Non-ugly Irish girls' names

[skidoodle]

I'm looking for suggestions of Irish names (broadest interpretation of same OK) for a girl that are not hideous.

Irish boys' names are easy, but girls are way trickier as so many of them are just not very attractive IMHO. Others are lovely when pronounced properly but very lumpen in the mouths of non-Irish speakers, and DH (and family) are English.

So, what am I not considering? The more unusual the better here.

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Hi there - this thread is a little old. [[https://www.mumsnet.com/baby-names/most-popular-irish-baby-names
If you’re looking for an Irish baby name, find inspiration here]]. MNHQ

Rhiannon isn't Irish, I thought it was Welsh too.

There are so many beautiful Welsh names, but I have no confidence that I would pronounce them properly.

Dervla?
Bronagh?
Aoibhinn?
Ciara?

Is Molly Irish? I always think of it of it as English.

Should the song "My Irish Molly-o" have been a clue

I used to know an American girl who changed to the spelling and pronunciation "Mali" and that kind of put me off all versions of the name for some reason.

I have an Alannah and a Caitlyn.

Aine sounds like awn-ya?

Orla?

Orlagh?

Alannah - from the Irish words A Leanbh, meaning child/little one.

spinsugar

I feel like that about my DD's name too Róisín is lovely, I agree.

Names like Orla, Niamh, Emer - I think if you grew up in Ireland in the 70s-90s they are maybe equivalent to names like Karen, Nicola, Joanne for people in England of the same age.

They are fine names, and I can see why to an English ear they might sound nice and unusual, but to me they are just a bit dull. Does that make any sense?

Although the same could be said of Ciara, and I've always had a soft spot for that (even chose it as my Confirmation name)

Laois is a county in Ireland. Ive never heard of it used as a name.

T'wud be like calling her Hertfordshire

I like the following:

Sinead
Orlagh
Brianna
Kathleen ( or with a C)
Mary-Ann (used a lot in Ireland)
Megan
Fiona
Darcy
Claire

If Irish names are so hideous why don't you leave them for people who actually like them and go elsewhere for your names? What an odd and frankly quite insulting question.

MrsWalton

Actually Laoise is a more simplified spelling and pronunciation of a name that also has other forms - e.g. Labhaoise, Luiseach.

I just remembered why I went off the name in the first place - DH said "as in Port Laoise?"

Caitlin is pronounced as (Katelyn). Or you could always go for Mary or Maria.

I had the same problem. Have 3 boys with Irish names and one girl with an English name because I couldn't come up with anything I liked. However, I love Fionnula (or however it is spelt) and was going to name dc4 that but he turned out to be a boy.

Insulting to whom? Are you insulted or just looking for a row?

Dumbledoresgirl I used not like Fionnuala, but I've really come around to it since my cousin used it (well Finola, which I like even better) for her DD.

But now there is a little Fin, so it's out for me.

Good to know I'm not the only one with this preference. I could easily name 3 boys

Ciara?

Alannah is the only Irish name I would consider using. I am Irish and living in Ireland btw!

Here are some of my dc's classmates:
Aine [aw-nya]
Aisling [ash-ling]
Dearbhla [dare-vla]
Caoimhe [queeva]

Ah shame that your cousin got in there first. I was determined to have a Fin, no matter what the sex of my last child (have a Finbar instead).

honeydew - Fiona is Scottish.

Friends/family names:

Orla
Aisling
Clodagh
Catriona
Bronagh
Niamh
Ciara (not sure how they all spell it)
Aileen

Caitlin is nice but very popular.

Sinead?

Knew a girl called Darina - not sure if that is Irish though.

I do know what you mean about ugly ones though! There are a few.

I love Roisin and Sorcha.

How about Tara, Ciara, Mhairi?

Saidbe (SIGH-eve) - it's a strong name.

How do you pronounce Clodagh? Doesn't look nice written down but you never know...

If you can't see that the way you worded this question is ignorant at best... Irish names are the way they are because of the Irish language, which I asume you think is ugly too. So I repeat, if Irish names are so ugly then why worry your little head about them?

Go for Niamh spelled Neve and maybe you'll be able to cope with that. It's not too tricky for you. .