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Baby names

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Original poster

Orla Obrien - too irish

52 replies

vickyob · 24/04/2010 18:44

DS has choosen Daisy as a middle name so it would be Orla Daisy O'brien. We arent Irish so no accents to deal with. This is the only name DH has suggested that I dont hate or is too popular (Olivia, Emily etc)

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Rockbird · 24/04/2010 21:03

I guess Paddy comes from Patrick and, well, you know the rest .

I think he was adopted. Not sure where he came from though.

pregnantpeppa · 24/04/2010 21:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mathanxiety · 24/04/2010 21:07

Patrick comes from whatever the Latin for patrician was -- apparently he was a Roman or Romanised Briton, living in an area the Irish used to raid for slaves, booty, etc. He was kidnapped by Niall of the Nine Hostages and set to work as a slave herding sheep or goats on a mountainside in Ireland.

NiallOfTheNineHostages · 24/04/2010 21:14

Do you like my new name?

MaisietheMorningsideCat · 24/04/2010 21:16

Are you Irish?

padraig · 24/04/2010 21:42

I do like my name (yes I'm also know as paddy...) and have no problem being Irish, it's just a pet hate when people think that I'm Irish by virtue of being called Patrick.

I can just feel that any future children shall be appropriated for my cause and shall be given Indian/African/Russian/Oriental names just so people will realise that these 'ancestral' names aren't always ancestral

"NO my dp is NOT from India just because my son's name is Ravi!!"

Oh my poor hypothetical minions children.

mathanxiety · 24/04/2010 21:54

Now that's a name, NOTNH

MaisietheMorningsideCat · 24/04/2010 21:56

But you are Irish!!

jenduff · 24/04/2010 22:00

No such thing as too Irish.

Lovely name - one of DDs favourite friends is called Orla and her siblings have lovely Irish names too.

CuppaTeaJanice · 24/04/2010 22:07

Orla O'Brien would be anglicised Irish.

True Irish would be Orlaith for the first name, then something that sounds like Nach Briene for the surname, as she is female (never seen it written down but my friend with the same surname explained it to me once). I'm sure there is an Irish mumsnetter who can tell you the correct spelling.

Not sure that Daisy goes particularly well though.

NiallOfTheNineHostages · 25/04/2010 09:26

If you want to be correct:

Orfhlaith Ni Bhriain.

( chipmonkey here by the way!)

Niallsangel · 25/04/2010 09:47

I have a baby Orla with a Mc surname asleep next to me as I type! There just aren't enough Orla's in my opinion
My husband is Irish but we live in England and used the English spelling.
I would say that it's probably the O and O' in your name that makes it difficult, especially when it isn't said in an Irish accent.
Also are you prepared that you will in a lot of cases explain why you chose the name (think this is the same with lots of names though - everyone has an opinion).
If you are worried about it being too Irish then be aware that there can be prejudice with Irish names and you have to be prepared to shrug it off and be proud of your choice. The best one to date is "why are you giving her a Fenian name?" said by an ex forces colleague.

Depending where you live though, the first name on it's own isn't immediately recognised as Irish - more people think she's named after the dancer on Strictly!

5DollarShake · 25/04/2010 09:54

I'm surprised I didn't think of this sooner, but it just goes to show how much of a big it isn't.

My brother and I both have very VERY Scottish names. Take one of the most well-known Scottish boys' names and add a very well-known McSurname onto it, and do the same for a girls' name. My Dad's name is so Scottish, he shares it with a well-known historic Scot (Rob (Roy) McGregor).

Our Scottish connection is at least 8 generations back, probably more like 9 or 10. We all grew up in NZ, and I so, so rarely get called on my Scottish name, neither does my brother - most likely not having a Scottish accent clues most people in.

Orla is a beautiful name and I think it sounds lovely with O'Brien. I now have a nice Irish surname myself, thanks to DH.

Niallsangel · 25/04/2010 10:04

PS I would have had Patrick had Orla been a Ds so you have great taste in names!

chaya5738 · 25/04/2010 10:36

What about Orli? It means "my light" in Hebrew.

I think Orla is lovely and not being from the UK originally I don't understand the concern about sounding too Irish.

Magaly · 25/04/2010 15:24

I don't think it sounds like an alcoholic flower seller as I don't associate Irish with alcoholism........ but to give you a helpful anwer, I wouldn't feel I was clutching at straws assuming she were Irish. Which is no big deal if she is Irish, but she's not. My own name isn't even a tenth as Irish as Orla O'Brien!

Magaly · 25/04/2010 15:28

Patrick is only Irish in the way that Andrew is Scottish. Obviously it's popular in Ireland. But I would have thought that it was a classic name in the UK as well. And not 'too Irish' for general use. I don't ask every Andrew I meet if he is Scottish! Nor do I assume every David is Welsh.

I love the name Patrick. It's a great classic and underused in the UK (imo).

Magaly · 25/04/2010 15:30

There is such thing as "not Irish enough" though which is what I felt growing up in Ireland.

Magaly · 25/04/2010 15:31

chipmonkey, are you pg again?

StrictlyKatty · 25/04/2010 15:32

I think it sounds really really beautiful. I absolutely LOVE it. I know so many O'brien's who are barely Irish at all that it would not lead me to think you were 100% Irish even with Orla. Orla is just such a stunning name!

I'm very shocked that tartyhighheels would actually say 'far far far too Irish' as if there is something wrong with being Irish! That's actually quite offensive really

NiallOfTheNineHostages · 25/04/2010 22:58

Magaly, no I'm not! Why does my belly look big in this name?

Magaly · 25/04/2010 23:10

No! You look like a sleb in her size 8s in that name!

I added 2+2 and got five. I think there are more than 2 people in the World with four children and very good Irish!

MrsOB · 28/04/2010 15:36

Hi

I know I'm late to the party, but my surname is O'Brien too and Orla is on our shortlist for girls names .... LOVE IT. And if she turns out to be an alcoholic flower seller at least my house will be full of blooms and gin .

We also have Aoife on our shortlist but I think that absolutely nobody would be able to pronounce it!!!!

BTW, I'm English, my husband is Irish.

GreenwichB · 30/04/2010 23:01

I'm Irish and my husband is English. I have a great time getting him to pronounce Irish names or watching him having a go at spelling them. Aoife came out as Eifa last week and someone just joined his company called Dearbhaile (pron. Dervalla).

Orla is lovely and the spelling is obvious enough for it not to cause pronunciation problems I should think - I wouldn't call a child Orlaith or Orlagh in the UK as frankly in my experience it's just plain irritating to have to spell your name every time you leave a message with someone.

For the earlier poster - if memory serves Mc and O before a name mean "Son of" so in Gaelic Irish girls are usually referred to as "Ni', in this case, Ni Bhrian - daughter of Brian

booboomonster · 01/05/2010 08:03

I like it! My DH is Irish too, and we are O'Bs (and he's a Paddy!). He vetoed Orla. We are still undecided and due this month! I know what u mean Vickyob, I was anxious that people might think that LO was Irish and be a bit disappointed on meeting her that she/he was a boring Brit!
Ultimately, if you like it you should go with it. It does sound Irish, but so what? And it's easy to spell and pronounce. (and my own name is neither, but it's never been a prob, plus my surname is welsh. And that's been ok). Maybe we think about this stuff too much. Now I just need to get a name for this next one .....