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!

Realtin
Seodin
Roise
Eala
Aoife
Ciara
Saorlaith
Fiadh

Ah here, you can't just lump Nuala in with Peig and then suggest Macushla!

everyone non Irish loves nuala but everyone Irish laughs at it

So true.

Irish people - 'Nuala is an awful old biddy's name'
Non-Irish people - 'Oh what a beautiful name Nuala is'
Irish people -

Aedemar.
Siún.
Peig!! (Or Peigí if Peig is too reminiscent of Peig Sayers!).

But you could have twins! One called Macushla and one called MeDarlin'

I can't imagine a baby being called Nuala - its just wrong! Like a baby Bridget or Philomena.

I don't think I had the same Nuala's in my life as you all did.

I do have a very close relative called Peggy though and diminutive forms of Margaret is a family thread, which is why I wanted Mairead.

Squoosh: Macushla, MeDarlin' and then their brother ArrahMeOwnWeeLoveen!

Aisling (ash-ling)

Aisling

One of my pals is Nuala and she's mid 30s with Irish background. Why would it be laughed at???

I know Alannah has been mentioned already but I love it. Easy to pronounce and similar to Eleanor which you like.

Orlaith, pronounced Orla.

My only other suggestion would be Nuala

All I can think of is the poster on magicmum back in the day who revealed that she and all her sisters referred to their vaginas as their nualas - we've been using it in this house ever since.

Aedemar is lovely (I know one)

Not Orla! Or Orlaith. Or Orlagh!!! I hate names that sound simple but have a complicated spelling just for the craic.

One of my pals is Nuala and she's mid 30s with Irish background. Why would it be laughed at???

Because it's a stereotypical aul biddy name (apologies for ageism, before someone says it - that's just how it is seen by many). It's not like Maud etc which have been out so long they've come back into fashion now.

There are two types of Irish women.

1)Those who shudder at the thought of a Nuala,

2. Those who are called Nuala. (The ones who aren't called Nuala yet like the name Nuala are Nuala-y in spirit so also fit in this category).

I have a Ciara. Or a Sierra or a Key-are-ah depending on how people pronounce it. I'm not Irish but always did and stil do think it such a pretty name.

Probably mentioned already...

Sheila
Noreen
Ailbhe/Alva
Ida (Íde)
Emer
Clodagh
Rosheen (Róisín)

Molly (not as Gaeilge, but extremely popular in my grandmother's generation)
Nancy (same)

pallisers the Nualas of Ireland would be horrified to think their name is used as a slang term for That Channel of Sin. Nualas do not approve of genitals.

Sorcha
Emer

Cherith?

Alannah
(Means darling child)

Chroi

Fia
Clodagh
Aibhlinn
Sinéad
Grainne
Ailish
Rhea
Eireann
Cadhla

Sadbh (means sweetness and light)

Medb (Maeve)

Both gorgeous names