]

Lalalonglegs, I didn't know scemo, so thanks for the warning! If DS2 does end up a Seamus, we may creatively edit his name when we're on holiday. I'm sure he wouldn't mind moonlighting as a Giacomo

Sillyquestions, we actually have a painting which DFIL did to illustrate one of Seamus Heaney's poems, with both their signatures. We don't have a lot of exciting things, but that is certainly one of them!

[mathanxiety]

I'm Irish and I love it. I think it's having a revival, and Seamus Heaney is a big part of that.

I love Tomas and Micheal (fadas on As) too. However, I think too many people wouldn't pronounce them right (you would end up with Thomas and Michael pronounced the English way).

I think the Italian scemo is something that would only be known to very few. Plus Seamus has a different ending.