Baby names Pádraig or Ruairí

[Irishfarmer]

Ok, I am jumping the gun here I'm only a few weeks pregnant.

Just wondering what people think of Pádraig (Paw-rig) or Ruairí (Roo-ree) those pronunciation can depend on where in Ireland you live.

I love both names. Going by my experience and DHs plus most people we know there is a fair chance DC will live outside of Ireland at some point in their life. I've lived in England, Scotland and Australia. Would you find these names difficult to pronounce?

For a girl I think we are fairly set on Clara, I really like Fionnuala but DH isn't as keen.

@2bazookas

If you choose Irish names, register the forms that (at least) people in mainland UK can pronounce and spell . Otherwise the child faces a lifetime of weary explanations in every single new encounter, business phone call etc.

You might do better to register the child as Patrick/ Rory and save the Irish pronunciation for home use by family and friends .

A friend does this. His name is Domhnull. Outside the family, always known as Tom. He's worked all over the world as Tom.

God, this approach is so wearying. As the mother of a UK-born child with a considerably more unusual Irish name than either suggested, and with an Irish name myself (and have spent 30 years outside of Ireland), really, this isn’t a consideration. Unless you’re the kind of person who is permanently scarred by not being able to buy merchandise with your name or who can’t cope with having to pronounce your name for strangers.

I’ve never found it an issue.

I love Padraig as a name and it's due a comeback.
If you really want the Párraig pronunciation I reckon you should spell it like that or Padhraig.
Alternatively, I would make out a case for using the Breton spelling Padrig on the basis that this name can be seen as a compound word with rig as the second element and caol le caol rule doesn't apply.
I challenge anyone to actually pronounce the d and then a genuinely broad r. But if you're skipping over the d then it's rr for sure.

What are these Sassanaigh doing on our thread grumbling about Domhnull (did ye ever see such a spelling though)? sure we can have plenty of debate about litriú among ourselves without them getting involved.

I like both but Pádraig is slightly ahead for me. I'm in Scotland and would know how to pronounce both.

Orlaith and Aoife were our girl names (never used) but I've heard people say they're too common in Ireland. If we were actually in Ireland, Saoirse would have been up there (not common enough over here to avoid spelling/pronunciation issues).

@AuntDympna

I love Padraig as a name and it's due a comeback. If you really want the Párraig pronunciation I reckon you should spell it like that or Padhraig. Alternatively, I would make out a case for using the Breton spelling Padrig on the basis that this name can be seen as a compound word with rig as the second element and caol le caol rule doesn't apply. I challenge anyone to actually pronounce the d and then a genuinely broad r. But if you're skipping over the d then it's rr for sure.

What are these Sassanaigh doing on our thread grumbling about Domhnull (did ye ever see such a spelling though)? sure we can have plenty of debate about litriú among ourselves without them getting involved.

Haha. This.

Both names are great, you can’t go wrong. As pp has said, Pàdraig Harrington is a very famous Irish golfer, so the name is well known even if pronunciations vary.

I love Fionnuala, but I’m very bias as I have one. She was born outside of Ireland and no problems with her name.

Love both Pádraig & Ruarí. I’d probably go Pádraig.

I think the things with pronunciations is if someone sees it written down first they struggle when trying to pronounce it. Where as if they hear the name first it’s a lot easier. With Fionnuala I’ve had all sorts when people are looking at her name on paper, but if I introduce her as Fionnuala they tend to get it right straight away.

Love both names, my 16 yr old nephew is called Padraig, never had a problem with pronunciation (born and lives in London) x

Pádraig always reminds me of men with sweaty hands. There must be a clammy-palmed Pádraig in my distant past that I can't quite recall!

So I'd go for Rúairí although I must admit I prefer the more common (but yes, less authentic) Rory. It's the roo sound I'm not wild about.

And I prefer Clara to Fionnuala because I know a gazillion Fionnualas so Clara seems a bit more interesting. And if I'm being honest Fionnualas are always a bit square. A bit 'stations of the cross'. Jenny Joyce from Derry Girls should really have been called Fionnuala.

