Saturday, October 10, 2009

An Apology and Irish Names

I have not touched this blog in months. I went to post the link on a board today and freaked out because I thought it had been removed. I couldn't even remember my own link. Fail. As if working full time hadn't been enough of a time sucker, I'm taking 6 graduate credits this semester. I've been slowly but surely working on this MA in English for three years now and I still have at least two years left of part time classes. However, by the end of the semester I shall have an awesome list called Faulkner names since we are reading NINE William Faulkner novels back to back. I really liked Quentin, Cash, Candace/Caddy and Cora (from The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying). It's sad that while I read these novels I make little notes regarding names. Ah hell, I have a paper due Monday. There goes what little weekend I had.

Anyway, I've been playing around with Irish-Celtic names lately and here are some of the more unique but definitely usable ones I've found, along with their SSI ranking.

Cara (463)
Deira (pronounced dare-uh, n/a)
Maeve (638)
Mairead (Maw-reed or may-reed, Gaelic form of Margaret, n/a)
Miren (n/a)
Neala (n/a)
Neave (n/a)

Arden (n/a)
Declan (347)
Desmond (413)
Eamon (n/a)
Finn (368)
Keane (n/a)
Kian (pronounced like Ian, but with a K, 607)
Malachy (n/a)
Quinlan (n/a)
Teague (n/a)
Vaughn (846)

13 comments:

Jane and Matt said...

I knew you would be back! I babysat an Eamon before. Sounds even better when Irish people say it.

guinness416 said...

Few quibbles on the spelling here, not that it really matters for the more, uh, made up names that tend to be popular these days. It's typically spelled Dara (or Daragh for the boys) and Daire is not uncommon either. For Neala, I think you mean Nuala, which is common in Ireland if a bit old fashioned. And Neave is of course Niamh.

For Teague I think you mean Tadhg/Teigh (pronounced Thige) which is coming back into fashion in Ireland. And Kian, as Cian, is an evergreen top of the charts name back home. Quinlan and Finn are more plastic paddy than Irish, but trendy sounding anyway. Hope that helps!

Ireland released our latest baby names list a couple of months ago which you might like exploring. Here's a link (pdf):
http://www.cso.ie/releasespublications/documents/births_d_m/current/babynames.pdf

Anonymous said...

Looking for a place to email a request for HELP to name our baby! Is there an email address or do we just write it in the comments section??

Laura said...

You can always tell when some one is Irish, beacuse of there name (that and the accent). I think Neave is qute cute, perhaps for a middle name. I also lke Arden and Declan!

theresa said...

Guinness416--I know it's not generally spelled Deira, I should have made a note. My great aunt's name is Deira and for some reason or another, my great grandparents decided to spell it that way. I wonder if they were trying to feminize it since it was a popular boys' name?

Thanks for the notes and traditional spellings. :)

die Königin said...

I had a friend with a wise perspective on Irish names. As someone with Irish relatives she said she would never use an ethnic Irish name because her Irish relatives would perceive it as inauthentic. I agree and feel Americans, even Irish-Americans, should stick with the more Americanized Irish names: Bridget, Erin, Molly, Sean.

Ty said...

Please, whatever you do, do not name your child some clever (in your mind) gaelic name. I have lived with my middle name "Teigh" for the past quarter century and it has been nothing but a burden for me to bear. Constantly having to inform people of pronunciation is not something a grade school child should have to do. My parents were insane enough to want to actually CALL me by my middle name, so it has stuck. I now go by "Ty" by my own preference because it is easier to say and explain.

I appreciate my Irish heritage, but naming a child is not a joke. If you want to name your child Moon Unit, you better back it up with a multi-million dollar inheritance.

If you have any sort of compassion, please, do not do unto your child as my parents have done to me.

Anonymous said...

Definitely name your child Moon Unit. Or Diezel Ky. Either one will fit you into a world of creative children names that will show up on top 50 lists all over the interwebsnet

Kyle said...

Don't forget Max Fightmaster.

Unknown said...

I am currently in love with Saoirse (seer-sha). I would only use it as a middle name, I think, because of the spelling and pronunciation issues. Good luck with your pregnancy!

Unknown said...
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harsha vardhani said...

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Unknown said...

You have shared good information and nice names. Though I am looking for male english names but I really like Irish names you have shared. I like Cara and Diera.