Is this an Irish name?

Hope99

Hi, my husband and i are trying to find a name for our little girl. He says the name 'Adair or Adare' sounds made up and isn't a name used in Ireland. Is this true to you? Have you heard the name and do you like it for a girl?

Iano_128

This answers your question...

"Adair is a surname derived from the Old English personal name Eadgar (Edgar). In Ireland the surname is almost exclusive to Ulster and particularly to counties Antrim and Down. Here they are of Scottish origin where the surname is most common in Galloway."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adair_(name)

Iano_128

Just had a look there for the name "Adare" and can find nothing on it, other than it being a town in Ireland somewhere.. Think your OH might be right.. If you want an original name what about something like Neveah? (Heaven spelt backwards). Or if you want something Irish then Aine or Orlaith.. Both nice names IMO

An gal gréine

Try Babynamesofireland.com

uch

An gal gréine wrote: »

Try Babynamesofireland.com

I would take some of that site with a pinch of American salt, there is no letter J, K, W, or Y in the Irish (Gaeilge) alphabet, yet this site has "Irish" names beginning with these letters

An gal gréine

We dont have K or W but we do have J and Y now.
Having looked at the site again I take your point though.

craoltoir

Ní fheicim aon síneadh fada ach oiread ar an suíomh sin.

Tá eolas faoi ainmneacha gaeilge ar fáil san fhoilseacháin seo:

http://www.litriocht.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=4305

Heroditas

Iano_128 wrote: »

If you want an original name what about something like Neveah? (Heaven spelt backwards).

Ridiculous name.

Zulu

Adare is the name of a town in Ireland, if that helps.

endacl

Iano_128 wrote: »

If you want an original name what about something like Neveah? (Heaven spelt backwards)

Oh, please don't to something so terminally stupid. If you want to give a daft name, give it to something inanimate. A cactus perhaps. That'd be a grand name for a neglectable plant.

By the way, heaven spelt backwards is 'nevaeh'. Badly spelt bad advice too.

endacl

Hope99 wrote: »

Hi, my husband and i are trying to find a name for our little girl. He says the name 'Adair or Adare' sounds made up and isn't a name used in Ireland. Is this true to you? Have you heard the name and do you like it for a girl?

Fine name for a town in limerick, or as already posted, for a boy. The first Adair that springs to mind was Johnny Adair. Also known as Mad Dog.

What do you want the name to convey?

Moonbeam

As a girls name it does sound made up but if you are not irish and don't live here and think it sounds nice then go for it.

MarkR

Point to note. Adare. I dare. Child will become fearless, and / or the butt of many jokes. Probably become a superhero...

Lelantos

What about North?

A2LUE42

Have a look here. There are hyperlinks at the bottom to expand the tables to show the lists.

http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/ibn/irishbabiesnames2012/#.UcsA0Dvryoc

Some of the names on the list are as a result of TV, so if you see something you like and come back on here to confirm it is Irish and not from Greys Anatomy or similar.

Hope99

Thanks for the responses...I'll check out those sites. They aren't pulling up on my phone.

Our first daughter is named Treasa, pronounced 'Tressa' in the US. We love it for so many reasons and were hoping to find another beautiful, unique Irish name that is easy to pronounce and spell.

Adare is a name you hear in the US (usually spelled Adair). I just don't want the name to sound too odd to our Irish family. I'm already that crazy American in the family, so I thought I'd better run this by you guys before them!

My in-laws were married in Adare and so was my sister-in-law. I've visited the town and it is lovely. I'm generally not a fan of naming kids Brooklyn, Austin, London, Paris, etc. But, was curious to hear if it is an actual name in Ireland like it is I the states. Would it work over there or just be plain weird?

endacl

Hope99 wrote: »

Thanks for the responses...I'll check out those sites. They aren't pulling up on my phone.

Our first daughter is named Treasa, pronounced 'Tressa' in the US. We love it for so many reasons and were hoping to find another beautiful, unique Irish name that is easy to pronounce and spell.

Adare is a name you hear in the US (usually spelled Adair). I just don't want the name to sound too odd to our Irish family. I'm already that crazy American in the family, so I thought I'd better run this by you guys before them!

My in-laws were married in Adare and so was my sister-in-law. I've visited the town and it is lovely. I'm generally not a fan of naming kids Brooklyn, Austin, London, Paris, etc. But, was curious to hear if it is an actual name in Ireland like it is I the states. Would it work over there or just be plain weird?

Weird.

All the same, we're not immune to made up Irishey sounding names over here as well...

If you want something a little more unusual, you might try looking beack through the mythology. Some nice stuff in there.

Please please please don't try to make something up. There are enough poor little Eitleáns and Cabáistes running around the place.

MarkR

Bear in mind how easy it is to pronounce and spell the name by your fellow americans. She'll have to spend the rest of her life spelling out her name!

Heard a funny one, a girl called Roisín in Australia. Eventually people called her Raisin.

Hope99

MarkR wrote: »

Bear in mind how easy it is to pronounce and spell the name by your fellow americans. She'll have to spend the rest of her life spelling out her name!

Heard a funny one, a girl called Roisín in Australia. Eventually people called her Raisin.

Yes, thank you, Mark. That's part of the problem. There are some beautiful Irish names, but they can be difficult to pronounce over here. Any suggestions welcome.

An gal gréine

endacl wrote: »

Fine name for a town in limerick, or as already posted, for a boy. The first Adair that springs to mind was Johnny Adair. Also known as Mad Dog.

That struck me too. Also the notorious John George Adair who evicted 47 families in 1861 to make room for his new venture...sheep grazing in Donegal.
The town of Adare, however, is from the Gaelic Áth Dara or ford of the oak in English.

byronbay2

endacl wrote: »

Please please please don't try to make something up. There are enough poor little Eitleáns and Cabáistes running around the place.

Get out of here!! I'll give you the benefit with Eitleán but nobody has ever called their child Cabáiste!

endacl

byronbay2 wrote: »

Get out of here!! I'll give you the benefit with Eitleán but nobody has ever called their child Cabáiste!

Nothing would surprise me....

P. Breathnach

Hope99 wrote: »

...
Our first daughter is named Treasa, pronounced 'Tressa' in the US...

And most people in Ireland would say "Trassah".

I think you need a name where pronunciation in an Anglophone country is not a complication. That makes many Irish names difficult for you to use, names such as Cliodhna, Orlaith, Niamh, and many others.

Nuala (a shortened form of Fionnuala, but now used in its own right) or Ciara (pronounced pretty well as in Keira Knightley) seem more usable.

[I understand that Kate-Lynn is an American take on "Caitlín". If that is so, it has strayed a long way from its origin.]

endacl

Chonchubhair for a boy and Maedhbh for a girl would be best avoided!