I think all the names you're considering are great. Both of your boy names were used by cousins of mine in the last five years. No issues with people sticking to their preferred pronunciation. Fionnuala is due a comeback. Lovely name.

I would say if you decide on Padraig, spell it Padraic and more people will use the Pauric pronunciation.

Ruari.

Fionnuala if your DH would reconsider.

I'm not Irish, if I saw those written down I'd know I was going to say it wrong but the only pronunciation I'd be able to come up with is Pad-rayg, and Roo-ah-ree
But if you live in Ireland then it's fine surely? And once someone tells you how to say the name then you just learn it and say it like that.

So a month to go now and these are still my top names. It's a boy so will be one of those. DH liked Peadar for a while, I wasn't as gone on it. We both thought Donnacha was pretty nice. No mad names have crossed my mind really.

But we are both still very set on Ruairí or Pádraig.

I don't know any Ruairí's IRL, DH does, he said the 2 he knows are both called Roo-ree, which is what I want/ like. I don't want the child called Rory. That is my only reservation on the name. But DH doesn't think it will be a problem.

@Irishfarmer I would pronounce is ‘rur ri’ rather than ‘roo ri’ but I’m in Ulster so maybe it’s a dialect thing. I prefer It to Padraig too - I don’t like the nicknames of paudi or even worse pa!! Like the dad from little house on the prairie!

I don’t see why anyone would call him Rory! It’s not his name!! My friends have a Rian and different friends a Ryan. I don’t see how people would call Rian Ryan or Ryan Rian!

Also there’s no point in worrying about how people will pronounce the name abroad when he’s older! Some people will get it right some won’t. My DM is English has lived in Ireland for nearly 40 years and she just can’t pronounce Irish names. She tries so hard but she can’t get it right. The other day she told me my brother was out for lunch with his friend ‘ no legs’ (Nollaig). Unsurprisingly we’re having to avoid Irish names ha.

Ruairi will be easier for the masses. I'm scottish (so used to gaelic names) and had to be corrected by a colleague when I was putting a "d" in her son Padraig's name.

But if you live in Ireland most of the time people will deal with it and moving abroad is a time of challenges.

My very very normal name (think along the lines of Emma) got macerated yesterday by someone who speaks British English as a first language totally mispronouncing it so it happens even if you play safe!

@Critiquelist I like Rur-ri too, I'm from Munster but live in Cavan now so god knows what they will say both Rur-ri and Roo-ree sound very similar in my flat bog accent . That's a new one, 'no legs' 😂

I would have thought Pádraig would have been easy/ well known. I like the nn Paudi, not a fan of Pa though at all. It sounds rough or something to me.

I'm not massively worried about how it would get on over seas if that was ever a thing he did. I'm sure he would cope. I don't know why I was wondering about that way back at the start.

It's hard when you're this close though deciding which one you prefer! Not long to go and we will have to choose!

@Jofergo she told you to spell it with or without a d? I think in Ireland they are both safe enough names. Not very popular but everyone will have heard of them.

@Critiquelist my mam actually can't say Ruairí properly. She kinda says ru-a-ree-hee-i not really sure but she butchered it!! I haven't told her our top choices but listed out about 10 we liked including it. She did live in London for 20 years maybe it changed her!

Ruairí is lovely

@2bazookas ,never heard of anything so ridiculous in my life.

This is offensive

@Irishfarmer i was pronouncing the D.

I understand it’s not meant to have one….

@Jofergo it is meant to have one but you don't pronounce it. My Irish is brutal so I don't know why that is, it just is.

this is my issue….spelling doesn’t equal pronunciation !!

we see it in Scotland too with some Gaelic pronounciations…mhairi is actually meant to be pronounce Vari. (And I know Mhairi Black doesn’t use that pronunciation!!)

Please do not do this. If you're child has an Irish name, they have an Irish name. You do not need to amend this name to suit other people.

I have an Irish name. I live in London. I tell people my name, spell it, pronounce it and then it's up to whoever I'm speaking to to get their head around it. If they're not able to, that's their issue not mine.

Are you sure his name is 'Domhnull'?! I have never ever seen this name - I have a Dómhnall, by the way.