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Irish boy names

46 replies

Newhousewhodis · 21/03/2023 17:46

Hiya,

Looking for suggestions for traditional Irish boy names. Something a bit unusual, but that won’t be difficult for non-Irish people to spell or pronounce, ideally. Current favourite is ‘Orin’, if that gives a big of a steer.

Ideally, nothing that begins with a C or a D.

Thoughts?

OP posts:
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Londonmama85 · 21/03/2023 19:29

My 3 year old DS is called Cillian (husband is Irish) and he always gets so many compliments on his name. We live in London and it’s rarely mispronounced.

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Londonmama85 · 21/03/2023 19:30

Just seeing you don’t want anything beginning with a C! Woops!

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Fivemoreminutes1 · 21/03/2023 19:34

Blaine
Ennis
Larkin
Rafferty
Phinean
Quillen
Fallon
Fionn

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georgethegeranium456 · 21/03/2023 20:10

Oisin.
Shay/ Shea.
Tadgh.
Eoin.

I know you said no C's but Ciaran is a fabulous name!

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Saltnpepperr · 21/03/2023 20:12

Senan

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WombatBombat · 21/03/2023 20:14

Lochlan.

DH preferred the Scottish version so we went with that.

Also liked Lorcan, Ronan, Rohan & Flynn (although not Irish, has that feel).

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weegiemum · 21/03/2023 21:09

We have an Aidan, you could use the Aodhan spelling if you wanted?

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FawnDrench · 21/03/2023 21:21

Eamonn

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Newhousewhodis · 21/03/2023 22:37

Thanks, all. I think Oisin is my favourite out of all the current suggestions.

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Garman · 21/03/2023 22:44

Orin isn’t an Irish spelling, it’s Odhran, or less so Oran.

Éanna, Enda, Ronan, Seamus, Fergal, Fergus, Ferdia, Colm, Cormac I know you said ideally no C’s.

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user1492757084 · 22/03/2023 07:53

Oisin is lovely.
Aran afterAran Islands
Alan
Nolan
Arlen
Barry
Bowie
Fergus
Flynn
Gillon
Harkin
Lachlan
Nigel
Padraig
Roark
Ronan
Tavish
Thomas
Strahan
Tully
Tyrone

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Garman · 22/03/2023 07:55

What’s a Roark? You know lots of them are not Irish?

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NaomhPadraigin · 22/03/2023 08:04

There's so many names here that are NOT Irish names 😖 where did you even find them??

Oisin is lovely.
Aran afterAran Islands (forcing it a bit here)
Alan
Nolan
Arlen
Barry (can be short for Finbarr)
Bowie
Fergus
Flynn
Gillon
Harkin
Lachlan
Nigel
Padraig
Roark
Ronan
Tavish
Thomas
Strahan
Tully
Tyrone

@Newhousewhodis Orin should be spelt Odhrán or Orange.
Other names to consider; Seán, Séamus, Tomás, Lorcan, Eoin, Fionn, Liam, Aidan, Níall

Everything else I can think of right now starts with C or D.

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NaomhPadraigin · 22/03/2023 08:06

Orán, not Orange obviously 🙄
Think I picked up most of the order autocorrects, but missed this one 😬

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romdowa · 22/03/2023 08:17

You want a traditional Irish name , thats unusual but you don't want to use the traditional spellings? Sounds like irish names just really aren't your thing then

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Snugglemonkey · 22/03/2023 08:23

Orin is awful. I do not think there is a problem with people using Irish names, but the misspelling is just cringy. There is already an anglecised version in Oran (which I also wouldn't use) but the name is Odhrán.

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Snugglemonkey · 22/03/2023 08:25

user1492757084 · 22/03/2023 07:53

Oisin is lovely.
Aran afterAran Islands
Alan
Nolan
Arlen
Barry
Bowie
Fergus
Flynn
Gillon
Harkin
Lachlan
Nigel
Padraig
Roark
Ronan
Tavish
Thomas
Strahan
Tully
Tyrone

Some of these are just abominations! Not Irish at all.

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Snugglemonkey · 22/03/2023 08:27

romdowa · 22/03/2023 08:17

You want a traditional Irish name , thats unusual but you don't want to use the traditional spellings? Sounds like irish names just really aren't your thing then

Totally this. Anything else iscultural misappropriation and kind of offensive.

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Mouk · 22/03/2023 08:59

Macdara
Fionn
Iarlaith
Eoghan/Eoin
Fiachra
Ruadhan
Risteard
Tadhg
Gearoid
Aodh
Garvan
Seosamh
Setanta
Shay
Sean
Stiofan
Senan

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Sofiatheworst · 22/03/2023 09:59

Fintan or Seamus are my favourites

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MrsMariaReynolds · 22/03/2023 10:06

Liam
Cillian
Niall
Brendan? A bit old fashioned, but bound to make a comeback after the Oscars (2 of them nominated) this year.

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Newhousewhodis · 22/03/2023 10:13

romdowa · 22/03/2023 08:17

You want a traditional Irish name , thats unusual but you don't want to use the traditional spellings? Sounds like irish names just really aren't your thing then

that won’t be difficult for non-Irish people to spell or pronounce

As evidenced by the suggestions I’ve revised, lots of traditional Irish names fit the bill. At no point have I said I don’t want to use traditional spellings, but thanks for your input.

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Newhousewhodis · 22/03/2023 10:17

Snugglemonkey · 22/03/2023 08:27

Totally this. Anything else iscultural misappropriation and kind of offensive.

Show quote history

Please see my response above.

Also, as the baby is going to be half Irish, the idea that this is cultural appropriation (not misappropriation) is bizarre. Are you even Irish, or do you just hang about MN threads in the hope you’ll get the opportunity to take offence on other people’s behalf?

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Newhousewhodis · 22/03/2023 10:21

Suggestions are great, thanks. Oisin still my favourite, I think. And I like Orán.

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SageRosemary · 22/03/2023 11:13

Orin is not an Irish boys name.
Odhran, or Oran would be acceptable.
Orán - you've put in an accent which would make the pronunciation entirely different. An Irish person might think you were talking about bread (arán).

If you want the name to be authentically Irish, you will need to include only the following letters - a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u. All of the vowels may have a síneadh fada - this will change the pronunciation. Definite NO to J, K, Q, V, W, X, Y, Z

@Fivemoreminutes1 and @user1492757084 have given some interesting suggestions - which look like they are pulled from an American website, most of them are bastardised versions of Irish surnames. Nigel gave me a fit of the giggles!

@Mouk has done better but has missed out on a síneadh fada here and there.

Keep it simple, use a name which does not require an accent if you are living in the UK

My suggestion is Fionn

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