87 Comments

• EamonnDublin | Mar 25, 2013, 10:16 AM EDT

  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.

• irishcoffeekid | Oct 07, 2012, 12:06 PM EDT

  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 :)

• WoundedKnee | Oct 07, 2012, 10:57 AM EDT

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

• Bocktherobber | Oct 06, 2012, 07:26 PM EDT

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

• 1MADCELT | Oct 06, 2012, 01:57 PM EDT

  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!!!!!!

• S.Connolly | Jun 10, 2012, 05:47 PM EDT

  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!

• jacersagain | Jun 03, 2012, 05:54 PM EDT

  @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.

• jacersagain | Jun 03, 2012, 05:50 PM EDT

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

• WoundedKnee | Jun 02, 2012, 03:02 PM EDT

  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...?

• ancavker | May 30, 2012, 12:24 PM EDT

  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.

• ancavker | May 30, 2012, 12:12 PM EDT

  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.

• bobby | May 29, 2012, 02:32 PM EDT

  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.

• bobby | May 29, 2012, 02:13 PM EDT

  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.

• 89west | May 29, 2012, 01:40 PM EDT

  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!

• bobby | May 29, 2012, 05:09 AM EDT

  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.

• mikeosully | May 28, 2012, 10:13 PM EDT

  my three kid's are ciara aiofe colm patrick and dara siobhan i know darragh is a boy's name but it is also a girl's name in jewish and it mean's strong oak in both language's

• 89west | May 28, 2012, 02:39 PM EDT

  your still high on dexy.......I don't care who is born there, they will probably make it a better place, when they displace the likes of you. It is none of my business what you think of anyone and I care even less. Your thicker than a bog trotting donkey. You were quoted from the BUNREACHT NA hEIREANN; you can choose to ignore it but the joke is on you. Just think, those despicable imps from across sea have the same rights as you; How can you live with that, you must wake up with nightmares but probably too dumb to know or care. I'll be in Dublin in the summer and I will ask the toothless woman that wears the raggy cloths and hawks tobacco on Moore Street where your stand is. Enjoy yourself as you go slipping and sliding back to the third world.

• mreinhar2001 | May 28, 2012, 02:11 PM EDT

  Regarding the author's orginal question, not the hate speech perpetuated by some below, in which Kerry asks, " What’s your opinion on Irish names? Should they stick to being easy to pronounce and recognizable, or get creative with traditional Irish spellings and pronunciations? What are your favorite Irish names?" here are my thoughts: I think parents whould continue to name their children only that with shich they are most comfortable. If those who have not studied Irish do not know how to pronounce the name, all they have to do is ask "What is your first name?" The Czech and Polish names in the north-central US and south-central Canada are not heavy on the vowels as in Irish, but they can have an entire word with no vowels (all consonants), so I just ask how to pronounce the name if I do not know. When the author asks if the parents should get creative with Irish spelling, one needs to be cutious. Yes, use the Irish (multiple vowels) spelling as long as it is accurate; but be careful when inserting more than what is called for in the name. When parents are too cretaive in thier spelling of the child's name, then the child will stand out not as Irish et al, but as one who has odd parents. (I am reminded of the child nicknamed "Zeek." When the parents disappeared before the child was in kindergarten, the teacher took it upon herself to teach him the standard spelling of "Zeke." Regarding my favorite Irish names, I have always been partial to Sean, Seamus, Éamon, Padraig, Brigid and Moira.

• mreinhar2001 | May 28, 2012, 01:51 PM EDT

  Re: "ciaradexy | May 27, 2012, 05:14 PM EDT By the way, I love my name and yet it has been butchered by some American rapper who pronounces it See-aira. Idiot." Yes it stings when someone mispronounces our name. Names are who we are. I am German so I get a lot of chances to hear my name mispronounced." If I never expect to see the person again, I say nothing. IN cases where it might be important, I tell the person how to rponounce my name. How do you pronoounce your name?

• ciaradexy | May 28, 2012, 11:20 AM EDT

  89, does it stick in your throat that children born here to migrants are considered more irish than kids born to irish people abroad? They may be considered irish by Americans, but here they are yanks. Upset much?

