Anne, Bridget or Siobhan

[fatfingers]

Baby is due in just over a week and we still can't agree on a girl's name! Our shortlist consists of the above 3 names and I don't think we can really have Siobhan because dh and I pronounce it differently so the child would be confused!

Bridget might be a bit too Irish because we have an Irish 'O' surname.

Anne is nice and simple but still doesn't sound quite right to me having first name and a surname starting with a vowel. Probably the strongest contender though.

What do you think?

Aladlovelace our dd is Maeve! Chosen because we lived in the UK at the time and English people in particular struggle with Irish names (eg Shi-vorn sounds totally wrong to me!) so wanted something that worked abroad.

We live in the states now and I find people are better at pronouncing them. So Siofra will be back on the list for a girl when we get around to that for DC3! Along with cliona...

OP, Bridie is super old lady to me. My mum (late 70s) has 3 bridge friends called Bridie. I prefer Bridget.

I don't think it matters if you and your dh pronounce a name slightly differently if it is because of accent.

We have an orla. I pronounce it orr la (Scottish) and dh pronounces it aw la (English) she is not at all confused.

ada you're right - they are quite old fashioned but I think that's why I like those names. Maeve is ok but not keen on the others - they sound very harsh to me - and think they would be difficult for people to pronounce/spell here. Niamh is very popular in dcs school so that puts me off it. Couldn't go for Nessa because of Gavin & Stacey!!

I like Mary a lot but that is name of a family member so it's out. Same goes for Marie, which I also like.

Don't like Sinead - it reminds me of Sinead O'Connor and a girl at school I didn't like!

Nice choices, Flipfantasia. Doesn't Siofra mean 'little fairy' or something equally adorable? Maeve is gorgeous and such a brilliant role model. I have two friends with baby Maeves, otherwise I'd be pushing for it with this one.

Both Orla and Maeve fall into the 'I like but not enough for the shortlist' category for me.

MrsBungle the difference in pronunciation is not down to accent with us - we just prefer different ways of saying it!

It's such a subjective thing, fatfingers. Go with what you love - having said Bridget is dated, I've just remembered I know one under 10, and she really wears it well. Damn Gavin and Stacey anyway.

Bridget or Anne. I like the nn Bridie or Annie too if you go down either of those routes.

Good luck!

Mirad (Ma-raid)
Deirbhile? (Derv-la)

I like Siobhan from your list

what the flip...

Mairead (with fadas or not over 1st A and I)

no offence but some of these hardcore Irish names are just fugly - what about Roisin? that is a pretty name and it means 'little rose'.

I like Roisin a lot Nigellas but a friend has just had a baby and called her Roisin so that's out.

Don't like Mairead and Dervla falls into the Orla/Maeve category for me

It's just so difficult to decide, especially as (if its a girl) this will be dd3 and you're right ada - I need to go with what I love but I don't love any girls names any more. With a stroke of luck this one will be a boy - we have quite a few boys names we like!

I also met a Clodagh at playgroup. I love it

If it's any consolation, there is a Roisin where I live now and she gets called everything but Roisin....Roe-sin, Roz-in, Raisin...

I have a friend with a little Clodagh who lives in London, and she doesn't seen to have any problems with people mangling it.

What about Una? Not totally beloved by me but easy to pronounce and spell and quite vintagey.

Can you hint at your other DDs names without outing yourself?

I love Bridget. Anne is quite nice, though prefer Anna (Anne prob better with an 'O' surname though). I really don't like Siobhan.

I'm not sure how you can think Bridget is too Irish but Siobhan is not! I wouldn't think of Bridget as an Irish name any more than I would Margaret......as in I know it's been popular in Ireland but I'd still think of it as just a name without a specific nationality.

Oh, my gran aunt was called Birdie. I think I could happily live with a little Birdie (full name Bridget).

As the first one on your list, and being pretty young for the name... Well, everyone expects me to be at least 60! I think it's the "e", Ann has been more common for the past few decades.

Ah, my granny's nickname was Bridie, fatfingers. It's a lovely nn.

Lol at Raisin ada! Do you pronounce Clodagh as it is spelt (clod-a)? That sounds like "clodhopper" to me . Not loving Una because the 2 Unas I've known haven't been very nice. I like Tara and Kerry but dh doesn't.

DD1 is Ciara. DD2 has an old fashioned Scottish name (quite unusual). Both names are 2 syllables and end with a.

Bluestars, there was a St Brigid who was one of the mist powerful women in ancient Ireland - she founded a monastery in the 5th century which was pretty kick ass for those times. So there is a strong association with Ireland, and even if you're not religious (which I'm not), she was a good role model. Think I'm Team Bridget now, OP

Love Ciara. You need to find another name like that.

Clodagh is Cloh-dah. Think it's one of those names that sounds way prettier than it looks. What about Caoimhe? Horribly unphonetic, though...it's pronounced Kwee-va. And is probably too similar to Ciara. This is HARD.

Bridget just reminds me of the phrase 'Brace yourself Bridget'.

How about Erin?

My dd is Bridget Anne so I may be a bit biased
Bridget is a great name. We call her B as a nn

bridgetsmum a woman after my own heart . Are you in England?

tobias I like Erin but again, its as popular as Niamh in dcs school so I find it a bit boring.

Yes ada Caoimhe sounds too much like Ciara. I love my dds names but just can't find a name that I feel the same about.

Yeah like clo-dah

I love Bridie and I don't think it's too Irish. If you are in England, I don't think people would necessarily thing it was Irish! My dd has an Eaobha (or something like that) in her class. I thought she was Ava for ages, because that's how they say it. Her brother is Fionn.