How do you work out Irish second names?

Cnoc16 · 10-03-2006 11:16pm #1

From the outset, I want to state that I'm not fluent in Irish, but I am learning, and my daughter is enrolled in a gaelscoil, so I'm really trying to learn.

The thing is - her name. We nomally use the English version, but will be changing that with the gaelscoil.

My name in Irish is Ó Báille.

Is my daughters Irish name Ní Bháille, or Úi Bháille? ... What is the difference.

Also!!

My wife:

is she Nic Bháille.

How do I work it out

is_that_so · 10-03-2006 11:22pm

Ni/Nic is unmarried
Ui is Mrs

So your kid is Ni or Nic and your wife is Ui
I'd say that your kid is Ni Bhaille, Nic is less common . From my own memory and open to correction on this Nic tends to be followed by a vowel sound although you also get it with Fitzgerald - NicGearailt.

Gael · 11-03-2006 6:30pm

'Ní' corresponds to 'Ó' i.e. Ó Murchú/Ní Mhurchú

'Nic' corresponds to 'Mac' i.e. Mac Suibhne/Nic Suibhne

'Ní' will take a séimhiú(.i.e. 'h') where possible and 'Nic' will not.

So to summarise,

You are X Ó Báille

Your wife is X Uí Bháille

your daughter is X Ní Bháille

and if you were to have a son he would be X Ó Báille

How do you work out Irish second names?

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