Irish baby names getting more difficult to pronounce by the day

What exactly is the author of this piece trying to say? Is he/she seriously attempting to make a point that everybody in the world should give their children names whose spellings are easily identifiable to English speaking, English reading third parties? Should all of the Nigerians, Vietnamese, Russians, Middele Easterns, etc., start calling their children "Tom", "Dick" or "Harry"? What a pathetic article and argument. Is the author simply following the "Irish Central" "Paddy Bashing" wagon? By the way, my own two Irish granddaughters are named Caoilinn and Aisling. These names were preferred over Tom and Dick. Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.

its funny how half the dimwits regularly posting on here are so busy arguing with each other they dont focus on the article the discussion is supposed to be about - ye all look like pathetic morons with yer bickering - grow up!! as for the article, i love the less common irish names - i've got a cousin caoimhe and i just love it when friends here are trying to get their heads around how to pronounce it - they love learning and i love explaining :)

It's great that all the Lithuanian, Pakistani and Polish names now common in Ireland are so easy to pronounce.

All these O'Connells and O'Briens calling their kids supposedly Irish names are still happy to keep that ridiculous apostrophe in their surnames.

HEY NOW! I was named Eamon by my Irish Immigrant Father back in the 60's, when I was growing up back in Brooklyn everyone from the teacher to the baker screwed up the pronunciation of my name. it got so bad that I Hated my name, but that was when I was young. Now I wouldn't trade it for the world. who cares if the name is hard to pronounce, DEAL WITH IT! you claim to be Sentient Beings, so use that big brain and LEARN!!!!!!

I so happy that the names of old and their spelling are making a resurgance! Keep our culture out there and what better way than thru a name! Here in Delray Beach, FL a pub had Gaelic lessons every week. It's great and fun and you feel so much more connected to our Holy Land..Ireland!

@SheilaSB May 26, yeah, a lot of Irish place names spoken in English today retain the main thrust of their old Irish version – Meath (Mí), Donegal (Dún na nGall), Kerry (Ciarraí), Clare (Clár), Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh), Louth (Lú). But why anyone would want to name their daughter after a County, as the parent of the writer of the article above did, beats me. I think you are somewhat right though about Baptism and Saints’ name – I was told that, secretly, every boy and girl have their last Baptismal name given by the priest as Mary. A school friend of mine had Mary as his official middle name but hated it and always gave his full name in Irish, using Mhuire for Mary. As far as I know, there is no specific requisite that a child being baptised should have a saint’s name, or that of the saint of the birth or baptismal day, though the Church prefers saints’ names as an honour to holy people of the past.

Thanks to ColmODulacain for that informative post on May 27. I never knew Enniskillen was associated with the name of the Irish goddess Ceithleann.

That's a good point, ancavker. The Irish will go on ad nauseam about far-off countries, such as Tibet or Myanmar. Bono is a case in point. But if an American tries to talk about Ireland, North or South...?

Actually Ciara you might be surprised to find out how much the English, and the English of Irish descent like hanging out with Americans. We are more laid back than more than a few of the Irish in Ireland, who are always going on about something with America and Americans, I remember it even back in the 80's with Ronald Raayyy Gun!!!, and how sophisticatedly funny, so many Irish thought that was. The Irish were such experts on whatever was going on in the world, and we had to sit and listen to it. Of course the north was off limits, how could Irish-Americans know anything about that when they don't live there. And yet ironically the Irish were fully versed in whatever was going on in El Salvador, Nicaragua or anywhere else in the world. Most Americans including Irish-Americans and the Irish from Britain go to Ireland to visit family and friends and have a good time. I will be there in July for a wedding, and I am sure I will have a good time as always.

You people need to lighten up. We know that these names have been native to Ireland for hundreds or more years, I think what the writer was saying is that they are becoming more popular again in recent years, and therefore not as familiar to many people.

You can only stay in ireland if you have an irish passport, i would never want to live in the states and i would never want an american passport. No thanks. 2 weeks is enough for me.

89 your a paranoid knobhead. You a proper sado in mummys bedroom. If you do go to Dublin say how you feel about them and the irish, see what will happen to your sad ass. Trailer trash. Have a look at edith the egg lady on youtube, thats what we think of you.

ciaradipsy....they won't let me post to your other log-in name (Wobby) those toothless wood chucks came over here from all parts of the UK and their bloodline, as you said, appears to be inbred. The funny part is many of those jackeens in your home place are the spitting image of them. For you, Moore Street would be 5th Ave., what would you know, as you never been to any other place than Ballymun; ignorance is bliss. Note well, I can go to and fro from the old country and stay as long as I want because your laws say so, however, the same can't be said for you, should you overstay your visa, they would throw you in jail. In case no one told you Dublin is not Ireland!

Why would you want to go to a country that you dislike so much 89? Its a bit odd. You dont have to go to moore street to see a toothless woman, you have plenty of them in the states, i passed through Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas some scary looking inbred people. Moore street is like 5th Avenue compared. Reading some of your comments i wouldn't say you would be welcome in Dublin, i would keep your trap shut with your irish views, if you want to stay in one piece.