You've read the program, wondered at the name and how to pronounce it. Here's a guide to some of the names you might come across at competitions.
Any additions are gratefully accepted.
Girls' Names
| Irish Name | Phonetic Pronunciation | Other Spellings | Meaning | English Equivalent |
| Ailis | AY-lish | Ailse, Ailish | Noble Rank |
Adelaide |
| Aisling | ASH-ling | Aislinn | Vision, dream | |
| Aoibhinn | A-Veen E-Veen |
Beautiful | Belle or Bonnie | |
| Aoife | EE-fa | Ancient Irish name | Eva | |
| Brid | Breed | Short for Bridgit | ||
| Caelan | KEE-lin | Caoilfhionn, Keelin, Caoilin | Slender and fair | |
| Cáit | Coyt | Pure (Greek) | Kate | |
| Caitríona | Cat-REE-ona | Catriona, Caitrín | Pure (Greek) | Catherine |
| Caoimhe | Kweeva | full of grace | Keavy | |
| Caoilfhionn | KEE-lin | Caoilin, Keelin | Slender and fair | |
| Ciara | KEY-ra | Kyra | "Dark One" Saint from Kilkeare, Co. Tipperary (AD 679) |
|
| Ceili | KAY-lee | A Dance or Party | ||
| Deirdre | DARE-dra, DEER-dra | Ancient heroine of the tale of the Sons of Uisneach | ||
| Dearbhla | Dervla | Derval, Deirbhle Dervla | True desire | |
| Eadaoin | AY-deen | Aideen | A saint from Moylurg,Boyle | Edwina |
| Eavan | Ee-van | Aoibheann | Fair form | |
| Eibhlín | Ev-LEEN | Evelyn | Fair | Evelyn |
| Eilís | EYE-leesh AY-lish | Ailish, Eilish | 'God has sworn' (Greek) | Elizabeth |
| Eileen | EYE-leen | Eibhlin, Eilín | Sunlight (Greek) | Helen, Elene |
| Fainne | FAN-ya | irish word for 'ring' | ||
| Fionnabhair | FIN-a-vair | Fair | Jennifer | |
| Fionnuala | Fin-NOO-la | Finola | Fair shoulder | |
| Laoise | LEE-sha | Labhaoise | Famous battle | Louise |
| Máire | Moira, | Maura Moira, Maura | Bitter (Hebrew) | Mary |
| Máirín | MORE-een, MOY-reen | Maureen | Bitter (Hebrew) | Little Mary |
| Mairéad | Ma-RAYD | Maighréad | Pearl (Greek) | Margaret |
| Maeve | MAYV | Meadhbh, Meadbh, Medbh | The first century Queen of Connacht | |
| Maoliosa | May-LEE-sa | Servant of Jesus | ||
| Niamh | NEE-uv, NEEV | Bright or lustrous. Mythical woman from Tír na nOg (Land of youth) | ||
| Nuala | NOO-la | Fionnuala | Fair shoulder | |
| Orlaith - | Or-lar | Orla | ||
| Pádraigín | PAWD-rig-een | Noble (Latin); female version of Pádraig | Patricia | |
| Ríonach | REE-noch, REE-o-noch | Ríoghnach | Queen Regina | |
| Róisín | RO-sheen | Rosaleen | Rose | Rose |
| Saibh | Sive (rhymes with dive) | Saidhbh, Sive | Goodness | Sonya |
| Saoirse | SEER-sha | Freedom | ||
| Sian | Sharn | Gift of God(Hebrew) | Jan | |
| Sinéad | Shin-AYD | Gift of God(Hebrew) | Jane | |
| Siofra | SHEE-fra | Little elf | ||
| Siobhán | Shi-VAWN | Gift of God(Hebrew) | Joan | |
| Sorcha | SUR-a-cha | Clear, bright | Sarah, Sally |
Boys' Names
| Cillein | KILL-ian | Killian | ||
| Coileán | Col-AUN | Colin, Cuileán | An old Irish name meaning Whelp | Colin |
| Caolán | KEE-lin | Caoilfhionn, Keelin, Caoilin | Slender and fair | |
| Caolfionn | Keelin | Slender Lad | ||
| Conor | CON-or Cruhoor in Gaelic |
Criuthur or Conchobarr
|
courage, lover of hounds , high virility | |
| Eamonn | AY-mun | Eamon | Blessed protection | Edward, Edmund |
| Eoin | OWE-in | Owen | Gracious gift of God (Hebrew) |
John |
| Pádraig | PAW-drig | Padraic | Noble (Latin) | Patrick |
| Riain | REE-an | Rian | King | Ryan |
| Ronan | ROW-nan | Rónán | Seal | |
| Séamus | SHAY-mus | Seamas, Shamus | 'Trips by the heel' Supplants (Hebrew) | James |
| Seán | SHAUN | Gracious gift of God (Hebrew) |
John | |
If you are interested in this topic there is a new web site called Baby
Names of Ireland
The site has interesting information on 200 Irish boy and girl names.
Make sure your speakers are turned up as Frank McCourt, Pulitzer prize-winning
author of "Angela's Ashes,"
helps with the pronunciation of each one and gives the meaning and an associated
tale.
A complete list of Irish first names can also be found at http://www.hylit.com/info/Irishnames.html
(c) 2000 Amanda Finneran. Reproductions possible on request.