Irish nouns as names - like Rua?

[pandarific]

Bear with me on this one... I know of a little Rua (roo-a) - it means 'red' in Irish and I think it's a lovely boy's name but it doesn't feel like 'the one' for us.

Now I know it's a bit hippy to use a noun as a name, but I do kind of love the idea as long as it's a good word and not, for example, 'spoon' or something. Also something which dyslexic DH can spell, and that won't get us too many any looks when/if we move back to Ireland.

Frontrunner names which sound good with our consonant-y two syllable surname are:
Jonah
Noah
Cuan

...any thoughts from any fluent Irish speakers?

I wasn’t being snide, panda, honest. I’ve just marked some undergraduate essays that were rather stream of consciousness.

Lir and Lear sound completely different in my accent, too. Admittedly, the only Lir I know is female, and I think the chocolate brand would put me off.

With a fada on the U it would really be no different from coo-un, unless you wanted to emphasise the OO sound yourself.

To make it coo-awn you would need a fada on the A.

x-post with CubanHeels.

Lir would sound to me like lyric (with the slight buzz of the slender R), whereas Lear would have the long E sound.

Oh wow @RavenWings how rude to call anyone's name stupid!  I have been saving my first ever biscuit for a very special person and that award goes to you 

The name Cathair means both fighter/warrior as well as city afaik. I suspect the former meaning is what people have in mind when using it as a name.

I have seen the variant Cahir used.

I really don't care if you think I'm rude, confuddeled. Your opinion and the name Cathair can go on my list of Things I Don't Care For. Cheers for the biccy, I'll have it with my tea.

Just to update... it was Rua in the end.

My mum and sister don't like it, but they can take a running jump. He's adorable.

Congrats OP! I Know this thread is old but I'm sold on the name Rua! It's top of my boys name list for this pregnancy. DH will just have to accept it 😂