• jolynnnoel | May 28, 2012, 07:59 AM EDT

  Sadly, a name does not have to be as different as the Irish names used as examples here in order to be butchered by teachers and the public alike. My maiden name was Jolynn Noel. No trick letters. Pronounced exactly like it looks---Joe Lynn Noel (the last name like the Christmas Noel). I began to dread the first day of school, because I knew that when the teacher was doing roll call there would be some new and exotic bastardization of my name. I have been called Jolene, Joanna, Jolanna, Johanna and Jollylynn. One teacher even skipped over my first name and called me by my middle name. Another time, I gave someone my name over the phone--Jolynn Noel. They paused and said, "How do you spell Jolynn if there's no 'l'?" So I say name your children what you like. Because unless their name is the same old Suzy, Johnny or Mary, no one is going to take the time to read and pronounce it right anyway. By the way, I am an American and I would personally rather see an old Irish--or any other cultural--name than some of the names that I've seen given to children in America. Why anyone would name their kid "PacMan" is beyond me; unless they were using the "Boy Named Sue" rationale.

• bobby | May 27, 2012, 10:33 PM EDT

  Ahh 69er is alive, i live in the west end, mayfair to be exact, you wish you had me between your legs. I bet you stink. Have you got foreskin? Look up the oxford dictionary for slang words, if you have no proper english dictionary (oxford), google it, but use google.co.uk or google.ie you should get the proper spelling in english............. not made up.........................

• 89west | May 27, 2012, 10:09 PM EDT

  wobby.....is knobhead, west end slang. If so I have have your knobhead swinging between my legs.

• 89west | May 27, 2012, 09:59 PM EDT

  Earlier I had made a comment about anglicizing Irish place names, given names and surnames and found it irked one of the anglophiles on here. It was apparent this individual doesn't know the language of a country gives the country its identity. Likewise, Irish place names unveil features of the county's history and geography and the development of the language. When, for instance, an Irish place name or surname is anglicized the name becomes foreign to the local citizen and losses its Irish identity. This is another way the occupier tried to destroy the Irish race.

• 89west | May 27, 2012, 09:41 PM EDT

  ciara..by.bay or IC Shill or whomever you are role playing at the time. You appear to be confused or need to be, "weaned off the dexy". Your repetitive loathing and ridiculing and your preoccupation with all things negative about the citizens of the US and their affinity for Irish culture, appears to have taken on the appearance of a compulsive obsession with you. That's fine, but for you to come on here 24/7 and project yourself as a spokesperson for a very narrow and negative view of the Irish is another thing. In point of fact, it is a slap in the face to the Constitution (BUNREACHT NA hEIREANN) and the laws of the Country. Article 2 reads in part....the Irish nation cherishes its special affinity with people of Irish ancestry living abroad who share its cultural identity and heritage. These words are codified into law by providing the right to Irish citizenship to the children and grandchildren of Irish nationals born abroad. Oinseach how does that feel getting stuck up your arse, knowing these people who you despise so vehemently can, if they so choose be granted Irish citizenship.

• ciaradexy | May 27, 2012, 05:14 PM EDT

  By the way, I love my name and yet it has been butchered by some American rapper who pronounces it See-aira. Idiot.

• ciaradexy | May 27, 2012, 04:46 PM EDT

  Klbutler, you'll find that the Irish and the British are very much friends and would sooner hang out together than the irish would with Americans for the very reasons you see on this site. You are racist backward-looking anti-british stereotype pastiches of how irish people were back in the dark ages. This is 2012. be happy in your American-ness and stop pretending to be irish. You have been rumbled.

• ciaradexy | May 27, 2012, 04:42 PM EDT

  89, the word 'Sh1te' is an irish term along with the word 'craic' and 'arse'. Get your info right. Youre American not irish so you wouldnt know these things.

• Bythebay | May 27, 2012, 01:17 PM EDT

  calceltic, you're the ones living the lives of bitterness, persecution and hatred. You're the most two-faced people on the planet.

• bobby | May 27, 2012, 01:11 PM EDT

  butler the UK has many different nationals, more so than your country. They did not butcher the language. I have no problem with Americans , just knobheads like 89west who seems to have a problem with the irish. Your another knobhead.

• calceltic | May 27, 2012, 12:46 PM EDT

  bythe bay you have never been here I take it. Love ethnic names, my son's middle name is Padraig, and Aidan. Its our heritage and I embrace the traditional spellings. Those who choose to change their names from there country of origin today, do so to ease communication in the work place, not to dismiss their heritage. An Asian Indian name can cause a person who may not be familiar with that language to mispronounce and waste about 5 minutes trying to learn how to say. Doesn't mean we don't enjoy trying. I work with people from around the world all the time in Calif. their names are a non issue. Bythebay what is a life of bitterness like?

