Insomnia name game - Irish boy names

[CycloGoose]

Last week all I could do was sleep. Today, no sleep.

We found out on Friday that we're having a little boy, about which we are delighted! (Would have been either way blah blah)

We'd really love an Irish name, don't want anything that's overly common in the UK but also worry about condemning a child to a life of spelling their name and explaining to teachers how to say it.

Names we're keen on and some comments
Séamus - both really keen but I don't like the meaning (supplanter)
Lachlan - only reservation is that I've taught two but they were lovely boys. One was the son of a former colleague but I don't think our paths will cross again and I think I'd ask permission.
Tadhg - really love this pronounced Tige so annoying to read and worried if I'll miss not having a second syllable!
Cillian - just worried Mr Murphy has made it too popular
Oisín - oh-sheen but think too similar to cousin name Joshan in sound and also we really like Roisín for a girl.

We can't have any A or P names as husband's surname makes it rude 🤦🏼‍♀️ and we're both teachers which is a minefield.

Middle names likely to be some combination of Timothy Christopher and Jonathan but not all 3. Tim is dh... Not my favourite name but wondering if Tadgh (Irish for Tim) could go as a middle name.

Long rambling post for anyone bored enough to comment! Names so personal aren't they! Please don't be too harsh 😂

Ruairi, Diarmuid, Michael, Oran, Connor, Ryan, Declan, Eoghan, Daithi.

Thanks @JLQ1020 I love Declan but can't get past ant and dec.
Diarmuid and Finbarr are uncles from opposite sides of the family with neighbouring farms. Love both but couldn't handle the politics there! Both have sons called Conor! (And John).
Others are out for teaching reasons! It's an absolute minefield!

Senan
Aidan
Kian/Cian
Lorcan
Eoin
Ronan
Kieran/Ciarán
Colm/Colum
Colman
Brendan
Cathal
Oran
Fintan/Fiontán
Fionn
Gearóid
Páraic
Liam
Cormac
Niall

The above is a selection of names of friends and kids I have taught 😊

I've deliberately chosen ones that are mostly 'spellable' here. I think Colm must have been very popular choice in Ireland during the mid 90s - I had five of them in my class around 98/99!!!

I like Dónal and Darragh but both are regularly mispronounced here. Eg Dahhhhrragh Ó Briain

Liam was always a favorite of mine. (Very annonyingly ruined by my dad )

Seamus i strongly dislike (combo of awful uncle and cousins)

Cillian and Tadgh are both on my own list (my husband is yet to be convinced by Tadgh as too hard to spell, but is obsessed with Aiofe which is no 1 on his girls list 🤷‍♀️)

There is also the retro classic that is John-Paul

Another @Gooseysgirl Goosey!

Thanks so much. A lot of the names are out straight away because of husband's surname (I haven't taken it yet still TBD).

Definitely no Johns or Conors.

I love Aiofe! @LivingLaVidaBabyShower

If we have a girl next time, we'd probably go for Roisin so.... It's bloody hard work. Can't have two babies called after famous Murphys!?

I do like Fintan but it's a bit too close to Fenton - ever see the dog legging it after deer in Richmond park?

🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Apparently Lachlan has bad connotations for DH. It was becoming my favourite. Hellfire.

Go for Seamus. It’s an Irish name that everyone in the U.K. can say without much hassle and I once knew a lovely priest by that name. However I do love Tadhg from your list because I know it means “bard” (and might inspire your little one to write poetry one day!) although I would worry that no one would be able to say it... living in London and knowing a Niamh and and Áine who have a nightmare with pronunciation of their names at work/school, the GPs, when filling out forms etc has dented my faith in the British being any good at pronouncing Irish names!

Otherwise here are some Irish boys names that I like- some might be over Anglicised and if they are, I apologise.... not trying to be offensive or colonial in buggering up beautiful names! I also think all of these would be easy to pronounce, eliminating the teacher-and-the-register-issue (I’m a teacher too, I know that the struggle is real!)

