Baby names!

seventeen sheep

Sligo1 wrote: »

I knew loads of Shauns in new Zealand. And I dated one here in Dublin for a year (a couple of moons ago). And they both pronounced it exactly the same. Maybe it's a dialect thing as you say.

Wait yeah Shaun is definitely pronounced that way (with a long aw), same as Seán.

So I guess Sean can be either Shan or Shawn. But Seán (as far as I know) is always pronounced like Shawn.

Like I said ... it's a confusing one.

seventeen sheep

implausible wrote: »

In my opinion, it's one of the least confusing Irish names out there, everyone knows a Seán.

I think it was the name Sean someone was asking about though? I've met loads of Seáns, but only maybe four Seans ever.

implausible

Sligo1 wrote: »

But there is Sean without a fada isn't there?

No.

You'll struggle to find a native speaker who spells his name without the fada, regardless of dialect. You'll also struggle to find a Seán who pronounces his name "Shan" without Donegal/Ulster origins.

seventeen sheep

implausible wrote: »

No.

You'll struggle to find a native speaker who spells his name without the fada, regardless of dialect. You'll also struggle to find a Seán who pronounces his name "Shan" without Donegal/Ulster origins.

The Seans (pronounced Shan) I have met would have been North West alright - but it's definitely spelled Sean, not Seán, and they were always very clear about that.

And in fact any of the Sligo/Donegal Seáns that I know (there are several) do pronounce it with the long aw sound, rather than like Shan.

implausible

seventeen sheep wrote: »

I think it was the name Sean someone was asking about though? I've met loads of Seáns, but only maybe four Seans ever.

I just presumed that the OP left out the fada by accident. Seán is the correct spelling, pronunciation depends on area/dialect. No confusion.

Sligo1

No I mean Sean with no fada. I know lots of Shauns and also a couple Sean's with no fada and they pronounce it the same. Sean isn't just an Irish name is it? Pretty sure its used it different countries aswell therefore not using any fada.

seventeen sheep

implausible wrote: »

I just presumed that the OP left out the fada by accident. Seán is the correct spelling, pronunciation depends on area/dialect. No confusion.

Fair enough. I guess my opinion was affected by the fact that I've met a few Seans in the past, who were particular about their names being spelt correctly (no fada) and pronounced as Shan as opposed to Shawn (and they'd explain at the time the difference the fada - or lack of - made.) So I just presumed the the OP spelt the name the way they would intend to spell it on the birth cert. Sean, meaning old. Pronounced as the Irish word sean. It definitely is a real name, though. And not all THAT uncommon in the north-west, at least.

Balmed Out

Saralee4 wrote: »

I really Danny and Dara for a boy but my husband will not go for them at all. We have come up with a name but im not saying it to anyone.

We also cant get a girls name. I have one but he is kind of meh about it so im hoping it grows on him!

He likes Arianna but no offense to anyone but I feel its a bit too Disney Princess!

Would have always come across darraghs as boys and daras as girls.

Sligo1

Got this of Google. Irish or American.... Confusing! Lol. What about aean Connery... Scottish!

The name Sean is an Irish baby name. In Irish the meaning of the name Sean is: Irish God is gracious; gift from God. American Meaning: The name Sean is an American baby name. In American the meaning of the name Sean is: Irish God is gracious; gift from God.

January

Balmed Out wrote: »

Would have always come across darraghs as boys and daras as girls.

Whereas I have the opposite. I know loads of boy Dara's but the only Darragh I know is a girl.

seventeen sheep

Balmed Out wrote: »

Would have always come across darraghs as boys and daras as girls.

I would think of Dara as a girl's name and Daire/Darragh as a boy's name. But these days they all seem pretty much interchangeable!

XxMCRxBabyxX

Sligo1 wrote: »

No I mean Sean with no fada. I know lots of Shauns and also a couple Sean's with no fada and they pronounce it the same. Sean isn't just an Irish name is it? Pretty sure its used it different countries aswell therefore not using any fada.

I'd consider it an Irish names that's spread and the fada got lost in the process, kind of like the ë in Chloë. Sean Connery cones from an Irish background so that's probably where his name comes from!

implausible

Sligo1 wrote: »

No I mean Sean with no fada. I know lots of Shauns and also a couple Sean's with no fada and they pronounce it the same. Sean isn't just an Irish name is it? Pretty sure its used it different countries aswell therefore not using any fada.

