The most unusual Irish name you ever came across

ordinary_girl

Gobnait and Connall.

I can relate to the issues people have with pronounciations when they go abroad, my name is all Irish (but anglicized) and especially in England they find it really hard to pronounce. I'd actually love to change my name completely into Irish, because I just don't like having my name anglicized, but I'm not sure how to go about doing that and it'd probably make me look a bit cnuty as I'm in no way fluent in Irish! :pac:

Kojak

Swash wrote: »

Probably Caoilfhaoinn (or something along those lines, think it translates to Kevin?)

I thought the irish for Kevin was Caoimhínn?

Abi

Don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but Beibhinn. I kinda like it though.

Aoifey!

I know plenty of Aoife's (myself included ), but recently I've met someone whose name is pronounced the same as Aoife, but spelled Aoibhe. I thought it was a little odd.

Abi

Aoifey! wrote: »

I know plenty of Aoife's (myself included ), but recently I've met someone whose name is pronounced the same as Aoife, but spelled Aoibhe. I thought it was a little odd.

I'd have thought that would have had more of an 'Ava' pronunciation. If my rusty recollection of the Irish language serves me, I think the 'bh' should be pronunciated with a 'v' sound.

Raic

Kojak wrote: »

I thought the irish for Kevin was Caoimhínn?

If anything "Kevin" is the English for "Caoimhín" as it's a transliteration of the Irish name... not the other way around. "Caoilfhionn", which comes from the words caol (slender) and fionn (fair-haired) doesn't bare any relation to "Kevin" as far as I know.

ordinary_girl wrote: »

I'd actually love to change my name completely into Irish, because I just don't like having my name anglicized, but I'm not sure how to go about doing that and it'd probably make me look a bit cnuty as I'm in no way fluent in Irish!

You could just learn Irish, you know! It doesn't have to be like school

Aoifey!

Abi wrote: »

I'd have thought that would have had more of an 'Ava' pronunciation. If my rusty recollection of the Irish language serves me, I think the 'bh' should be pronunciated with a 'v' sound.

That's what I thought too, I saw it written before I met her in person and called her Ava/Eva for the night, but she she said it was pronounced the same as Aoife.

Abi

Aoifey! wrote: »

That's what I thought too, I saw it written before I met her in person and called her Ava/Eva for the night, but she she said it was pronounced the same as Aoife.

Sounds like her parentals made a boo-boo on that one. The name I mentioned before Beibhinn, wasy pronouced 'Bayvinn', with the 'bh' causing the 'V' sound.


/shrug

Raic

Aoifey! wrote: »

That's what I thought too, I saw it written before I met her in person and called her Ava/Eva for the night, but she she said it was pronounced the same as Aoife.

It should be the same as Aoife except the f sound should be replaced by a v sound... So in English it would be written something like "EE-vuh" (the "uh" bit representing a neutral vowel sound).

Aoifey!

Abi wrote: »

Sounds like her parentals made a boo-boo on that one. The name I mentioned before Beibhinn, wasy pronouced 'Bayvinn', with the 'bh' causing the 'V' sound.


/shrug

Tut tut, messing up their daughter's name

I always found the name Beibhinn hard to pronounce for some reason. There was a girl in my old school with that name and I used to avoid calling her by name in case I said it wrong.

My sister's name is Oonagh, people are always getting confused with it as it's normally spelled Una.

Raic wrote: »

It should be the same as Aoife except the f sound should be replaced by a v sound... So in English it would be written something like "EE-vuh" (the "uh" bit representing a neutral vowel sound).

So more like Eva than Aoife? That's what I thought too.

Raic

Aoifey! wrote: »

So more like Eva than Aoife? That's what I thought too.

Yep, here's the IPA ə] for anyone who's wondering.

Aoifey!

Raic wrote: »

Yep, here's the IPA ə] for anyone who's wondering.