• Tooreenagrena | May 27, 2012, 12:38 PM EDT

  Less small minded ness please. All first names in languages either than English are pronounced in a different way. Whats the big deal.

• Bythebay | May 27, 2012, 12:31 PM EDT

  I have to laugh heartily at the Americans chastizing the British about anglicizing Irish place names. How two-faced you are! You require all immigrants in the US to speak American (I won't say English because you're unable to speak it). You do all in your power to force immiegants not to speak Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Russian, Polish, etc. Your own nastiness far exceeds any changes to Irish placenames the British made which actually was minimal!!

• ColmODulachain | May 27, 2012, 12:15 PM EDT

  I was reading jacersagain's comments re Ceithleann, yes she is named after an ancient goddess, wife of Balor of Tory islans. Enniskillen is Inis Ceithleann or Ceithleann's Island.

• Bythebay | May 27, 2012, 12:05 PM EDT

  SheilsSB, you're incorrect. Parents in Ireland can name their children whatever they choose. Because you Americans can't understand how to pronounce or spell Irish names makes no difference whatsoever. That's your problem, not ours.

• klbutler | May 27, 2012, 11:26 AM EDT

  @ Bobby..what is your problem with Americans? Are you one of those british that never got over the revolution? Or are you just ONE british bigot,with his nose up in the air that he has to carry an umbrella everywhere in order not to drown when it rains? Thank God Almighty not all british are like you!

• klbutler | May 27, 2012, 11:19 AM EDT

  @Bobby..when we Americans separated from the British rule,we REALLY wanted to be separate including our venacular..and since our country is made up of many nationals from other countries,our language is also a mixture of different words and pronounciation..Instead of being "anal"(tight a$$) about our differences,has it ever occured to you to find something positive in all nationals, instead of promoting bigotry?

• klbutler | May 27, 2012, 11:14 AM EDT

  @Bobby..As an American..Let me try to say this in English YOU can understand,since we Americans "butcher" the english language...You are an A$$hole....now can you understand that?

• bobby | May 27, 2012, 09:10 AM EDT

  Your full of verbal diarrhea. You only got involved because you were forced to.

• 89west | May 26, 2012, 08:35 PM EDT

  wobby from london....for someone who touts his command of the language you certainly, know how to flout the simple rules of grammar. Now on to something else.....control the world but always lose.....that may be so, but the one time it mattered to you, we won. Judging from what I see and hear in central london, you and your language are an endangered species. As for the chinese, don't expect to be treated any better by them then your ancestors treated the Irish.

• bobby | May 26, 2012, 07:42 PM EDT

  And 69er im from London not ireland, you people want to control the world but will always lose, your so small minded like 90% of americans, you lose, so thick ..............

• bobby | May 26, 2012, 07:30 PM EDT

  69er no shame, you destroy a language to suit yourselves. control, control you are losing it day by day. speak proper english and not made up, butcher a language like the world... roll on china....so sad, arse, or ass you say............. LOL

• SheilaSB | May 26, 2012, 05:25 PM EDT

  Perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought saints' names were required for baptism and that a child was named for the saint whose day occurred in the child's birth month. This would be much simpler than the difficult Gaelic names. I do, however, like the family surnames and place names such as Meath, Tara, Shannon, Kelly, McEwen, and so on.

• 89west | May 26, 2012, 03:37 PM EDT

  Wobby....... "butchering the english language" is small in comparison to what your English map makers did to Irish place names and your enumerators did to Irish surnames when you converted then to English for your own convenience. Hardly, something to be proud of!

• Stiofain | May 26, 2012, 01:48 PM EDT

  Now, I don't feel so bad with Stiofain Gale Mac Geough!

• Bythebay | May 26, 2012, 11:26 AM EDT

  Parents in Ireland will name their children whatever they choose despite confusion and difficulty with multi-syllable Irish names on the part of Ms. O'Shea.

• billie061 | May 26, 2012, 09:19 AM EDT

  I had eight brothers who had all normal names Seamus Donal William ciarion Peter Finbarr G

• bobby | May 26, 2012, 07:58 AM EDT

  Oh 69west what a bum, what are you on about, in the UK english is spoken with many different accents as in Ireland, but the spelling is the same no matter what region you come from. The Americans butchered the English Dictionary and butchered the pronunciation of english, Shameful, cannot leave anything alone.

• 89west | May 26, 2012, 07:28 AM EDT

  Wobby.......How soon you forget! Before it became unfashionable, it was said the Irish spoke English with a brogue and if you don't recall, that meant they spoke English with a shoe in their mouth. rrrrrr uu from Ciarrai, nooo rrr uuuuu.