Was traineeacc not the OP or maybe I didn't read back a few pages? It's an Irish name, possibly related to the French name Jean. In Welsh, there is a girl's name pronounced "Shan" but it's spelt Sian.

seventeen sheep wrote: »

Fair enough. I guess my opinion was affected by the fact that I've met a few Seans in the past, who were particular about their names being spelt correctly (no fada) and pronounced as Shan as opposed to Shawn (and they'd explain at the time the difference the fada - or lack of - made.) So I just presumed the the OP spelt the name the way they would intend to spell it on the birth cert. Sean, meaning old. Pronounced as the Irish word sean. It definitely is a real name, though. And not all THAT uncommon in the north-west, at least.

It's a coincidence that the name Seán is similar to the Irish for old (sean), there's no connection. Otherwise Seán Óg Ó hAilpín's name would make no sense - he'd be Old Young Halpin!

If the people you both know who pronounce it "Shan" and who spell it Sean are native speakers or whose parents are, I'll stand corrected. The Irish forum would be a good place to check too.

seventeen sheep

implausible wrote: »

It's a coincidence that the name Seán is similar to the Irish for old (sean), there's no connection. Otherwise Seán Óg Ó hAilpín's name would make no sense - he'd be Old Young Halpin!

If the people you both know who pronounce it "Shan" and who spell it Sean are native speakers or whose parents are, I'll stand corrected. The Irish forum would be a good place to check too.

Oh as far as I know there's no connection whatsoever between the name Seán and the Irish word sean, at all! There is a connection between the name Sean and the Irish word sean.

Yes the Seans I know would be from the Gaelteacht areas of Donegal. (The Seáns I know from the same areas pronounce it Shawn.)

implausible

Balmed Out wrote: »

Would have always come across darraghs as boys and daras as girls.

This is a recent phenomenon. Darragh is an anglicisation of the name Dara/Daire. The name has always been traditionally male, but is now common for girls and I've seen both spellings for girls. Incidentally, the Irish noun 'dara' means oak - the Irish for Kildare is Cill Dara (church of the oak).

The same thing has happened with Naoise - traditionally a boy's name, but now far more common for girls.

implausible

seventeen sheep wrote: »

Yes the Seans I know would be from the Gaelteacht areas of Donegal. (The Seáns I know from the same areas pronounce it Shawn.)

And they insist on leaving out the fada? Alright then, I'll take your word for it. People from the Gaelthacht tend to be very proud of their heritage and particular about these things, so I'll defer to them. (I'm not a native speaker, I've studied it)

seventeen sheep

implausible wrote: »

And they insist on leaving out the fada? Alright then, I'll take your word for it. People from the Gaelthacht tend to be very proud of their heritage and particular about these things, so I'll defer to them. (I'm not a native speaker, I've studied it)

Yes. Any Donegal Seáns (maybe 14/15 of them) that I know pronounce it Shawn. The four Donegal Seans that I know pronounce it Shan (and are very particular about the fact that it's Sean - pronounced Shan - and not Seán - pronounced Shawn.)

And now I'll shut up on the matter because I've typed Sean/Seán/Séan and Shan/Shawn/Shane way too many times and I'm even confusing myself!

implausible

seventeen sheep wrote: »

Yes. Any Donegal Seáns (maybe 14/15 of them) that I know pronounce it Shawn. The four Donegal Seans that I know pronounce it Shan (and are very particular about the fact that it's Sean - pronounced Shan - and not Seán - pronounced Shawn.)

And now I'll shut up on the matter because I've typed Sean/Seán/Séan and Shan/Shawn/Shane way too many times and I'm even confusing myself!

Oh, I know how particular some Seáns can be about the pronunciation - I got in plenty of bother when I moved up and a lot of corrections of my "down the country" pronunciation of it. This is the first time I've heard of different spellings; I'd always assumed it was an error. Everyday's a schoolday!

Incidentally, I had the same trouble with my pronunciation of Róisín, Áine, Caoimhe and Cathal.

seventeen sheep

implausible wrote: »

Oh, I know how particular some Seáns can be about the pronunciation - I got in plenty of bother when I moved up and a lot of corrections of my "down the country" pronunciation of it. This is the first time I've heard of different spellings; I'd always assumed it was an error. Everyday's a schoolday!

