I'm hoping someone can help me out. Sorry althought I have good enough spoken Irish my spelling always let me down so going to ask this in English.

We are expecting our first child in a few weeks time and have decided on the name Aidan. Originally we were thinking of Aodhán as i thought this was the Irish version but have since learned that its pronounce Ay-dawn rather than like Aidan.

So I was wondering is their any Irish spelling of the name that would have the same pronounciation as Aidan. I have seen other version being Áedán and Aodán.

I really want an Irish spelling if possible as my name is Irish and the child will more than likely go to school in a Gaeltacht area.

Thank you.

Are you pronouncing this like I would? Ay-dun

You can try Éadán, but I think that's also a girl's name. If you're from the south, Aodán may work. I think you need to clarify what sounds you're thinking of since people here are from many different countries.

I'd tend to leave it as Aidan if you want the English pronunciation.

All the Irish versions will be pronounced more or less as Aodhán is.

But English names which have no Irish equivalent have become widespread, even in Gaeltacht areas; so I don't think you need worry.

(Message edited by aonghus on September 22, 2010)

Aidan is listed as "Aodhán" on this website:

www.irishidentity.com

and is also listed in Muiris Ó Droighneáin's book "An Sloinnteoir Gaeilge agus an tAinmneoir".(available to buy at litríocht.com)

If it was phonetically spelt out in Irish,it would be something like "Éadan",but I think you should go with the original one.

Please note that "Aodhán" is pronounced "Ay-awn" and "Aodán/Aedán" as "ay-dawn". The dh being silent. Woulfe (page 6) notes three diminutive forms of the Christian name Aodh: Aodhán, Maodhóg and Aodhagán. Also please beware of anything claimed about Irish names on websites without checking with Woulfe or Ó Droighneáin first.

Actually the name that has become the English form "Aidan" must be the old Irish name Áedán, which was pronounced "aye-than", roughly. (Old Irish was the form of Irish that was spoken about 1000 years ago).
In Modern Irish we write Aodhán, and pronounce roughly EE-ahn (or ay-awn in the south, as the other people said).

I don't think there's a d-sound in any of these names, be it spelt Áedán or Aodhán (I think "Aodán" is just a spelling mistake).

Lughaidh, how do you account for the loss of the d in Pádraig in Connacht? Is this merely a result of leniting the d and it then being lost? In Munster and Ulster the d is retained and pronounced.

To me it's a simplification of the cluster -dr- in a very common name. That's my own hypothesis...

Caitríona, you seem to be focusing on the English version of the name, or getting an Irish name that produces the English pronunciation, which implies that even if the child is called Aodhán on the birth certificate, his real name will be Aidan as you are viewing the English version as primary. But Aidan is the English version of Aodhán. And no, Aodhán is not pronounced Ay-dahn. There is only a d in pronunciation in the English version of the name. Aodhán is Ay-ahn. Aodán is just a misspelling of Aodhán, probably produced by people who want the pronunciation of the Irish name to match up with the English pronunciation, with the latter viewed as primary.

While it is true that Irish names are butchered in English, it is the Irish versions that should be primary if the child is going to be called an Irish name. Can't you child be Aidan in English and Aodhán in Irish, and accept both names, one with a d in it in English, and the other without it in Irish?

Just to confirm: the dh in Aodhán is unpronounced.