Is this name usable in England?

[caitlinrose]

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.

I've lots of friends with that name and they all pronounce it ash-lynn

I'm west of Ireland and have never heard any other pronunciation than Aisling Ash-ling.
I do know some people called Aislinn Ash-linn which is also nice.
Of course you can use the name without Irish heritage, if you love the name go for it.

@JaneJeffer well you might not, but loads do! I lived in the west for years, it's not all words. Take the word 'respect', in a strong accent it's pronounced 'rispict'

A (ay) sounds are also replaced with 'ee'

The word 'saying' in the west is often pronounced 'see-ing'

Sorry to derail OP, go with Aisling if you like it!

This.

Yes we had two in my daughters year at school p. Pronounced Ash- ling.

Completely agree! With that spelling it would always be pronounced Ash-ling in Ireland.

@JaneJeffer fantastic username for an Irish person - love it!

There is a set of books in Ireland called Oh my God what a Complete Aisling and follow up titles. They might have reduced its popularity here but its a pretty regular lrish name pronounced..Aisling.

This. It’s become shorthand for Nice, Sensible Girl From the Country Who Has Never Dyed Her Hair And Wants A Ring On Her Finger :

www.facebook.com/groups/108317527124/

I think it’s a bit dated anyhow. The authors of the Aisling books say they should have called her Majella.

And ‘Ashleen’ is a mispronunciation. Like pronouncing Sorcha as Sore-sha or Aoibheann as Ayveen.

Thanks @ThirtyThreeTrees

Don't agree with you @AreYouAFeminist!

What a pretty name either way you would like it pronounced.

Thanks to all of the people who explained the pronunciation and for all your helpful comments so far!

The internet says it was said ash-leen on the show Derry Girls, is it true? I haven't watched it. But I guess they could be mispronouncing it. I'm trying to find a videoclip at the moment.

It's pronounced Ash-ling in Ireland. Not Ashleen. Lovely name @caitlinrose go for it. (Just don't pronounce it Ash-leen, please!)

Like others have said, it's pronounced Ashling, always. Never Ashleen.

It's an Irish language word, which is also used as a name. It can mean dream/vision or poem.

I know a girl called Aisling, she is Irish and says it like Ash-lyn

Haven't said that, I also know a couple of girls who are called Ashlyn with that spelling. I think I prefer it, as a non Irish person.

They are saying Ash-ling, but with an accent if you know what I mean.

Like how folk from that show pronounce 'Derry' so it sounds like 'Dair-eee". The rest of us should pronounce 'Derry' however it generally sounds in our accent - you wouldn't try to mimic the Northern accent in general.

Now there are some Aislings from the northern parts of Ireland that may prefer you to reflect the Ash-leen pronunciation. But the name remains Ash-ling.

Derry is a very strong accent, words can sound totally different.

I'm Irish in West of Ireland, I've only ever heard it pronounced Aisling. I think it's a lovely name.

I think most people will know how to say it but it will be Ashling not Ashleen.

Some Irish names are fairly common in the UK. Sean/Shaun is really common and yes I know the second one isn't the Irish spelling

Aiden, Orla, Freya, Connor, Liam - all fairly common.

Ashlin is an English name meaning meadow of Ash trees so you could use that.

Aisling is pronounced Ashling.

Freya isn't an Irish name?
It's Ash-ling for Aisling where I am in Ireland too.

Freya isn't irish, and isn't it Conor not Connor?

I am Irish and in the North it is almost always pronounced Ashleen. I would not use a name from another country but that is only because I don't live in Ireland, so would like DC's names to reflect their cultural heritage. If you like a name, why not use it? It is not like the majority of English children have old English names, there are plenty of Sophias, Mias, Amelias, Isabellas, Avas etc.

It is Conor, yes.

I have an Aisling, she's in primary school. We say Ash-ling, but we live in NI where many people say Ash-leen - as said above, these same people pronounce -ing as -een in lots of English words too, it's just their accent. We don't correct it.