Liam
Malachi
Dillon
Niall
Clearie
Finn
Sena
Ruairi
Ciaran

Good luck with your baby boy, I’m sure whatever name you pick will suit him down to a tee

Cohan

Thank you for the sympathetic response @TrampolineForMrKite
We do have ages yet, too. I'm just an obsessor.

Tadgh and Séamus are my husband's favourites too. I like Shay and I don't mind if he gets Tadj either as I quite like that.

I suppose I'm just not feeling the magic with either of them. Supplanter. I just don't like knowing that. But my dad is a Newcastle fan and DH is a Villa fan... Shay Given was pretty awesome for both so would go down well 🤣 I've also never taught one and it's not overly popular here in the UK or even in Ireland.... Including Shay, Seamus and Séamus 168 births registered (Shay 117) out of 28,902 baby boys born.

Supplanter... Conventionally the word Supplanter could be taken as a bad thing, like someone who takes or overthrows by force. However, supplanting or Supplanter could be looked at differently. The word could mean someone of strength and perseverance...

Hmmmm

Overthinking things? Me? Surely not 🤣

I do like Cohan @toadstool32 I'll check DH hasn't vitoed it.

No suggestions sorry but wow I remember you from TTC threads, congratulations!!! (I stepped away from the threads to have a break; we're still trying with no success)
What lovely news, I'm really happy for you 😊😊

Awww thanks @Veronika13 ! We are very excited to meet our wee baby boy 🥰

It will come. It will come. I still keep an eye on our old thread but it seemed to run dry shortly after we conceived.

Keeping everything crossed for you. Xxxxx

A few more...
Ultan
Tiernan
Caolán/Caelan
Keevan (Caoimhín)
Keelan
Nevan (Naomhán)

Thanks @Gooseysgirl I think I've read them all. Just not settled on any just yet.
Maybe closer to the time one will jump out!
Found that Tadgh has the diminutive Tadghín so it has gone up the list again 🥰

I love Senan. Rian is nice too.

Congrats first of all. I’m having a baby boy next week and he is going to be Sean😍 boys names are so difficult so good luck in picking one that suits you:) I also like Conor, Rhys (this one might be Scottish?) and Jack.

Congratulations! Hope it all goes well for you and Sean next week @elisemum

@Elisemum
Rhys is Welsh.

I like Colm, Tiernan or Connell.
I'm not a fan of Seamus.
Have you yourself an Irish surname ?

If so is it suitable as a first name ?
I love that idea.

The Irish is down the our mother's sides. I don't think either works well as a first name either really.
@elisemum what is it about Séamus you're not keen on if you don't mind me asking?

I do like the harder consonant sounds myself.

I can only think of old men with Colm (because of Colm Wilkinson Les Mis) and Connells is a big estate agents here and Im not keen on that connection. I like Tiernan but DH not so keen. It's hard work!

Thanks for sharing x

We have a Tobin, which apparently is an Irish surname...

I think of Seamus as an old man's name.
But Shay is nice.
I just don't get the love for Tadhg either.
Thady is nice though.
Is Breifne too hard to pronounce ?

@CycloGoose Hey it wasn’t me, I’ve nothing against seamus :)

Sorry @elisemum meant to tag @ladyeloise1

Ahh well. Séamus and Tadgh are our front runners so we'll just have to bring the back in style 🤣

B names won't go with surname I don't think either. Too much opportunity for teasing.

We've got time. We'll mull it all over and see how we feel. Something might grow on us ☺️

I used to babysit twins called Cormac and Lorcan, I always liked those names.

I said it on a different thread but I know a girl with twins Cian and Rian. Everyone here (including me) would say that’s way too similar and won’t work. But in real life I never even thought it was odd or anything. That just goes to show that once a baby is born and is given a name that’s just it, no one judges it. So sometimes it’s best to chose what you like and only say it after baby is born :)