Lovely, Gorgeous, Irish Girls Names Please!

[HolyShmoly]

DH and I are really struggling with names. We are Irish, living in England with a very English surname (think Smith.) Baby will be born and raised in England and I'd like to give her an Irish name as a link to our home and also so she doesn't have the dullest name ever (I have a really plain name which I disliked and then ended up having a very dull surname to go with it so it's a pain I feel.)

I'd like to avoid names with fadas or that are too difficult for a non-gaeilgeoir to get a handle on, I think two syllables would be preferable. Scan says baby is a girl. Lots of family so Maeve, Niamh, Roisin are out and DH doesn't like Aoibheann or Mairead.

So far we love Aoife. That's it. Just one name shortlisted. Ideally I'd like to have at least two names to choose from, or else we might end up with a not-at-all-Irish Eleanor.

Thanks in advance!

Bridget, Margaret, Mary.

I really like Aoife- but might be a bit difficult for some..

My DH is also Irish and we did similar so we have an Orlaith. Can always spell it Orla to avoid the inevitable pronunciation of the silent -ith

Niamh

Orla. Simple, pretty and easy to spell & pronounce.

Eibhlin

Such a shame Niamh can't be used as it is such a beautiful name.

I like Aoife too, I think it's fairly common so most people know how to pronounce it.

Sinead?

Saoirse, Aoibh, Ciara, Clodagh, Cliona, Aine, Eimear

Am not Irish, but Eithne is nice and I think pronunciation is obvious from spelling, unlike a few other Irish names

Siobhan

I get that some people will read Aoife for the first time and think 'a-o-eyf-ee?' but surely it won't take more than one correction? It's also not massively uncommon, I don't think.

Bridget, Margaret and Mary are middle aged women in my head, sorry! All aunts or neighbours names, I'd be scared she'd go running to my Mammy to tell on me!

Orla and Niamh are both in the family...

There's a reason we have a shortlist of one I think.

Finola 💓

Alannah, Cara, Iseult, Cliona....

Roisin
Finola

Ailis / Ailish

Siobhan

I was deliberately avoiding the modern Gaelic names like Saoirse, but it is a pretty name. I like Bridget best. Solidly Irish and not hard for anyone non-Irish to know how to spell or read aloud.

Or what about Clodagh?
Pronounced klo-dah
I know a baby Clodagh and she's a delight!

I love Saoirse and Cliodhna, Aislin is nice too

Had an Aoife born near London.
Think the name is getting quite popular in the UK.

Most people had already met one and had no difficulty pronouncing the name once explained.
In Ireland now and mind the name very common unfortunately lol!

Margaret is coming back in. I know a couple of little Maggies. Really cute.

Eibhlin was top of my list and would be a perfect family connection, but DH has vetoed it. He doesn't seem to like 'v' sounding names so Aoibh is out too, I love those names. And Beibhinn.

I hadn't thought of Eithne. I might be a bit too older lady, but it's definitely an interesting one...

Ailish

Eadaoin, Sorcha, Dara, Úna, Clodagh, Ailbhe, Aoibh, Áine, Cliodhna, Féile.

Also like Ciara,Orlaith ams Saoirse.

Aine
Patricia
Eilish
Eilidh

Erin