• maireadinmelb | May 26, 2012, 07:27 AM EDT

  I grew up in Australia and they struggled with the Irish names in our family! Just wish my husband had let me spell Rory properly when we had our children! The child will learn to deal with it and people who care will learn to spell and say the name properly! No one else or their opinion matters!!

• 89west | May 26, 2012, 07:14 AM EDT

  ciaradexy.........Once again, your infallibility must be challenged. Had you taken a moment and deferred to an outside source, you would have readily seen your error and would have found no need for this erroneous correction. Clearly, you meet the definition of a gobshite! By the way, there is no longer a need to corrupt the spelling of the word, as the word has been found to be acceptable in the public media.

• ciaradexy | May 26, 2012, 05:53 AM EDT

  89, gobsh1te is an irish term not a british one.

• bobby | May 25, 2012, 10:36 PM EDT

  Why dont the Americans just butcher the language so they will understand it, do exactly what you do to the english language.

• Daytonavejim | May 25, 2012, 09:34 PM EDT

  I like them a lot better than all of the made up names parents in the U.S. give to their kids.

• 89west | May 25, 2012, 09:33 PM EDT

  ellenfromgodsknowswhere......Gobnait has some significance to me and if you read my post, just under yours, you will understand why. Now I'm wondering why you would lump it together with the word gobshite, which has come to mean a person that talks a lot and says nothing of value or if you like, it is also British slang for a person regarded as mean and contemptible. Take your pick you seem to fit both categories.

• jacersagain | May 25, 2012, 09:32 PM EDT

  My final post on this for now (aren’t yez lucky?)… @JessNiLeacaí – I’m just having a larf, teasing and pulling the McGinty goat’s beard, in suggesting dropping ancient pagan names and suggesting only Catholic saints’ names like we had in my youth. I treasure old Irish names; my grandaughter has a real old Irish name, Clíona (Old Irish Clíodhna). I actually knew a girl called Lasairfhíona, came from a Dublin family which spoke Irish all the time at home and she went to an All-Irish girls’ school in Dublin – Scoil Caitríona in Eccles Street. Many’s the chat 'as Gaeilge' I had with her. Her brothers and sisters also had old Irish names though I forget them now… one brother was actually called Fionn (or Finn) after the warrior Fionn MacCúmhail. @ RedBranch – yes, I heard some Irish person in the USA, married into Native American Indian culture, called their daughter Pochahontas. Probably called Pokie for short. Good job she doesn’t have a sister called Proba – imagine Ma & Da calling out for little Pokie and Proba in a supermarket? @ ellenfromcork & tombegs – yes, I remember the double-barrelled first names and the name Gobnait from my times in Kerry. All Irish politicians though, have ‘Gobshite’ as a middle name.

• Woodkern | May 25, 2012, 08:57 PM EDT

  Cé leo a bhfuil siad deacair a fhuaimniú?

• ellenfromcork | May 25, 2012, 08:33 PM EDT

  Tombegs, Better Gobnit( also seen it Gobnait) than Gobshite.

• 89west | May 25, 2012, 08:32 PM EDT

  tombegs........Gobnait was my grandmother's name, Gubby for short. In English she was known as Abbie. The translation to English was Deborah. She has passed from here a long time ago and thanks for the reminder.

• tombegs | May 25, 2012, 08:13 PM EDT

  Thanks to both ColmO'Dulaschim and Jecusagain for a wonderful deja vu!!! My first trip (in 1965) to my parents' homes in the Dingle area, involved learning how to make the introductions in Irish. Here I will transliterate: were I to hear "Que he shin" In the Bothar I would answer "mac Mike Tom Curney." and in Kruger's "mac Brida Phats a Garralt." Every time, that was all it took to be considered a "local."

• tombegs | May 25, 2012, 08:02 PM EDT

  I still hold a personal fondness for Gobnit, a popular name for women in the West of Kerry.

• Pat sez.. | May 25, 2012, 07:35 PM EDT

  Dear all, first of all, you shouldn't be describing the first names of children as "Gaelic names" (general language family sub-section of the Celtic language family), but "Irish names." There is nothing wrong with naming your child Beyoncé, for example - or Pocahontas (not my choice, but there you go), for that matter. I suffered the same snobbery when I played music at Fleadheanna because I didn't play it to a particular style. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what you call your child, as long as you teach it your heritage. By the way, the names are Irish, not Gaelic. The language is Irish, not Gaelic. Be proud, not snobbish or superior. There is a difference.

