Tadhg

[Shanables25]

Hi there! We are expecting our fourth baby, our third boy and am wondering about the name Tadhg. I really love it but recently heard that it can be used with a negative connotation. I have never heard it used this way before, is this common? When people hear the name, they think of a slur against Irish Catholics? Or is Tadhg more like a "Mick" or "plastic Paddy"? I hope that makes sense
Thanks

I’m in and from NI (and I’m Catholic btw) and I don’t associate it with ETAT or taig. I know them as two different words. When I see the name Tadhg I think of Tadhg. That’s it.

I love this. Not irish though, I love irish boys names.

Its pronounced Tai g. Similar to Tiger but without ER.

From just looking at it, I wouldn't have a clue how to read or pronounce it.

I'm sure it has a lovely sound, but I would need it explained, as would many people if you are not in Ireland.

I do love a lot of Irish names, but the pronunciation is often a mystery to me.

I know a lovely Tadhg, who's English (Irish mum). He's a great guy, about 30 I suppose. It's a nice name, I always liked it.

I like it, and knew how to pronounce it without being Irish.

Una from the Saturdays has a Tadgh which is how I first heard of the name

I like it. I wouldn't be making my life decisions based on loyalist bullshit either.

Taig does come from Tadhg but they are not pronounced the same and a bastardisation of the name by bigoted idiots does not make Tadhg an inappropriate or offensive name.

I think they are pronounced the same in Ulster Irish. So Tay-g in Ulster and Tie-g in other dialects. Maybe someone who speaks Ulster Irish can confirm or otherwise?

That said, I think it's a lovely name and the different spelling means it's different.

I really like it and every Tadhg I've ever met has been lovely so it has positive connotations to me.

I have a Tadhg and I absolutely love the name. I also have a Hugo so you don't always have to go for all irish names. I live in Ireland btw. You will not regret naming your son Tadhg it is a fantastic name x

Wow Judi you sound very uneducated

Sorry but I think its a ridicolous name. How will folks know how to pronounce it? Sounds like slang for a penis

Ah Jet is right. Sure haven't we have all forgotten that we are born with the innate ability to pronounce every name in the world except Irish names. No prior knowledge needed, we just look at them all and know!

Xochitl, Mireille, Yael, Zosia...no problem for our Jet. But Tadhg, Niamh or Cian? Aren't they mad things altogether.

Sadly we're born without the ability to ask someone how to say their name. Awful shame that, isn't it? Asking someone how their name is pronounced would be so simple to do...

Sorry I think it's ugly

I thought it was pronounced ‘tadge’ rhyming with badge but I’m pretty upset that apparently that makes me a bigoted idiot for not innately knowing the correct pronunciation! I am still confused as to how it is actually pronounced tbh if its like the first syllable in “tiger” but not the same as “Taig” (which to me is a homonym of the first syllable in “tiger”!), is “Taig” more rhyming with “paid”?

If I meet someone whose name on paper I am unsure of I might have a stab and ask for correction or just ask them how to pronounce it.

Perhaps if it’s having a surge in popularity then us bigoted idiots might be more familiar with it in future - we tend to cope ok with Niamh and Siobhan as they’ve been fairly common for a long time.

I really like it now that I know how to pronounce it. He would have a lifetime of having to correct other people’s pronunciation and being asked to spell it at every turn though. My maiden name was one of those and it was a right pain tbh.

It’s not offensive / has no offensive connotations.
It’s pronounced more like Tag/start of TIGer. Different to Taig (which is pronounced differently and is offensive in NI).

(Lol it’s really hard to spell the pronunciations Phonetically in NI accent!)

However if you’re not in Ireland you will probably always have issues with pronunciation etc.

PS - I like the name

Definitely different pronunciations in NI and yes, it is hard to explain the NI accent - especially to English people - some of our vowel sounds are just completely different.

My best explanation of it would be that Tadhg is more like Tag (it’s not Tag, but the vowel sound for the ‘a’ is the same) whereas Taig is more like ‘take’ but with a g instead of a k.

It makes total sense in my head but maybe not in anyone else’s!

Are you both Irish/N.Irish OP and can pronounce it properly? Will he grow up with an Irish accent himself? I think that is key really. I probably wouldn’t pronounce it properly even if I was really trying if it relies on Irish vowel sounds that are very different to English ones - I’d always be saying it in an English accent IYSWIM. Think about the Rob Delaney character in Catastrophe who as an American reveals he can’t actually pronounce his own daughter’s Irish name properly (Muireann)

@JetSetGo - Sorry but I think its a ridicolous name. How will folks know how to pronounce it? Sounds like slang for a penis

Obviously you can like/dislike any name but referring to a perfectly normal foreign name as ridiculous is offensive and xenophobic.

@OpthalmosVerde - I thought it was pronounced ‘tadge’ rhyming with badge blush but I’m pretty upset that apparently that makes me a bigoted idiot for not innately knowing the correct pronunciation!

Where did you get that idea from? As far as I can see, nobody has suggested somebody is bigoted for not knowing how to pronounce a name that is foreign to them. Have I missed something?

So Tay-g in Ulster and Tie-g in other dialects. Maybe someone who speaks Ulster Irish can confirm or otherwise?

I’m in Ulster and I’ve only ever heard it as “tie-g”

Sorry but I think its a ridicolous name. How will folks know how to pronounce it?

People who aren’t dumbfucks will say “how do you pronounce that?” Then they’ll listen to it being said and then they’ll know.

Sounds like slang for a penis

not one I’ve ever heard!

I’m in Ulster and I’ve only ever heard it as “tie-g”

Thanks. Ulster Irish is very different to the Irish I speak so I'm never sure.

@ChandlerIsTheBestFriend - People who aren’t dumbfucks will say “how do you pronounce that?” Then they’ll listen to it being said and then they’ll know.

Excellent point. It's funny how @MNHQ seem to have no issue with xenophobic posts like @JetSetGo 's post when it's only anti-Irish sentiment.