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

Well, yeah, that's because Indian names are written in a way that looks phonetic, so it is easy to work out. That is when they're written in a Western script, no idea how they are written in the different Indian languages. But Irish, although it uses the same script as other European languages, seems to often have the letters making a completely different sound from what you'd expect if you have no knowledge of Irish . It has it's own phonetic rules which are completely logical, I've been told, but I just don't know them. Apart from 'bh' giving a 'v' sound.

I wouldn't be rude and say it looks like the cat hit the keyboard though! And I wouldn't think of disrespecting the Irish language, but it is difficult for outsiders. I still don't see why 'Orlaith' sounds out 'Orla' for example.

Maybe there is a website or link which could explain in simple terms?

I understand that to some people it may be a bit tricky if their understanding of Irish spellings is limited, but I just didn't appreciate the 'cat sat on a keyboard' remarks xx

i'm sure it is pronounced beautifully but initially to my tired eyes it really reminded me of diarrhea

@Out2pasture haha xx

Squoosh I think you must know my husband's Aunty Nuala. She teaches Irish and is Micheal Flatley's neighbour.😂

It isn't my favourite Irish name.

Please use the spelling Aislinn if you do use that name.

I think you should call her Liadan.

Why would I use Aislinn it's Ash LING

I knew how to pronounce it but would have a hard time spelling it.

Or writing it down.

So how do you pronounce 'Cian'?

Key-un x

Thank you. Will bear it in mind. Haven't come across one in my 52 years on earth, but would hate to be accused of racism if I do and grope for 'Um...Cy-an?'

Nothing wrong with not having come across a name before and having a bash at pronouncing it; where it veers into xenophobia, cultural imperialism and ignorance is to announce that the name 'doesn't make sense' or 'looks like a cat ran across a keyboard', etc etc.

I have two dcs with often discussed names on these threads. We live in London. We have no problems. You just have to accept though that no one will ever call your dc the right thing first time and it might take them time to get it completely right, unless they're Irish of course.

If that's the sort of thing you would take personally then don't do it.

As for Dearbhla, i've never seen that spelling and even as second generation Irish, with relatively decent knowledge of how to sound an Irish name, i would need to ask is it x? You would then correct me, and we'd be grand. It's not a big deal for me doing this but you will get it every single time.

I'm Irish, with one of the names often derided on here.

I work with people from all over the world. If I can't pronounce their name I ask, they tell me, and I may have a few goes with them until I get it right.

I have people who persistently try to pronounce my name how they think it should be pronounced (in case of Dearbhla- dear-b-laa for example). Even when it's been explained to them. That is rude.

squoosh your Nuala and Dearbhla story

OP Dearbhla is a beautiful name.

The knicker twisting that goes on over the spelling of Irish names is ridiculous. Listen up folks, the peeps on the island next door have a different language - get over it.

I still don't get why 'Orla' for example is traditionally supposed to be spelled 'Orlaith' - is it?
It started out as Orfhlaith (meaning - iirc - golden prince/ss), and pronounced Orla.
Then was shortened to Orlaith, pronounced Orla.
Now spelled exactly as it is pronounced. Orla is the standard Modern Irish version.

Wrt Mairi/ Mhairi -
Mairi is the nominative form, and this is what people should really use when giving the name. The initial sound is M.
Mhairi is the vocative form - what you would say when telling Mairi her dinner was ready. (You would say "A Mhairi...") The initial sound is somewhere between a V and a W.

Dearbhla is a lovely name imo, as is Dearbhail.

Aislinn is standard Irish spelling, pronounced Ashling. You could spell it Aisling, but the -linn ending gives you the 'ling' sound.

To the poster considering Breffni - I had a teacher a few decades ago who might not have been aware that he had the nickname 'Bad Breff'. Maybe something to consider if you live in a place where TH is pronounced F.

(Darcie is not an Irish name - it's a surname of Norman origin, not traditionally used as a given name).

Thanks for the explanations Math - useful.

But why is 'aith' pronounced 'a' on the end of Orlaith? Isn't 'th' a consonant in Irish then?

But then there's Shelagh and Bronagh, isn't there? And they're pronounced just 'a' we don't hear a 'g' sound. So it's something similar to that?

Sorry, I'm obviously thick!

There's consonants in Irish that are silent when you out a H after them.

And actually there are consonants that have a silent H after them when followed by a vowel.

And actually both BH and MH can either be silent or pronounced like a V. Depends.

To add even more confusion, I know an Orlagh!

Thanks Elspeth. Goodness, that's complicated. It would obviously require further study for me understand completely.

I wouldn't go with that spelling as it looks too much like "blah", sorry.

I like Saoirse, Sinéad, Niamh, Maura and Orla (though Orla quite common in Scotland already)...

I know a Devra which is similar and spelled as written and pronounced.

Lovely name!