Irish names (boy/girl/anything)

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Inspiration pls :)

And at the risk of attracting negative comments, thoughts on Kathleen (shortened to Katie?) ..after my auntie so if you don't like, pls just be kind tankyouplease xxx

Personally, I don't class Kathleen as an Irish name, as it's an Anglicisation.

There's no letter 'k' in Gaeilge.

But it depends on how restrictive we're being.

Fraoch is the Irish for Heather afaik, so I could see it being used as a name.

Patrick. Connor. Seamus. Shae. Kevin. Shaun. Ciaran. Malachy. Brendan

Aileen. Grainne. Clodagh. Bria. Bridget. Aine. Siobhan. Mairead. Sinead. Erin

lol well Kathleen as I said is my beloved auntie's name, and we're about as Irish as anything so that's my criteria :) and the emotional attachment is more important than anything else.

...also, yes please keep it nice...I am a very stressed mummy to be, and I just started this thread for a bit of inspiration and cheerfulness, please don't criticise other people's choices or suggestions, all are very welcome. Just trying to look forward to something and keep positive while my world slowly falls apart around me, so again, request for niceness. Ta! xxx

also couldn't care a bit about fashion...I've never been fashionable and not about to start now :)

I was just replying to jed's question.

I know a Kathleen shortened to Katie and think it's lovely. She is half Irish.
I much prefer it to Caitlin/Katelyn.

I think I saw Daegan mentioned - never saw that name before anywhere.

Imo there are different classes of Irish names - names in Irish and names that are traditionally used in Ireland. Thinking of my own family here, the names Anastatia, Lazerian, Moling, and Bridget were passed down through many generations. Only in my generation were names in Irish used - this was a very fashionable choice in the 60s and 70s as far as I can judge from school memories.

OP, wishing you well - hope your stress will fade.

I think I saw Daegan mentioned - never saw that name before anywhere.

Imo there are different classes of Irish names - names in Irish and names that are traditionally used in Ireland. Thinking of my own family here, the names Anastatia, Lazerian, Moling, and Bridget were passed down through many generations. Only in my generation were names in Irish used - this was a very fashionable choice in the 60s and 70s as far as I can judge from school memories.

OP, wishing you well - hope your stress will fade.

I think I saw Daegan mentioned - never saw that name before anywhere.

Imo there are different classes of Irish names - names in Irish and names that are traditionally used in Ireland. Thinking of my own family here, the names Anastatia, Lazerian, Moling, and Bridget were passed down through many generations. Only in my generation were names in Irish used - this was a very fashionable choice in the 60s and 70s as far as I can judge from school memories.

OP, wishing you well - hope your stress will fade.

Agree with mathanxiety, there are different types of Irish names

There are old and new Irish language names ranging from Niamh to Siun to Naoise. these are all names used in Ireland but some were rare - getting more popular now.

There are names that are "english" no Irish spelling but that are traditionally used in Ireland - Mary, Patrick, Anastasia, Alice, Kathleen etc. Florence is actually a name used traditionally for men in West Cork (almost all of them become Flor). I believe there was a tradition of Hyacinth for men too in some families in west cork.

I picked 2 "Irish language" names and 1 "traditionally used in Ireland" for my kids - like a Niamh, Seamus and Kathleen.

And then there are Irish-sounding names and Irish words that would never have been used as names that people are now using - Einin (with a fada) would be in that category. If it is an Irish word, Fraoch would be the same. I would be wary of using a name like that unless you were something of an Irish speaker (or madly in love with the name).

Good luck OP. loads of lovely names out there. I think Kathleen could be very retro and lovely.

By the way, Clodagh was a made-up name of its time. Think one of the anglo-Irish aristocracy in Waterford named his daughter after the river clodagh. Fiona apparently also made up by Walter Scott.

Loads of great names on this thread!
I met a woman and her son was called MacDara (pronounced ‘mock darra’) I thought it was very unusual and it grew on me.

Very best wishes picking a name for your baby x

Yes indeed.

There are lots of Latin names that are quintessentially Irish too - Aloysius, Pius, Cornelius, and names like Majella or Cabrini or Goretti for girls that are surnames or nicknames of saints. Also names like Attracta, Concepta, Fidelma, Philomena, Imelda and Darina that you really don't find much outside of Ireland or certain RC cultures elsewhere.

Cornelius is a great name. Grew up with loads of them - mostly Con.

Another fan of Saoirse here!
Also a fan of Aoibhe, Aisling, Cliodhna, Meadhbh and Mairead

For boys I like Padraig, Conlin and Ruairi

Here are my favourites...

Éilís
Éibhlín/Eileen
Sinéad
Aoibhínn
Maeve
Máire
Dervla/Dearbhail
Áine
Róisín

Cormac
Colm/Colum/Colman/Colmán
Dónal
Lorcan
Tadhg
Ciarán
Eoin
Aidan
Fionn
Tomás

One name I don’t particularly like... Naomhán (nay-vawn) meaning ‘little saint’.... the one I taught was not

Canice ....for a boy. Just gorgeous!
Damhan (pronounced Davin, I think)

Roise (pronounced Rosh-a in my experience)
Aoibheann ( pronounced Aiveen)

I'm pretty fluent in Irish but don't always convey correct pronunciation. Feel free to correct 😊

I knew a girl called Uisce. It’s not a name (means water), but I always thought it was lovely

The Kathleen I knew was a gem of a lady and I love the name because of that, think kitty is really cute. Girls name that I’ve always loved is Nollaig, it’s the Irish word for Christmas. Also Donnacha or Iosa for a boy (apologies for spelling and lack of fadas was always a bit shaky at the auld Gaelige)

If I had had a girl she would have been Laura Kathleen. But I had a boy.

Anyway - I like Kathleen - was my lovely nana - but don't like the Dublin pronunciation where the 'th' is not soft. It's more Katleen. I like KatHLeen.

I think Katie could work as short for Kathleen - or Kathy?

And having said that the Dublin pronunciation drops the H - we called DS Matthew. Who became Machew. Took a lot of correcting certain family members! English DH was bemused.

Kathleen is lovely. She could be Kate or Kitty or Katie for nn. Beautiful classic name.

Mayfayner, I'm Irish too and I was thinking the very same!! Some odd ones. I personally love Caoimhe

Uisce works better outside ireland!

Too many lovely names. Hoping they've given you a taste of home OP!