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Baby names

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Irish names

54 replies

Megda7 · 18/08/2021 14:16

I'm desperate at picking names! Can someone please help me with original, not really popular Irish names! We don't know the gender, but I'm struggling more with girls names 🙈🙈

OP posts:
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3luckystars · 18/08/2021 14:21

Do you like Saoirse? Pronounced Seer-sha
Do you like Siofra? Pronounced Shee - fra
What about Maeve?
Or Aoibh (Eve)

Megda7 · 18/08/2021 14:23

@3luckystars

Do you like Saoirse? Pronounced Seer-sha Do you like Siofra? Pronounced Shee - fra What about Maeve? Or Aoibh (Eve)
I have Meabh on my list of girls names actually. Saoirse wouldn't go so well with my surname 😂 any time I Google names I'm coming across all the same ones that are pretty common 🙈
OP posts:
3luckystars · 18/08/2021 14:29

What about Siun (shoon)

Realtin (rail teen) means little star

Aoine (ee na) means Friday

Are you Irish?

justheretohelp7 · 18/08/2021 14:29

Do you want the Irish spelling or just the Irish pronunciation?

Girls -
Ailbhe (Al -va) or (Ale-va)
Riona - (Rhee-Ona)
Bebinn - (Bay-vin)
Fallon (Irish Surname but personally love as a first)

Boys -
Daly (or Dalaigh)
Ruairí (I know this is a little more popular)
Rafferty - my personal fave

Megda7 · 18/08/2021 14:33

@3luckystars

What about Siun (shoon)

Realtin (rail teen) means little star

Aoine (ee na) means Friday

Are you Irish?

Yes I'm Irish! You'd think this would be easier 😂

@justheretohelp7
Looking at both Irish spelling too thanks. These are lovely names and not ones I've came across yet. Other than ruairi!

OP posts:
justheretohelp7 · 18/08/2021 14:41

Fallon & Rafferty are my top 2 by a mile,

Fallon meaning 'Leader/Ruler'
Rafferty meaning Prosperity which I think is lovely.

PleasantBirthday · 18/08/2021 14:46

Saorla is a lovely girls name that isn't very common at all.

leakymcleakleak · 18/08/2021 14:46

@justheretohelp7

Fallon & Rafferty are my top 2 by a mile,

Fallon meaning 'Leader/Ruler'
Rafferty meaning Prosperity which I think is lovely.

Neither of those are Irish names. Well, they're Irish surnames, but not Irish language first names which is what 99% of people mean when they talk about 'Irish names'.

OP I'd suggest you go on the CSO website and look at all the names: not all are Irish, but if you scroll through the top 200 you'll get a good sense. You'll also be surprised how low some of the 'common' Irish names are and so high up some of the 'names I had never heard of before ten years ago' names like Fiadh are.

I have never heard of Aoine being used as a name, and a lot of my family would be in Gaeltacht areas. I think there's a big push of people trying to find 'unusual' names which can be a bit makey-up-y. So, I haven't heard of a single Aoife or Siobhan being born recently, despite going to school with about five of them, but I know of four Fiadhs, three Ruadhans, three Orans and two Realtins (apologies for total lack of fadas but can't do them on this annoying keyboard)

Ilikecakes · 18/08/2021 14:47

Breffni / Bréifne

leakymcleakleak · 18/08/2021 14:47

(Oh and to add I know that list aren't makey-up-y but they are more unusual. And definitely some names I've heard are at the made-up / randomly using Irish noun end of the spectrum, which is where I'd place Aoine).

SoreusBacchus · 18/08/2021 14:48

@justheretohelp7

Fallon & Rafferty are my top 2 by a mile,

Fallon meaning 'Leader/Ruler'
Rafferty meaning Prosperity which I think is lovely.

Somebody's been reading US sites! Neither of those are Irish first names and they don't really mean those things either.
Sgtmajormummy · 18/08/2021 14:52

I toyed with the idea of Cara (Irish “friend” and Italian “darling/dear”) for DD.
BUT I couldn’t get over the association with smokers’ matches!

Megda7 · 18/08/2021 15:06

@leakymcleakleak

(Oh and to add I know that list aren't makey-up-y but they are more unusual. And definitely some names I've heard are at the made-up / randomly using Irish noun end of the spectrum, which is where I'd place Aoine).
😂😂😂 laughed so much at your previous message. Thank you. I'll check out the website. And it is so true. I know of so many fiadhs and Ruadhans in my local area alone! 8 years ago I would have thought you'd made the name up!
OP posts:
GallowwayGirl88 · 18/08/2021 15:11

We’re having the same dilemma OP!
A few of our favourites are
Fionnuala
Oonagh
Eimear
Mairead
Melina

Boys names we like the pretty traditional ones;
Padraig or Patrick
Finn
Ronan
Tadhg

Saoirse a lovely name as well Smile so many nice names to choose from!

OrangeAndYellowAndBlue · 18/08/2021 16:02

I love Eilis or Ailis, and they're not that common now.

Megda7 · 18/08/2021 16:16

@OrangeAndYellowAndBlue

I love Eilis or Ailis, and they're not that common now.
I suggested Eilis to my husband this morning. He's not a fan! I love how it's spelt!
OP posts:
beans1992 · 18/08/2021 19:24

Niamh
Siobhan
Aoife
Orlaith
Saoirse

M0rT · 18/08/2021 19:42

Sinéad
Muireann
Aoife
Emer
Ciara
Siobháin
Eileen
Ailbhe
Niamh
Maeve
Cáit
Dara
Roisín
Aedin
Aoibheann
Caoimhe
Síofra
Bronagh
These are all women I know in Ireland. So not common baby names but well known and easy say/spell for most people.

Curbaisti · 18/08/2021 19:48

Few of my pals childrens names

Doireann (deer in)
Laoise

I presume if Saoirse won't go with your surname neither would any other S name but just in case

Sadbh
Siomhna
Scotland

Curbaisti · 18/08/2021 19:49

Yeh not Scotland. Saorla

Megda7 · 18/08/2021 21:17

@Curbaisti

Few of my pals childrens names

Doireann (deer in)
Laoise

I presume if Saoirse won't go with your surname neither would any other S name but just in case

Sadbh
Siomhna
Scotland

😂😂😂 I was wondering about Scotland as a name!! Thanks! Yeah my surname starts with Sss sound so depends of some names beginning with S
OP posts:
Gensola · 18/08/2021 21:25

🤣🤣 Scotland

I love Aoife and Eilis. What about Étaín?

Chunkymenrock · 18/08/2021 21:27

I love Aisling and Eithne. Dara for a boy.

Notaroadrunner · 18/08/2021 21:28

Deirbhile / Dearbhla
Clodagh
Bronagh
Gráinne
Caoimhe
Eimear
Orlaith

Cormac
Oisín
Seán
Odhran
Daithí
Fearghal
Lorcan

qualitygirl · 18/08/2021 21:29

What about...

Aoibhínn
Blathnaid
Sinead
Siobhán
Clíodhna
Aine
Roisín
Emer