We love an aul Irish moniker around here. Judging from the comments on every Irish baby name piece we produce, so do you guys.
My own parents were partial to an Irish name for their kids too: Niall, Crea, Fergal, and my own, Sive. I don’t think any of us have ha s a day when we weren’t called Neil, Fergus, Ciara, and Sieve. I really hated my name growing up – I longed for something exotic and 1980s and of years requested people call me Kim instead of Sive. These days, however, I love my name. I can appreciate the roots and uniqueness of the name and its link to one of the best Irish plays of the 20th Century. What I don’t appreciate is people telling me I have spelled it wrong, though, or anglicised it – it’s after the John B.Keane play title, and that’s good enough for me.
Disclaimer: Every time we write about Irish baby names, it proves virtually impossible to satisfy everyone’s staunchly held views on correct pronunciation and spelling. So apologies in advance: If your pronunciation or spelling differs from ours – as any Sadhbh or Sive or Saibh or Sadbh will tell you: it’s not always easy to settle on the definitive spelling or pronunciation for names, and any parent is entitled to spell or pronounce their Irish name in whichever way they damn well please!
Irish names, as suggested by our readers:
Céri
How it should be pronounced (I think): Kerry.
Meaning: An old celtic name meaning ‘to love.’
Rioghnach or Rionadh
How it should be pronounced (I think): Ree-na.
Meaning: Royal.
Éimhín
How it should be pronounced (I think): Evan.
Meaning: Swift and active.
Conchubhar or Conchúr
How it should be pronounced (I think): Conor.
Meaning: Lover of canines.
Róise
How it should be pronounced (I think): ‘ro-cha or ‘row-sha’.
Meaning: Little rose.
Aedammair or Aodhaimair or Adhémar
How it should be pronounced (I think): A-de-mar.
Meaning: Fire or flame.
Fíadh
How it should be pronounced (I think): F-I-A.
Meaning: Wild/wilderness/land or territory.
Daimhín
How it should be pronounced (I think): Daw-Veen.
Meaning: Little deer.
Sibéal
How it should be pronounced (I think): Shib-ale.
Meaning: God is my oath, Irish form of Isabel.
Odhrán
How it should be pronounced (I think): Or-awn.
Meaning: Little pale green one.
Aodha
How it should be pronounced (I think): A-da.
Meaning: Fire or fiery.
Éadaoin
How it should be pronounced (I think): Aideen.
Meaning: Derived from Étaín – in Irish mythology she was a sun and horse goddess who was the lover of Midir.
Or one of these from the original HerFamily.ie post:
Seanán
How it should be pronounced (I think): Well I knew one Seanán who called himself ‘Shinawn’, but I’ve also heard it pronounced ‘Shawnawn’!
Meaning: Diminutive of Seán, Irish version of John.
Eoghan
How it should be pronounced (I think): Oh-win.
Meaning: Born of the Yew tree (appara).
Coillte
How it should be pronounced (I think): Qweelche (let the berating of my attempt to pronounce Coillte commence in the comments!).
Meaning: Forrest.
Líadain
How it should be pronounced (I think): Lea-dan or Lea-dawn – again I know two people who say their names differently.
Meaning: Grey lady.
Raghnall
How it should be pronounced: To rhyme with urinal.
Meaning: Strong.
Clodagh
How it should be pronounced: Clo-dah.
Meaning: Irish river name.
Aoibheann
Meaning: Fair or beautiful.
How it should be pronounced: Ave-een or Eve-een.
Tadhg
Meaning: Poet, philosopher.
How it should be pronounced: Ty-ge.
Sinéad
Meaning: God is gracious.
How it should be pronounced: Shin-ade.
Do you have an unusual Irish name? Tell us about the crimes against your moniker in the comments…
