Dearbhla?

[27Harper]

Still shifting through baby names if it's a girl! My DH is Irish and he wants an Irish name if it's a girl, and I think Irish names are lovely anyways so that not a problem for me. How do you feel about this name? We are thinking Aisling and I live that name but just wanting to keep out options open. In case you're not certain in the pronunciation Its Dervla. Thank you! xx

Great name. Get ready for English people to tell you how silly Irish spellings are though and how no-one will ever be able to spell it.

Well that was a given lol xx

It is lovely but if you don't live in Ireland then you're setting you and her up for a lot of annoyance constantly spelling it out,

Also love Aisling

They won't be able to spell (or pronounce Aisling either).
Speaking as an Aoife of 15 years UK residency; don't do it!

I like that name but do prefer the Dervla spelling (like Dervla Kirwin). Dearbhla looks like Dearblah a bit...

Roisin is a really pretty Irish name too. I love that it means little rose.

Love it but yes, will be a nightmare to spell if you're outside of Ireland. Expecting DC4 and trying to find an Irish name that isn't a nightmare to spell, as we live in UK. Is not going well.

Aoife
Maebh
Roise

Eoin
Sé
Breffni (possibly the best of the bunch but DH doesn't like it!).

Had same dilemma with first three DC and ended up with English names, so I'm determined to crack it with this one as it's definitely going to be the last DC!

Digressing a bit here but I find it a bit much when folk in the UK just won't make the effort to remember how an Irish name sounds if they've heard it before. It may be that, being Glaswegian with an Irish background, I'm just used to knowing Aislings and Aoifes and so on - do you just not get many Irish folk in England or something?

I work at a big university in Scotland, loads of Irish students in my department. It tends to be that when they've said their names once, people get it.

I love Dervla, and maybe I'd use this anglicised spelling of it if you're staying in the UK. I live in what was a very Irish area, went to Catholic school and still loads of teachers couldn't pronounce Siobhan or Sinead!

It's the name of the Dr who lives on a boat's dog in casualty. I like it.

I love Róisín! Really pretty too xx

I've never heard the name before and sorry but I really don't like it. The spelling looks ugly to me, I think it's the 'bhla' reminds me of bleuch. Spelt Derva is better but I understand if you want an Irish name you may not want to choose an anglicised spelling.

I much much prefer Aisling, and I think it's more known than Dearbhla in England so I think you'd be less likely to get problems with the wrong spelling/ pronounciation.

I really really like Roisin - would have had it for one if my DTs apart from that I have no Irish links so thought it would be a bit odd!

Well we do remember when we've heard them but I couldn't even have a guess at some of the pronunciations. I know and can remember Niamh, Sian , Siobhan, Aine, etc.

I like it, more than I like Aisling.

Yes love Roisin too (excuse missing out the fadas!). Roise is my favourite, but it'd be guaranteed to become Rosie in the UK (which is lovely, but not the name I had in mind!).

Convinced I'm having a boy anyway, so it's beside the point really

It's a nice name.
I think people are exposed to a lot of names from all round the globe these days so they might not get it right first time but I can't see it being a big issue.

Love Dervla and it's variations, I wanted to use it but was vetoed by DH. I also love Daireann.

Aisling is nice. Dearbhla is.. Not.

There are some absolutely lovely Irish names, and many are popular in the UK. But I think most people who are not Irish and haven't studied the language do find Irish spelling rules hard to understand. They are not being lazy or trying to annoy you.

The names (like Siobhan) that I do know how to spell are just because I know someone with that name and have deliberately memorised them. I have worked out that 'bh' seems to make a 'v' sound, but I still don't get why 'Orla' for example is traditionally supposed to be spelled 'Orlaith' - is it?

French, German, Spanish, etc. name spellings seem easier to understand.

I dont know how to pronounce any of the names mentioned . Dervla sounds nice though.

@Pemba I knew a few Orlas and they were just spelled Orla. I thought it was Scottish though? Unless it's originally Irish I'm not sure or has an Irish variant. Will have to ask hubby that when he comes home lol. Orlaith? If it is Orla I'm not sure where the ith comes from xx

Agent sometimes I thinks it's just that the English, compared to us, are not very bright.

It's a lovely name, OP.

I also like Saoirse.

Funny how you wouldn't say that joke against any other country, you'd be called racist. English though, we have to take it.

Now now, we're all friends here xx