• RedBranch | May 25, 2012, 06:12 PM EDT

  Jacers, you are a mine of information and excellent names. Still my nomination for culture connection / clash is the Irish woman who named her daughter Pocahontas McGinty. Can you imagine calling that out in a supermarket.

• JessNiLeacai | May 25, 2012, 05:29 PM EDT

  Who makes comments about Irish names being dropped from all memory, this article and some of the comments here are completely ignorant and unfounded. I am proud of my pagan background and my surname. Yes, I would have preferred an Irish first name instead of a hebrew one but that's just luck of the draw. Some of the most gorgeous names are as old as Ireland itself, names like Lasairfhiona- flame of the wine for a girl and Donnflaith- a name for a girl as well both from the Arann Islands. When I have children, they will bear the old names and I could care less if Americans can pronounce them or NOT.

• jacersagain | May 25, 2012, 04:14 PM EDT

  conorsmom (yes,Conor is w/ one ‘n’) reminded me of a story I heard in school about the Irish name Conal (also one ‘n’ but sometimes with two ‘l’s). It comes from a man called Conall Cearnach who was a member of an ancient kind of round table of Irish chieftains or knights called the Red Branch Knights. Tradition has it that at the time of Christ’s Crucifixion in Jerusalem, there was a man from every nation in the world present. Conal was ‘Our Man in Jerusalem’ and is said to have been one of the men who rolled the stone across Christ’s tomb after His burial. Yeah, I know… but shure aren’t we Irish great with stories??

• jacersagain | May 25, 2012, 03:47 PM EDT

  Nah George, my post didn’t encourage crazy names like Beyonce, Gaga or Brit soap opera “stars” names like Chloe, Mandy or Janine but I get your point: Irish parents are no longer naming their children after good oul’ Catholic saints. Where these days is Pól or Póilín (Paul or Pauline and Paula), Seosamh or Seosaimhín (Joseph (Joe) or Josephine (Jo), Tomás (Thomas), Breanndán (Brendan) and the good oul’ Ulster saint’s name, Ultan, or for more girls where’s Máire (Mary), Etna or Eitna (Eng: Enya), Síle (Sheila) or even Siobhán (Joan gone)? Yep, I'd agree with you - the Irish are fast losing their familial heritage names.

• padraiginrua | May 25, 2012, 03:47 PM EDT

  I don't think Americans will have any more trouble than non-Irish speaking Irishmen. After all, with all the foreign names heard in the US, Irsh names are no harder By the by, Kathleen is Caitlín as Gaeilge, massacred by Yanks and Irish alike to Katelynn I had neighbors named Speigneif, Cunnegunde, Wassaily, etc and managed to pronounce their names. Beibheinn, Alibhe and Aoife aren't any harder.

• conorsmom | May 25, 2012, 03:08 PM EDT

  As a mother of a child I named/spelled Conor. YES, ONE N, YES, I AM SPELLING IT CORRECTLY! People get over it! Learn to spell! Sorry, I just needed to get that off my chest! Ok, I feel better now. As for Pagan names-- really? Why would anyone make such a comment.

• jacersagain | May 25, 2012, 02:58 PM EDT

  A point worth noting from ColmODúlacháin’s post is that, particularly in County Kerry and the Great Blasket Island off it, the names that he gives like Ceithleann and Caíomhe are so common that to distinguish, say, Caíomhe from another Caíomhe, the father’s name or family name were/are used to distinguish them. Thus you have Ceithleann of Little Paddy (Páidín) O’Donnell (should be O’Donal), as opposed to Ceithleann of Tim Pat O’Donnell, who could be little Paddy’s brother with a daughter of the same name. Ceithleann (I think pron keh-len?) is an unusual name, I have't heard it in donkey's years and I think it's the name of an ancient Irish Goddess; many think it's a version of Kathleen (which could have come from Ceithleann!). For Siobhán, it’s easy to remember the pronunciation, often given as Shuvonn but easier to remember if you say it as in “Quick quick, shove on your knickers your mother’s coming”.

• EIREKITTY | May 25, 2012, 02:57 PM EDT

  My one year old Granddaughter is named Niamh. No one in the family has trouble pronouncing it. WHen she is in school she will let everyone know what her name is. No problem. My daughter is proud of her Irish heritage and has a true love of Ireland. Hopefully, it will carry on with Niamh. She already had her first visit last summer at 3 months of age.

