Maria/Roisin/Ailis and Rory/Donal

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Which do you like best?

Maria
Róisín (pronounced ROE-sheen)
Ailis (pronounced AY-lish)

Rory
Dónal (first syllable like dough)

Big sister is Niamh. Thanks.

My votes go to Roisin for a girl and then Donal for a boy.

Domhnall is also gorgeous (though the latter spelling is too complicated for most non-Irish people and so you spend ages advising how to pronounce it!).

Maria & Rory. Unless you live in Ireland, Irish names are difficult.
I know a Dearbhaile who changed to Dervla when living in London.
And an Irish friend in a London who called her son Tadhg...

Ailis- I’ve always loved it. And Rory.

Thanks @RingaRosie - but we've had no problems whatsoever with our daughter Niamh's name in the SW or SE of England. I don't think any of these spellings are particularly difficult tbh.

Ailis and Rory

Roisin and Donal

Ailis and Rory.

All good names!

Roisin and Donal.

I don’t think either of those names are particularly difficult to pronounce and, in my experience, people quickly learn how to say them if you tell them once.

Roisin

Roisin and Donal

Ailis and Rory.

Lovely choices.

I'd go for Ailis and Rory

I love Ailis and Donal.

Roisin and Rory

Ailis and I like both the boys names

Roisin and Donal (but I also like Rory)

Love 'Rosheen' - IME a popular name in the NW and London, for obvious reasons.

If you've got an Irish surname, you often have to spell it all the time anyway, so you may as well go the whole hog in my opinion. I've got an Irish surname - not even a particularly 'difficult' one and have spent my whole life spelling my surname. It's not really a big deal? Like at all.

Also just saying but my DH has a very English name and half the delivery drivers and phone operators can't spell or pronounce either of our names (admittedly mine is more of a climb!) because they are not English themselves. In this modern world we shouldn't assume everyone we interact with is going to share our cultural touchpoints and just go with helpfully spelling/sounding things out.

Also means English people will have to start listening a bit more.

I like them all, prefer Dónal to Rory. Can't chose between Róisín and Ailis - they're both lovely and both go well with Niamh.

I think you'll be alright in the SE. I have a Welsh name and it is mostly spelt correctly. I get the odd rogue letter added. Pronunciation is not as good, but more people get it right than don't. London is very International so people are used to meeting people with names they may not have encountered before.

Ailis and Rory.

What a lovely positive thread, everyone. I feel spoilt for choice!

Roisin is lovely. I like Rory better for a boy, but if you might have a dc3 I would use Donal so you can save Roisin.

Roisin and Donal.