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

I love Saoirse and Aoife and Siobhan too

MissyBellatrix

My sister and I were talking about Caoilfhinn - she loves it. I like it too, but the proper pronunciation is tricky and so it won't work for my purposes. I don't really like Keelin (or variations) as an alternative, it would have to be Caoilfhinn or nothing.

cikecaka

Where I live Caoimhe is pronounced KI-VA, but where I'm from it's QUEE-VA. Both lovely I think.

LOL @ the Fiona conundrum - it's so controversial. I've always thought it was Scottish too, but who knows, a lot of the names are very similar, e.g. Catriona/Caitríona

I'm surprised so many people like Sorcha (pronounced close to Surruka) - with my English ears on it's about as ugly a name as I can imagine.

I love Clodagh. My dd could have been Clodagh Maeve if I'd gone for an Irish name.

If you are living in England, I'd go for something like Roisin. If she wants to, she can introduce herself as Rosie.

I also like Aine which can be pronounced quite like Anya, although a little more like a cross between awnya and onya.

Cara is nice and doesn't have to have a gh on the end. That can make it look uglier imo.

Cara, Brona, Dervla, Orla... they all look better without the gh on the end. Although that's just my opinion. You see them without the gh in Ireland too, so there's no LAW that you must have the gh at the end.

Caoimhe and Aoife are very popular here. I like Aisling and Sinead but they sound a bit dated to me. I suppose out of Ireland that matters less.

Clodagh is lovely. I vote for Clodagh Maeve.

Dervla?
Allanah?

I love Maeve. I love how it looks.

I really don't like Maeve. I don't know why, it's a great, strong name for a woman but it has never appealed to me, even as a child.

Funny isn't it? Actually I never liked it as a child either and then I temped at a company and the girl who showed me the ropes was called Maeve and she was gorgeous - very attractive. I like the name ever since!

Someone further up the thread said they loved the name Grainne. I never liked that. Even have a good friend with the name and still don't like it.

Yes, some of my family think that Gráinne sounds like gránna (horrible, ugly), but I've never had that association and I think it's quite nice.

No, not a fan of Grainne either. It just sounds too like Groin to me.

My British DH calls my friend Grainey. He can't get his head around the pronunciation.

Sorry Skidoodle, didn't notice you were the OP when I was writing my post. You don't need my pronounciation guide!

Aislinn is pretty.
And I love Aoife, but I already have an Evie, so it is too similar to have used for dd2, although I love the name!

Sorry Skidoodle, didn't notice you were the OP when I was writing my post. You don't need my pronounciation guide!

I love Irish girls names. So very beautiful.

How about Caoimhe (Kwee-va), sometimes anglicised to Keava or Keavey?

Ailis (Eye-leesh)

Aine (ee-na)

Liadan (Lee-ah-dan) - after the great Irish poetess - I loved this

Mairead (Murade)

I know a gorgeous, Amazonian Irish woman called Aifric which literally means Africa in old Gaelic. Beautiful.

A quick list of me and my kin.....

Aine - not pronounced as you say MrsMattie. It's Awnya. I claim authority as it's my name

Aoife
Caoimhe
Emir
Aoibheann
Ciara
Nuala
Roisin
Maeve
Bronagh
Ailbhe (pronounced Ail-va)

One of my favourites is Caireann - pronounced Care-in - beautiful. Also love Siofra and Caoilainn (pronounced Keelin).

Ah...interesting. I know an Awnya pronunciation too, but two Ee-na pronunciations, so just went with the one that was used twice

I defer to your pronunciation - though

To be different you could go for an Irish place name. Some are obvious ie Clare, kerry, Shannon. But you could choose something very different!

Mumfun - I was nearly called Slaine (Slawn-ya) after the river

Prefer Muireann (mwirren)

How about Erin, Aoibhlean (Ave-leen), Caoimhe (pron Keeva), Triona (shortened version of Catriona), Nuala??

I like Irish names, and i have a dd who's Brogan.

we have a cousin Muireann and we used to call her worm
I love Grainne - its the irish for grace
aisling pronounced ash ling
means beautiful dream or vision

Aine (On-ne-ah)

Grainne (gra-ne-ah)

Aisling (Ash-ling)

we have a Ciombhe (pronounced Keeva) in our family. We also have an Aoife (pronounced Ether) in the nursery where we work. Shes such a cute little thing that I cant think of the name without thinking ahhh