Hi again. I was just wondering what the proper translation of Jordan would be into Irish. I've found discrepancies with this, also. I'll list them:

Siurtain
Siurtan
Siúrtáin
Siúrtaín
Siúrtán
Siurtán
Siúrtan

I figure it surely has accents, and if I had to guess, I'd say it's Siúrtán or Siúrtáin. But.. *shrug* that's why I'm asking you folk.

Also.. one thing that's daunting me about learning Gaeilge is the multiple dialects.. I'm wondering if Gàidhlig is more 'unified' and would be easier to learn for a starter?

Thanks.

Don't worry about the dialects. It's not that big of an issue. Once you start to learn the language, the dialects won't bother you that much. How many dialects do we have in the US? Is it a big deal? Even the most 'foreign' of dialects in the US would take the common person no more than a couple of days to have an understanding. For instance, if you are not from Southern Louisiana and you heard the 'cajun' dialect of english, at first you probably wouldn't even think it to be english. But after a couple of days of hearing it, it comes... (personal experience)

Do you mean 'Jordan' as a first name. AFAIK this name did not come into use in Ireland as a first name until recently and I don't know how one would arrive at a 'proper' translation. Newly introduced foreign names are not now usually given a separate Irish form nowadays unless there are historical precedents. Biblical names, popular saints, famous historical figures etc. usually have a separate Irish language form.

The surname "Jordan" is translated as 'Mac Shiúrtáin" in the reference book I have available. If you derive a personal name from that it would be 'Siúrtán'. However I doubt if that is much used.

I'd just stick with 'Jordan', but it's your choice.

Well, if it's worth anything to you, the Gaeilge for the country "Jordan" is:

An Iordáin

If you choose to adopt this, then:

Is mise Iordáin. (Nominative case, An Tuiseal Ainmneach)
A Iordáin, conas atá tú? (Vocative case, An Tuiseal Gairmeach)
Sin cóta Iordáin. (Genetive case, An Tuiseal Ginideach)

In all the examples you give, the J sound has been replaced with an "sh" sound, as in "sheet". Anyway... out of all the examples you've given, if I'd to pick the best, most Gaeilge-ish of them all , it'd be:

Siúrtán

Is mise Siúrtán.
A Shiúrtáin, conas atá tú?
Sin cóta Shiúrtáin.