Irish baby boy names

[pontipinemum]

I am looking for a less common Irish boys name. I already have a Pádraig, well know but not very popular, 20/30 per year going by the CSO

In the family we already have Peadar, Fionn, Tadhg, Cathal, Cillian, Seán, Odhran.

If baby is a girl she'll be called Fionnuala.

Also we are Irish living in Ireland. I loved Ruairí the last time but I was worried he would be called Rory a lot.

Conall
Conan
Diarmuid
Seadna
Oran
Ciaran
Niall
Peadar
Eanna

Fionnuala is beautiful, I have a Fionnuala and love the name obviously.

I’ve always been a fan of Fintan and Finbar.

I really like the name Ronan.

Con, Finn and Breff are my favourites

I love Conall, Ruadhán, Dara, Cormac

Macdara
Luan (can spell it Lughan)
Ailbe
Moling
Eoghan
Laserian/ Lasairian
Donncha
Lochlann
Cairbre
Eamon
Cearbhall
Barra
Colman (fada on A)
Neasan (fada on last A)
Ruadhan (fada on last A)

I'm Irish and live abroad with an Irish name. How other people deal with my name is not my problem. The vast majority of people I introduce myself to get my name right. The rest are spam callers.

The history of Irish (the language) and Irish names being unacceptable in polite company is a very fraught one. We all live in a far more open minded world now, and we're more familiar with other languages than we used to be.

The name is mostly, and correctly, spelt Tadhg.

It's also possible he spells it 'wrong' himself though?
Thought I'd mention it as you said you work together so it might be worth checking you're using the spelling he does.

I'd say some of the more unusual ones could be seen as posh or try-hard?
MacDara as opposed to Seán kind of thing.

@Sloesandhaws oops, my mistake. We work in the same company but not directly together so don't email etc, I don't think I've ever seen his name written down other than the initial LinkedIn connection! Sorry Tadhg 😬

@Mumoffionnuala if it's a girl we are sorted. 😊It's such a beautiful name I think. DH didn't want it if our 1st was a girl, I think he was just intimated by how to spell it. Spelling isn't his strong point in English, and both of us only did Irish to primary level so not good there either. But he's on board with it now.

I like Fiachra too DH isn't as sure.

@IamaRevenant I think Tadhg is taking a spike in England. I have family in the S.E. and 1 called their DS Tadhg thinking he'd be the only one. They've met 4 so far and 2 have no Irish connection just loved the name

@Sloesandhaws going by what I've seen on FB and by the CSO Tadgh is a pretty common misspelling. I had to 100x check on Pádraig because my Irish is nearly non existent

Yes, I think you're right about Tadhg @pontipinemum. I know one and he says he often gets the gh spelling too. People are more used to it from words like cough. This is in Ireland.

It is possible that pp's colleague is using Tadgh himself and that's his correct spelling iykwim, but just thought it might be something she'd like to check. Turns out she's not emailing him or anything though so all okay.

The only MacDara I know is the solidly WC son of a taxi driver and a cleaner (and a total delight). It’s a nice name, too, actually.

I think with most Irish aristocracy since the flight of the earls being ‘planted’ Anglo-Irish using English names, there isn’t the Irish language equivalent of Cressida, Hugo, St John etc.

I like MacDara too actually but, rightly or wrongly, I'd be afraid of being thought poncy if I used it. I'd stick with Darragh. OP thinks of Lorcan as posh (I don't) so I'm not the only one who feels like this I think.

I don't see the names as the equivalent of Cressida or St John actually, more like using Cynefrith or Deorwine, old Anglo-Saxon names which have more or less died out.

Fair enough if you are an Anglo-Saxon scholar or a Gaelgeoir in Ireland but for me personally to use an old and rare name like Lasairfhíona or Gormfhlaith would be a bit much I think.

@YouTulip I've never heard of Macdara I see that's what Eileen Dunnes husband is called.

@Sloesandhaws I think it's just because one of the first times I heard the name was from a very posh "D4" it's just an association in my head which isn't correct.

Seán is nice

@Summer8summer8 it is but I have a nephew Seán

My niece called her son Caoimhin ! Irish for Kevin .

Ruadhan is lovely!

I know a couple of brothers (late 30s/early 40s now, speak Irish as first language) called Cuan (no fada) and Macdara - great names, not posh at all.

Maybe a bit twee but if this is your second son would you consider ...
Macdara/ MacDara - meaning 2nd son?

Or just Dara/ Daragh/ Darragh/ Daire - meaning 2nd? (Think I've covered all spelling options there, I'm sure I'll be corrected if I missed one 😉)

The name Dara doesn't carry the meaning of 'second' though. Different root entirely.
Even if it did Macdara wouldn't translate as second son.

I have a Fearghal. He’s happy with his name except when he goes to Starbucks … where he calls himself Fred!

Fair enough. I was being too literal.

Finian? My firstborn ❤️ Finn for short!