Pronunciation of Name Dearbhla

Sheona

Dearbhail / Dearbhal / Dearbhla / Deirbhile

Had always thought Dearbhla was pronounced as "Derv-la" (only two syllables), as have read this on many Irish name websites. I came across a post which states it is actually "dare + villa" (three syllables). There is also a website that allows you to listen to Frank McCourt pronounce certain Irish names and he, too, says "dare-villa".

Many thanks for your help and I am very sorry for my ignorance.

hullaballoo

It depends on where you are from. It is the same for many other names, including common ones like Sorcha and Saoirse. Saoirse Ronan apparently pronounces her name, "Saoirse, like inertia" but many others would pronounce it totally differently.

Some language puritans will have different things to say about this, but I don't think there is an incorrect way of pronouncing a name. It's a given name; it's up to the person to whom it is given how it is pronounced.

syklops

Im in the Derv-la and Seer-sha camp.








*An if Frank McCourt jumped off a cliff, would you celebrate too? I would.

seamus

Sir-sha/Seer-sha I think is just differences in regional pronunciation, since saoirse is also a word. In the same way that some people say vee-ickle and others say veh-hickle.

Dearbhla & Deirbhile I would pronounce differently, since the second one ends with "ile" I would pronounce it Derv-ill-ah, the first one just Derv-la