Ruadhán as a name

[GladHazelPoster]

What do you think of the name Ruadhán?

Ruadhán - Roo-awn - meaning 'red' or 'red-haired'
Saint Ruadhán of Lorrha was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, a group of early Christian saints who studied under Saint Finian of Clonard. Wiki to Saint Ruadhán

Well-known people with the name now include Ruadhán Mac Cormaic is an Irish journalist and author who became Editor of The Irish Times in 2022, following a career that included various roles as a Foreign Affairs, Migration, Legal Affairs, and Paris Correspondent.

To all those who are going to say it's hard to spell please save your breath. If you had your way everyone would be called James Smith and if they weren't they would be forced to change their name to it. Have some confidence with names that aren't in the Top 5 each year please. By the way clearly the parents of this learned Saint weren't worrying about spelling when they named their son it.

@ArtfullyDistressed seems like you have the prejudice

Likewise, I get agitated by blue eyed Hazels or miserable Felicities.

I like it.

It's new to me.

In some countries it could sound like ..
Row on!
Ruin
Rohan
Rowan

Be mindful of where you live.

These threads honestly… “tell me what you think of this baby name but if you don’t like it you’re obviously prejudiced”.

OP - I don’t have a view on the spelling as I think it can be learned. But I do have a view on the pronunciation - I don’t like the “awn” sound. It sounds quite awkward to me, although I like Roo-ahn a lot.

But however little regard you have for people’s view on spelling, it’s his name and it’s him who will have to go through a lifetime of correcting people’s pronunciation and spelling it not just once but multiple times at once as it’s so unusual. Especially if it’s not even common in Ireland.

Probably not what you wanted to hear but you did ask.

I live in Ireland, so I can pronounce it - and I love Roo as a nickname, and the only issue I have with the spelling is anything with fadas is going to be mis-typed basically everywhere else in the world - so as long as you're not uptight about that, it's lovely - I think I do prefer the shorter spelling if I'm honest (I have a long name - common, but still often mis-spelled, and we always prefer what we don't have)

I actually think it's the other way around - if the baby's a red-head it feels a little bit on the nose to name them 'red-head' doesn't it?

I’m Irish - it’s a beautiful name in Ireland with Irish people who can pronounce it especially with that spelling. Look at it please from your child’s point of view. Growing up with a name that no one can spell or pronounce (not because they are little Englanders but because it’s in a language they don’t speak) is a PITA. There are lots of lovely names out there / some nice ones on this thread. This is what your child has to live with not something to make you look interesting.

As someone with an Irish name, including fadas, living in the US, I have to disagree that a name like mine is an affliction.

The pronunciation of the name is nothing like any of the examples you listed. Why would anyone get it so wrong?

Many people live or work or go to school with people from a wide selection of cultures. They find that getting names wrong doesn't make them look clever or superior.

I do like it and I like the spelling. I'm Irish and have given my son an Irish name. My only reservation is that the non-Irish among us will not emphasise the 'awn' in 'án' but instead it will come out like the word 'Ruin'. Worth considering! Or not. Honestly I think it's a lovely name but hope that's helpful. x

I love it.
Our son is Ruaridh (Scottish red king) and I'm really surprised that most people say it right upon reading it (well they say Rory, not Roory, but I'll take that!). We're in SE, Home Counties.

I really like it. I knew a Ruadhán some years back and it really doesnt take long to learn to spell it. (I know you said you were not worried)

I think it’s a bit like ruin if said in the Ulster Irish dialect. I mean, it’s more Roo-ann there, but that’s not a million miles away from ruin.

Á in Ulster doesn’t give that ‘aw’ sound it does in the rest of the country.
There’s a rhyming example shown in the link below.
https://www.teanglann.ie/ga/fuaim/Du%C3%A1n

I love it, I like R names a lot though, Rohan, Reuben, Ruari being others

I like it and have known one (not Irish and not red haired) spelled Ruan.

I would not use the " fada" of you are in the UK

Love Ruadhán but personally I’d spell it Ruán if I lived in the UK.

However that said I lived in the UK with an Irish name, asides from people expecting me to be a man (because of my job) and making a poor first attempt at saying it, it was absolutely fine.

The kid will be taken for a plastic paddy if you don’t live in Ireland. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I like it, but you will get some strange pronunciations!

I wouldn’t give my child a name with a fada outside Ireland tbh because it’s a ball ache to get most online forms to accept them. DS1 has one as a middle name and has always refused to use it. DD has one of those “how the hell do you pronounce that” names which she loves. Funnily enough it caused a lot more grief in England than it does where we live now (Aus).

Love it, it’s an amazing name. People will mispronounce it if they aren’t Irish but so what, anyone who isn’t Irish gets Irish names wrong!

I must know an awful lot of thick people then.

How is Roo-awn/ Roo-an hard to say? I’m not talking about reading the name which will be difficult for people but once to sound it out the majority of people will have no issue. I say this as someone with a name most people butcher (when they read it) but 100% can say it once I tell them.

I'd be concerned that outside of Ireland, he'll be called Rowan and will spend his time correcting people. Great name though.

Is it not pronounced too a dawn? I’m Irish and that’s how I’d say it?

@Hollyhobbi I was just about to say the same thing.

I would also pronounce it as Rua-Dawn.