Thoughts on Irish little star!

[Marrilou]

Hi all, after some thoughts... I have a ten month old baby who has an Irish name (his dad's side of the family are Irish) and have another baby due in April that would ideally like to also give an Irish name to. I love the name Rae for a girl and have come across the name Réiltín (pronounced Rae-elle-teen) which is apparently Irish for little star. I am thinking I'd maybe like to call the baby this as their full name but know them as Rei. What do people think of this? If you saw the name Rei would you pronounce it as Rae/Ray? Does anyone in Ireland know of anyone with the name Réiltín as I can't find much about it on the web. Many thanks!

Hopefully the future Reiltin will like being unique. I certainly do & no one forgets my name.

One thing I do do when ordering a coffee or similar is just use my surname. Short & easy to spell.

I’m Irish in the UK and had never heard it, but it’s nice. I’d pronounce it Rail-teen and Rei as Ray.

I mind, marbella, I mind.

Just accept that it might matter to someone. It depends on the situation, and I have known that if I am going somewhere to watch out for someone stumbling over a name, they will probably mean me.

The level of rudeness I have had is quite shocking. It isn't even an unusual name, I know about 6 women with the same first name.
We're talking about worse than 'what the fucking sort of name is that?'

People forget my name because it is too much trouble to remember and even if they remembered they wouldn't have got it right.

As I said, if it is of no matter what my name is, I just give a simple name. Bob or something.

Just accept that it might matter to someone

Equally it doesn't matter to someone. I'm just providing the alternate view.

I know a lot of Irish names as have looked at Irish names for both DC and have never heard of this one! Im not sure if I like the sound or not. It looks pretty written down and Rei or Rae for short is LOVELY but not sure on the teen ending. I think it's just because I'm not used to it though perhaps.

However, you've got a Tadgh, it would only be right to give your next child a proper Irish name (I think you were on my other thread )

Tadgh and Rae is lovely xx

I know a lot of Irish names as have looked at Irish names for both DC and have never heard of this one!

It's not really used as a name, or certainly not before very recently -- to me it has a slightly make-uppy vibe to it. I would spell it 'Réaltín', not 'Réiltín', were I using it.

You like the name "Rae", and Irish names.
"Réiltín" as a name? To be completely honest, I think it's a tongue twister.
The sound "Rae" in Irish has a good meaning by itself, as "réidh", "ready, calm, generous". "Réidhe" means readiness, calmness, generosity. Either seems like a lovely name to me. I don't know what other Irish speakers would think.

I would spell it 'Réaltín', not 'Réiltín', were I using it.

Réaltín doesn't work as it has a broad and narrow vowel either side of the lt.

The character in Ros na Rún (Irish language tv soap) is Réailtín.

Réidh is pronounced more like Ray-ig by Munster speakers. I can't imagine it as a name tbh SeanChailleach.

I'm always so amused by people banging on about the Irish names are just sooooo hard for British people to manage. It's like...do you really think so little of your own countrymen? Brits have learned to manage Polish names, Nigerian names, Spanish names...they'll learn the Irish names. Trust me. It isn't that hard.

Anyway, I would also pronounce this as Rail-teen. It's a nice name. Not a personal fave but quite sweet.

Also please don't call your child Réidh, that would get a from the Irish speakers I know. I think English speakers would be much the same about naming a child Ready.

It’s one of my favourite names but I wouldn’t shorten it.

@SionnachRua oh it really is, I’ve spent the last 30+ years spelling my and pronouncing my name for just about everyone I’ve ever met! Even people I’ve known for years still spell it wrongly, including people who are looking at it in my email address! I once set it for someone over the phone and he replied with “are you sure”......ermm, yes, very sure thanks!!

I thought you might say that a Shionnaigh and a Lizzie! It's just what pops into my head when I hear the name "Rae".

...but isn’t it Réaltín, though? ‘Réalt’ is star, not ‘réilt’.

Réiltín is the diminutive of réalta (star).

I would pronounce it Rail-tseen, fwiw.

I know a few, within an age range of about 10 to late 50s, though I know a lot of Gaeilgeoir families in the Dublin area and my perception of its popularity may be somewhat skewed on the positive side. It's a lovely name imo.

I know a Reiltín! She's in her 40's.

A lovely, easy to pronounce name.

Really appreciate all the comments! The more I think about it/read people's views, the more the name appeals to me. Helpful to hear that it's more usually pronounced rail-teen rather than ray-elle-teen which is what I initially thought. Also interesting to hear that it's sometimes pronounced rail-cheen. I found this pronunciation guide online, not sure if it tallies with where people have heard it in terms of region? www.teanglann.ie/en/fuaim/R%C3%A9ilt%C3%ADn
My husband said he prefers the rail-cheen pronunciation but I'm leaning towards rail-teen just because it's closer to the way it's written?!

One of my best and oldest pals is called Réiltín. Shes almost 50 and would tell you herself she's spent her entire adult life telling people how to spell and pronounce her name - and we're Irish, living in Ireland!!
That said, she loves her name (and I do too) Her daddy has always said to her "we called you Réiltín because it means little star and that's exactly what you are"
❤️
Our DC have Irish names but I'm not sure we'd have chosen those names if we were still living in the UK.
I do love Réiltín though. Also love Róisín which might be more familiar to a UK audience?

Also in total I know 3 Réiltíns and all pronounce it Rail-teen

I find it pretty twee for an adult woman. Would you want to be called Little Star in your 40s?

Ive heard of this name but I am in Ireland.

Did you have a thread suggesting Raymonde??

I think Ray from Raonadh is more instinctive.

@PrawnCorset nobody would call you "little star" that's just the meaning of the name, the way every name has a meaning
My daughter's name means "intoxicating" so if she's still called that in her 80s we'll have named her well

[quote LifeInAHamsterWheel]@PrawnCorset nobody would call you "little star" that's just the meaning of the name, the way every name has a meaning
My daughter's name means "intoxicating" so if she's still called that in her 80s we'll have named her well [/quote]
If you’re a gaeilgeoir, you are actually addressing the person as Little Star in a language you speak.