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Irish versions of common male names

11 replies

pandavark · 07/01/2010 14:45

I'm a fluent irish speaker, i was just making this list for myself, remembering lads i went to school with. thought i'd share it. there's a few hideous ones in there alright. but some have a nice strong sound to them.

david - daithi (doh-hee)
richard - risteard (rish-tard)
patrick - padraig (pawd-rag)
john - sean
james - seamus (shay-muss)
paul - pol (pole)
peter - peader (pad-er)
henry - anrai (on-ree)
michael - micheal (me-hall)
thomas - tomas (tom-aws)
christopher - christoir (chris-torr)
daniel - domhnall/donal
adam - adamnan (a-dawn-nan)
hugh - aodh (ay)
arthur - art
craig - carraig
charles - searlais (shar-liss)
charles - cathal (ca-hal)
jeremy - dermot
dylan - dillon
edward - eamon (ay-man)
john - eoin (owen)
philip - felim (fay-lim)
william - liam
nicholas - naoise
roger - rory
joseph - seosamh (show-sav)

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kormachameleon · 07/01/2010 14:48

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bellissima · 07/01/2010 14:50

Now, my Irish colleague in Brussels - he who would rant most harshly about names such as Shannon, Tara, Colleen etc - used to claim that the true Irish version of his name - Stephen - was something remarkably like 'Stiff-one'. Hmmm. maybe one can see why his parents chose the other version.

pandavark · 07/01/2010 14:59

haha yes, its stiofan- stiff-on. hilarious
i actually knew of a lad with that name and his second name was o'hardain. hard-on.

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mathanxiety · 07/01/2010 15:11

There's also Eoghan (Eugene) pr Eoin or Owen.
Nollaig is Nicholas, not Naoise. (My least fav Irish name = Nollaig) I'm not sure if Felim and Philip correspond -- thought it was more like Pilib. Also thought Dermot was an anglicised spelling of Diarmuid, not Jeremy.

Stiofan... v funny always.

SE13Mummy · 07/01/2010 17:51

What about Colm?

tjtheminx · 07/01/2010 18:01

Rory/Ruarai?
If this one is a DS I'm definitely having a proper Irish first name.
Keep em coming.

mathanxiety · 07/01/2010 20:16

Tadhg = Timothy

drivingmisscrazy · 07/01/2010 20:27

aodhan = aidan (ay-don)
oisin (o-sheen)
aoghan (ay-gon)

no english equivalents really, but like them, esp the last (it means 'little fire' IIRC)

Wigglesworth · 07/01/2010 20:29

My DS name is on there too (Sean). I love Irish names and I have an Irish background on both sides of the family too.

pixiestix · 07/01/2010 22:08

ROFL at Stiff-on O'Hard-on!
Oh god... and breathe

GrumpyYoungFogey · 09/01/2010 21:43

I remember a Top Tip in Viz, to the effect of advising Irish (of real or plastic variety) parents to call their daughter "Shivorn", to be pronounce See-ob-barn.

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