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)

Ashley's List

Ashley emailed me a couple weeks ago, our mutual friend Kimm hooked us up--at least if it's Kimm from Michigan, otherwise I have no idea.

Ashley has two children, Reileigh Marie and Reece Gavin. They are expecting baby in early fall. She likes the idea of another R name but they can't seem to find or agree on any R boy names. Her girl names are Reaghan and Reanna and she likes Dixon and Mason for boy names. I really like Dixon (it's not in the top 1000! Bonus!).

I tried to look for R girl names that were of English/Irish/Welsh origin to mesh with Reileigh and Reece but I only found a couple. I liked a ton of R boy names though.

Girl suggestions:
Raina
Rhiannon (good song by Fleetwood Mac, too)
Romy
Rowan
Ryanne

Adair
Ainsley
Bailey
Caitlin
Carrigan
Claire
Darby
Darcy
Delaney
Ellery
Finley
Kennedy
Madigan
Maeve
McKenna
Sloane

Boy suggestions:

Ralston
Remington
Rhett
Roland
Rollin
Ronan
Rory
Rourke
Ryder

Archer
Ardan
Carter
Declan
Donavon
Keane
Killian
Owen
Meade
Sullivan

I think baby #3 needs a strong 1 or 2 syllable name. It all depends if you like the sounds of all the names together, I suggest yelling "Reileigh, Reece and Seraphina!" and compare it to "Reileigh, Reece and Maeve!" :) Let me know if I came up with any names you may work with.