Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Is this name usable in England?

89 replies

caitlinrose · 27/10/2022 18:55

I stumbled across Aisling recently, I heard it in a movie and thought it was so beautiful.

It was pronounced ash-ling in the movie but I found out that ash-leen is another possible pr. and I think I like that a bit better.

Thoughts on Aisling, pr. ash-leen? What about ash-ling?

Is it fine to use without Irish ancestry? I know some people with Irish names who don't have ancestry so think it would be okay even though she might get some questions. Sinéad and Siobhán and Maeve seem to have been common in England, Scotland, Wales as well.

Thoughts? I'm thinking maybe as a middle names as I love the meaning and sound. As a first name I like it too but worry she'll get Ashley/Ashleigh a lot.

If you are Irish does it feel out of style to you? Just wondering because the statistics tell me it was Top Ten in Ireland in the past but not anymore.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Soozikinzii · 27/10/2022 19:01

I think it's a beautiful name .

KezzabellaB · 27/10/2022 19:03

It's a lovely name and I think you'll be surprised with how many people know how to pronounce it

RedDwarfGarbagePod · 27/10/2022 19:03

I grew up in Manchester knowing an Aisling 30-odd years ago - I say go for it. It's a beautiful name.

Montague22 · 27/10/2022 19:04

Yes its definitely usable

bravelittletiger · 27/10/2022 19:04

I knew one at school too. It was considered unusual but not weird or anything. Go for it.

LimeCheesecake · 27/10/2022 19:06

Aisling Bea the comedian/actor is the first thought and I’ve heard her name pronounced Ash-ling. (but that could be British people pronouncing it wrong!)

As there’s someone high-ish profile with the name, I would have thought there won’t be too many problems with it.

FurAndFeathers · 27/10/2022 19:06

It’s pronounced Ashleen and is an Irish name.
sure use it but think about whether your DD will appreciate speaking it out/explaining that no she doesn’t have Irish ancestry her whole life.

Its actually a situation where I think anglicising the spelling to Ashleen would be preferable to saddling your child with a lifelong explanation or mispronouncing a lovely Irish name

TollgateDebs · 27/10/2022 19:06

Oh, this is weird. My husband commented on the lovely name of someone who served us in a restaurant last week, her name was Aisling!

TheGriffle · 27/10/2022 19:08

I wouldn’t use without Irish ancestry.

BertieBotts · 27/10/2022 19:09

I think it's fine, go for it

AriettyHomily · 27/10/2022 19:11

It's a very well known name

loveisanopensore · 27/10/2022 19:12

TheGriffle · 27/10/2022 19:08

I wouldn’t use without Irish ancestry.

Why?

I'm irish with an Irish name and it's never bothered me when I've met someone non irish with my name. It's seems like a particular mumsnet hangup.

SeanMean · 27/10/2022 19:12

I wouldn’t use it without Irish ancestry.

I’m Irish and it feels a bit dated to me but names are subjective anyway.

toastofthetown · 27/10/2022 19:12

I think it's usable, especially as a middle name which no-one but the parents are all that much about. I'd be surprised if someone used it with no Irish heritage. The Aislings I know are about my age. It's probably equivalent to calling a baby in England Laura or Abigail, still in moderate use, just not as high as it used to be.

AreYouAFeminist · 27/10/2022 19:13

It's pronounced Ash-ling here in Ireland, not Ashleen

abblie · 27/10/2022 19:13

My friend is called aisling pronounced ashleen

Sago1 · 27/10/2022 19:13

I’m half English half Irish, I was brought up n England with an Irish name, I had no problem.

AreYouAFeminist · 27/10/2022 19:13

Definitely use it OP, it's a beautiful name. It means 'dream'.

NC12345665 · 27/10/2022 19:14

There's a lot of gatekeeping when it comes to Irish names.

anotherscroller · 27/10/2022 19:14

I thought it was German?

MassiveSalad22 · 27/10/2022 19:15

Loved it for my daughter but didn’t use as not at all Irish (well, 4 generations ago!) and felt weird. Which is doubly weird because we’re really not at all welsh and used an anglicised welsh name for DS with no second thought at all 😵‍💫

But, beautiful name OP and I think you should do it. There was someone on Big Brother spelled Aisleyne or Aislene… probably total butchery of the irish way but maybe not.

Runnerduck34 · 27/10/2022 19:16

I've heard of it and know how to pronounce it but I think you/ your daughter will need to accept it will be mispronounced on occasions as its not a phonetic spelling.
It's a lovely name , a lot of people in UK people would have heard of it and know how pronounce it but not all

HaveYouSeenNancy · 27/10/2022 19:17

I have a sister and a niece called Aisling (different sister's daughter), I think it's beautiful.

Choconut · 27/10/2022 19:18

I wouldn't use it personally without any Irish heritage.

Foolsandtheirmoney · 27/10/2022 19:22

I'm irish in Ireland. Where I am people pronounce it Ash-ling. I don't think it is odd for someone ot irish to use it. I haven't come across any children called Aisling in a long time, like someone else said I think it's dated. I don't particularly like or dislike it as a name, it's a bit boring but if you like it go for it.