Incidentally, I had the same trouble with my pronunciation of Róisín, Áine, Caoimhe and Cathal.

Row-sheen Aw-nya Kwee-va Caw-hul is how I'd pronounce them.

I've heard several variations on all of these though!

The funny thing is, while I'd have Donegal dialect Irish, my mum (a primary teacher) has Munster dialect Irish. So homework was fun when I was a child, with us constantly disagreeing over how to pronounce words!

Sligo1

implausible wrote: »

Was traineeacc not the OP or maybe I didn't read back a few pages?.

Sorry I thought you were referring to me. I actually never knew Sean without the fada originated in Ireland. Because I think it's fairly common in America aswell. With the fada tho yea definitely obviously Irish.

implausible

seventeen sheep wrote: »

Row-sheen Aw-nya Kwee-va Caw-hul is how I'd pronounce them.

I've heard several variations on all of these though!

The funny thing is, while I'd have Donegal dialect Irish, my mum (a primary teacher) has Munster dialect Irish. So homework was fun when I was a child, with us constantly disagreeing over how to pronounce words!

I have Connacht, my dad who taught me has Munster and I live in Donegal! I teach students called "Roh-sheen" "An-ya" "Kee-va" and "Cahill" and I named my child the latter, with him saying his name in a West of Ireland way and my in-laws nearly choking themselves trying to pronounce it "my" way. At the end of the day, he can decide himself what he answers to.

implausible

Sligo1 wrote: »

Got this of Google. Irish or American.... Confusing! Lol. What about aean Connery... Scottish!

The name Sean is an Irish baby name. In Irish the meaning of the name Sean is: Irish God is gracious; gift from God. American Meaning: The name Sean is an American baby name. In American the meaning of the name Sean is: Irish God is gracious; gift from God.

Google has a lot to answer for. I have a major issue with a lot of the American baby name sites too, most of them haven't a clue. When a friend of mine was looking for names I sent her an old Irish published book of names and a book of Irish folk tales (Irish published), as you can be sure that someone who actually knows the language edited it.

seventeen sheep

implausible wrote: »

Google has a lot to answer for. I have a major issue with a lot of the American baby name sites too, most of them haven't a clue. When a friend of mine was looking for names I sent her an old Irish published book of names and a book of Irish folk tales (Irish published), as you can be sure that someone who actually knows the language edited it.

A little off-topic, but does anyone else remember the Irish folk tales book you got with Boyne Valley honey, maybe with tokens or something? My parents used to read it to us all the time when we were young, Children of Lir and Fionn Mc Cumhaill and all the rest!

Ms Tootsie

Spent the last week or so debating names with the OH. We are pretty settled on a boys but are struggling to agree on girls. I like names like Annie, Grace, Rose and Sarah whereas himself leans more to names like Amelia, which is fab but I think it's a very popular name at the minute and still likely to be popular come August when our little one arrives.

Blingy

Ms Tootsie wrote: »

Spent the last week or so debating names with the OH. We are pretty settled on a boys but are struggling to agree on girls. I like names like Annie, Grace, Rose and Sarah whereas himself leans more to names like Amelia, which is fab but I think it's a very popular name at the minute and still likely to be popular come August when our little one arrives.

Those names are lovely. Amelia has become popular but that doesn't mean you shouldn't choose it.

We are finding it very difficult to pick boys names. OH likes traditional Irish names whereas I like Harry, Dillon, Matthew. Very hard to find a middle ground.

Ms Tootsie

Oh I LOVE Harry and Matthew in particular. The OH ruled out Harry because our surname would mean the name would be a bit too close to Harry Potter and he said not to Matthew because he thought it was too biblical

Blingy

Ms Tootsie wrote: »

Oh I LOVE Harry and Matthew in particular. The OH ruled out Harry because our surname would mean the name would be a bit too close to Harry Potter and he said not to Matthew because he thought it was too biblical

I love Harry too but it's a big no no for OH

Duberlin Chick

What's everyone's thoughts on Millie? We started calling the bump Millie a few months ago and now family are too and not sure if we can shake it!

danrua01

Millie's good, Mildred not so much.

pooch90

I like it, it was the name of an old family friend. I think it's very cute but would possibly spell it Milly.
My not-a-bump-yet-bump is called Dumpling, not a keeper