Hmm, guess the girl I know just pronounces it funny so

AgileMyth

Frogdog wrote: »

I've the fourth generation Ulick in my family. My first born son, if I ever have one, will be Ulick or Uilleag too, despite the future mother's protests! He'll grow up with a thick skin like his father. Sticks and stones can break my bones..........

Life ain't easy for a boy named Ulick.
You should write a song.

bermia

Naoise is a BOYS name. I have two sons, Ferdia and Naoise (just like Enda Kenny apparently) and it drives me bonkers when Naoise is used as a girls name. Back off!!

Frogdog

Pandora2 wrote: »

One of the nicest people I know is called Ulick...I really like it as a name:D

Thanks, I doubt it's me you're referring to though! :P

AgileMyth wrote: »

Life ain't easy for a boy named Ulick.
You should write a song.

Ya, guess what song was going through my head as I was typing that out?! :pac:

Geansai Rua

My first born daughter will be called Realtin.. Is there a fada somewhere there? Just to be sure!! Also like Ruairi for a boy. That's not as unusual though..

I know of a Maoliosa and a Caomhinn.

ordinary_girl

Raic wrote: »

You could just learn Irish, you know! It doesn't have to be like school

Might go live in the Gaeltacht for a bit like Des Bishop! Haha.

Charliesha

My name "Séarlait" .. Ive never found anyone else with it yet :S

Boxfresh

My name is URL wrote: »

Proinsias always struck me as an odd name..

What an amazing name though

Agus

Geansai Rua wrote: »

My first born daughter will be called Realtin.. Is there a fada somewhere there? Just to be sure!! Also like Ruairi for a boy. That's not as unusual though..

I know of a Maoliosa and a Caomhinn.

Yes there are 2 fadas and also there's an i before the l (caol le caol). The spelling is "Réailtín".

Bod the Munster one!

rebel without a clue wrote: »

name on a form today-mr. goodhand seabury. cant get my head around it.

haha i know him !! mad west cork guy!

AnalogueKid

PhoenixParker wrote: »

And how many Aoibheanns and Tadhgs are on the 1911 census for instance?
For all the traditional irishness of it, there's only one Niamh documented, and judging from the entry, Dublin based enthusiastic Gaelgoirs were responsible.

Traditional Irish names are derived from traditional Irish fairytales. Cinderella and Rapunzel don't qualify as traditional names either. Irish names are lovely names, but they're also a rather modern innovation.

If you want a really traditional Irish name, pick a saints name.

It really depends on how far you want to go back, describing a name as 'really traditional' is a bit of a pointless exercise. Most Saints' names, unless they're Irish-born saints, are cognates of names of Hebraic, Latin and Persian origin.

Most names inscribed on Ogham stones (of ancient Goidelic Celtic origin, not even Brythonic) have completely disappeared leaving no present-day equivalent. My favourite Ogham name is Paan.

My favourite name of relatively recent Irish origin is Marmaduke. You'll either end up penniless and crazy or eccentric and filthy rich with a name like that.

Jimoslimos

buzsywuzsy wrote: »

I didn't see the name Naoise mentioned- Can be used for both male/female.
Pronounced Nay-sha- Boy
Nee- sha- Girl

Yeah, I've come across Naoise (Nee-sha) for a guy

also Aoibheann (sp) pronounced Aw-veen

Captain Darling

I knew a guy called Eanas. Pronounced like anus. What the hell were his parents thinking?!

plein de force

gubnet

electrictrad

Gearóidín or Gormlaith. . .serious amount of the names, and most of them unusual, yet great names tbf. . .

newmug

My name is Daithi. Havent seen it mentioned here at all. I've never, ever, had any trouble with it, everybody seems to know a Daithi.

Edinduberdeen

Jimoslimos wrote: »

also Aoibheann (sp) pronounced Aw-veen

or even EVE-inn.

lemonjelly

Went to school with a Seamus O' Rian.

Just pure leper caunism

Have met people called:
Saidhbhín
Aifric
Fiachra
Óisín
Daire
Ronán

Love Réiltín as a name for a girl. But does it not work for a boy as it's the translation of Asterix?