• GeorgeDillon | May 25, 2012, 02:44 PM EDT

  jacers: "Old Irish names are pagan and should be dropped from all memory". Why? So you prefer what the Irish are calling their daughters now? Beyonce, Gaga, Chloe...? You're crazy.

• Eamonn12 | May 25, 2012, 02:43 PM EDT

  If you are not from Ireland and don't at least have a grasp of the Irish language any of these names is a poor choice.

• jacersagain | May 25, 2012, 02:26 PM EDT

  What do I think? Well, for starters the article writer above should look at her own name… what decent parents in the world would name a daughter with Kerry ... and still get it wrong??? It’s Ciarraí dear, not Kerry and is not a girl’s name: it’s the name of an Irish county. Avoid all confusion by naming children after Catholic saints: say like Anne, Miriam, Brigid and Theresa, or older female saints like Melania, Egraria, Edocia, Helena, Perpetua, Thecla or Proba (yes, that’s real girl’s name). Easy peasy names to remember. Old Irish names are pagan and should be dropped from all memory. A word of warning, if your family name is Long, please avoid calling your Irish son Myles.

• sthosdkane | May 25, 2012, 02:09 PM EDT

  Keep it traditional, that way it accentuates the person with the name's individuality.

• GeorgeDillon | May 25, 2012, 01:56 PM EDT

  I will probably be censored once again by Irish Central for saying this, but that won't stop me. The article by O'Shea is imbecilic and inane.

• sheilap | May 25, 2012, 01:49 PM EDT

  What a silly article. Does the writer think we should dumb down the spelling of names we have used for centuries just for the convenience of Americans who don't want to be bothered using the correct pronunciations.

• Opoets99 | May 25, 2012, 12:47 PM EDT

  How to confuse an American, ask them what Obummer has been doing the last three years.

• KathleenErin | May 25, 2012, 12:44 PM EDT

  My youngest daughter's name is Maire Caitlin (pronounced Maura). My husband and I thought that the name was beautiful and not extremely hard to pronounce, but apparently we were wrong. She now goes by "Mary Kate" because she got tired of people saying things like, " Marie, Marie Caitlunn, dawlin', ya mis-spelt ya name again. Ya really gotta be more careful!" , or calling roll with, "Mare ..., um ...,Mai-ree, um..., M. O----?

• Bythebay | May 25, 2012, 12:14 PM EDT

  Popular new Irish names? Don't know where you've been on the planet but those names have been in use in Ireland for centuries hon!

• Bythebay | May 25, 2012, 12:10 PM EDT

  "How to confuse an American?" Ha, ha, ha, ha.......

• patchy39 | May 25, 2012, 11:36 AM EDT

  What about Aisling, 21yrs. ago I changed the spelling of my daughter's name to Ashling to help everyone in USA to pronounce it. NO Good she is constantly to this day called Ashley wherever she goes. I should have kept the Irish form spelling of her name (like my family wanted me to do all along) sigh!

• Irishiker60 | May 25, 2012, 11:29 AM EDT

  Are you kidding me? They are Gaelic names. If you don't like the names, then use Ed, Bill, Bob, Sally, etc. Leave the old Irish names for the Irish.

• Murph46 | May 25, 2012, 11:22 AM EDT

  Up the Irish!

• mcdolan | May 25, 2012, 11:14 AM EDT

  I remember working in New York in the 80s with an Irish lassie named Siobhan who was regularly called Cy-bann until she calmly corrected the person. I think it's a matter of getting used to the names the same as got used to Gunther, Chaim, Giuseppe, etc. Still with the old names and old spellings. Vt the way, Shannon, Erin and Tara are rarely heard in Ireland -- they're considered Irish-American here.

• gaeilgesdamhsa | May 25, 2012, 11:05 AM EDT

  "New" Irish names? Holy smokes! The 1st three, Caoimhe, Eoin, Aoife and the last four, Eoin, Aoife, Ruairi, Caoimhe, Oisin, Niamh are as as old as Ireland herself.

• Springfield9 | May 25, 2012, 10:24 AM EDT

  MY aunt'a name is Aoife - that makes them nuts. Even my sister "Evelyn" makes them crazy. None of them are as bad as Louise Phippe Gonzalez Gomez Guatemala Jurgens.

• ColmODulachain | May 25, 2012, 10:04 AM EDT

  Try pronouncing my daughter's name: Ceithleann Ní Dhuibhir Ní Dhúlacháin who is in the same class as Caoimhe Nic Pháidín Ní Dhomhnaill!