OK...don't read alot into this but I need a bit of help. Támuid ag tóraigh ar ainm cailín. Tá Aisling agus Saoirse againn cheana.

I know the first is in regular use but I'm not sure if the second is a legitimately acceptable name.

The boy name is already a done deal but I need the Irish spelling of Ian. I think its Eoghain but I'm not sure.

Any suggestions or additions would be MOST appreciated. We've got at least 9 months or so....no need to hurry!

Le meas,

James

James, a chara,
I don't have enough Irish to answer your query with complete confidence, although I'm pretty certain that in addition to Eoghain the spelling Eoin exists.
I hope it's not too early to offer congratulations.
I hope that Nár lagaí Dia thú! is an appropriate form of words for doing so in the circumstances, and above all, I hope that all goes well.
Le gach dea-ghuí!
Chris

James, a chara,

Check out Celtic Names for Children, by Loreto Todd, The O'Brien Press, ISBN : 0-86278-556-1, 1998. It has 74 pages of girls' names from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, and the Isle of Man. Each name has a paragraph explaining the meaning of the name, e.g.,

Megan, Meghan (pronounced like 'meg + an'), Meg
Megan is a Welch diminutive form of Margaret, from Greek margaron, pearl, and thus means 'little pearl'. The form may have been borrowed from, or given rise to such abbreviated forms of Margaret as Meg, Maggie, and Mags.

(Message edited by lúcas on September 30, 2004)

Chris agus Lucas, Mo Chairde:

Thanks for the input. We're still in the beginning stages of this thing. After several years of implementing a variety of "active countermeasures" we've decided to let things progress in a natural fashion. We're feeling pretty successful right about now but need a week or two more before we can be certain. Of course, this could all be wishful thinking at this stage...we'll just have to wait and see.

The variation on Ian was most helpful. What I don't want to do is saddle a kid with a name that his teachers can't pronounce. But, I also want it to be distinctively Irish.

I haven't seen the book you mentioned, Lucas, but I'll be sure to track it down through Barnes & Noble etc. It sounds like the resource we're looking for. Re: Megan...that name was "done to death" about 5 to 10 years ago here in America. It seems every female born between 1995 and 2000 was names Megan, Ashley or Erin. I love all those names but we're looking for something a bit less common and more traditionally Irish. I think the book you recommend will fit the bill nicely!

Le meas,

James

Eoghain is the Irish version of Eugene
Eoin is an Irish version of John; Ian is a Scots version of John.

Saoirse is in common use as a girl's name in Ireland in modern times.

I would suggest Irish Names for Children by Patrick Woulfe as a good source

http://www.gillmacmillan.ie/Ecom/Library3.nsf/0/1397e13c758452e980256ae0003736bd ?OpenDocument&Click=

I like Méabh and Muirín myself, they are both disctinctly Irish and not in common use in the US and I don't think a teacher would butcher the name too badly.

What about Sorcha (maybe too difficult, or would be pronounce incorrectly)...Gráinne, Síomha (pronounced sheeva), Laoise, Muireann, Aifric, Niamh, Fionnuala, Siobhán, Sinéad, Clíona, Caoimhe, Ríonach, Eithne, Bláthnaid - I myself love the more unusual Irish names but I know people don't like to saddle their children with names that are difficult to pronounce.

I like the name Nuala....

easy to pernounce: NOOLA.

Did you say you lived in the US? Cause, I don't know if an English teacher could really pronounce those names. They often have a hard time with different english names. There's always one who can't figure it out. All in the same, I like the name Fionnuala though, or even Nuala for short. Congratulations by the way.

"but I know people don't like to saddle their children with names that are difficult to pronounce."

To a child, any name is difficult to pronounce, at first. The child will learn it more easily than any of his/her teachers throughout life. Working in Customer Service, as I do, I have seen some American names spelled as indecipherably as most Irish names, so I don't think there's any reason to hold back. :-))

Fionnuala and Siobhán are two of my favorites! We were originally leaning toward Saoirse because July was the projected arrival date. Now it seems June will be more likely. Two weeks ago we decided to terminate all active counter measures and began to "fire for effect" Seems like got a solid "round on target" on the first fire mission!

In other words...it's official! We're going to have a baby!!!! (No I'm not excited...not at all!)

Keep the ideas coming. We've got 9 months or so to get this figured out!

Le meas,

James

Congratulations, James, that's great! My wife and I have a little boy on the way in February, but I think we're going to stick to something simple like Seán. :-)