{"id":534,"date":"2020-07-15T08:18:52","date_gmt":"2020-07-15T08:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/?p=534"},"modified":"2020-07-15T08:18:52","modified_gmt":"2020-07-15T08:18:52","slug":"the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"The 11 Most Beautiful Irish Names and What They Mean"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<div class=\"first-paragraph-wrapperstyled__FirstParagraphWrapper-sc-1ei2uju-0 fzDgxP\">\n<div id=\"first-paragraph\">The Irish language has a rich history, and although it\u2019s not commonly spoken outside of Gaeltacht areas, it is still frequently used in\u00a0the country\u2019s\u00a0names. Some of these have spread around the world, but they all have an Irish-language origin. Here\u2019s our list of the most beautiful names in the entirety of the Irish language.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Saoirse\"><\/span>Saoirse<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_54 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-64eee1fc60e50\"><span class=\"\"><span style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-64eee1fc60e50\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Saoirse\" title=\"Saoirse\">Saoirse<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Caoimhe\" title=\"Caoimhe\">Caoimhe<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Aoife\" title=\"Aoife\">Aoife<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Fionnoula\" title=\"Fionnoula\">Fionnoula<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Daithi\" title=\"D\u00e1ith\u00ed\">D\u00e1ith\u00ed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Cara\" title=\"Cara\">Cara<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Ardal\" title=\"Ard\u00e1l\">Ard\u00e1l<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Aisling\" title=\"Aisling\">Aisling<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Odhran\" title=\"Odhr\u00e1n\">Odhr\u00e1n<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Padraig\" title=\"Padraig\">Padraig<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/#Deirdre\" title=\"Deirdre\">Deirdre<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">Saoirse (pronounced\u00a0<em>seer-sha<\/em>) is a feminine name which rose to popularity during the 1920s. Given its meaning,\u00a0<em>freedom<\/em>, it may well have been in response to\u00a0Irish independence, which had dominated the previous decade and the early 20s. Irish-American actress Saoirse Ronan has helped the world to recognise (and pronounce) the name.<\/p><div class=\"tqvgb64eee1fc5ebb7\" ><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\"\n     data-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8209967072221559\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"2673331731\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">\r\n@media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {\r\n.tqvgb64eee1fc5ebb7 {\r\ndisplay: block;\r\n}\r\n}\r\n@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {\r\n.tqvgb64eee1fc5ebb7 {\r\ndisplay: block;\r\n}\r\n}\r\n@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {\r\n.tqvgb64eee1fc5ebb7 {\r\ndisplay: block;\r\n}\r\n}\r\n@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {\r\n.tqvgb64eee1fc5ebb7 {\r\ndisplay: block;\r\n}\r\n}\r\n@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {\r\n.tqvgb64eee1fc5ebb7 {\r\ndisplay: block;\r\n}\r\n}\r\n<\/style>\r\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Caoimhe\"><\/span>Caoimhe<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">A fairly common feminine name in Ireland, Caoimhe is pronounced\u00a0<em>kee-va\u00a0<\/em>and comes from the Irish caomh, meaning\u00a0<em>dear<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0<em>noble<\/em>. It originates from the same root as the masculine name Caoimh\u00edn (pronounced\u00a0<em>kee-veen<\/em>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Aoife\"><\/span>Aoife<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">Aoife\u00a0<em>(eefa)\u00a0<\/em>is another feminine name, derived from aoibh, meaning\u00a0<em>beauty<\/em>. It\u2019s from the same root word as Aoibheann (<em>ay-veen<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0<em>eve-een<\/em>), which is also a popular name. There are several figures with the name in Irish mythology, including the daughter of Airdgeimm, the sister of Sc\u00e1thach, and the wife of King Lir.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fionnoula\"><\/span>Fionnoula<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">Fionnoula (literally\u00a0<em>fair-shoulder<\/em>, an unusual meaning) is a feminine name that is, along with several of the names on this list, steeped in mythology. In the myth of the Children of Lir, Fionnoula was one of the eponymous children who was turned into a swan by her stepmother. Pronounced\u00a0<em>finn-oola<\/em>, the shortened version, Nuala (<em>noola<\/em>), is also a common name, perhaps even more so than its antecedent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Daithi\"><\/span>D\u00e1ith\u00ed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">This name is the first masculine one on the list, pronounced either\u00a0<em>dah-hee\u00a0<\/em>or<em>\u00a0daw-hee<\/em>, and meaning\u00a0<em>agility<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0<em>speed<\/em>. During the 1960s, \u2018D\u00e1ith\u00ed Lacha\u2019 was a rough equivalent of Donald Duck. An odd children\u2019s television show, it took the format of a comic strip that was shown a frame at a time and narrated\u00a0<em>as Gaeilge\u00a0<\/em>(in Irish).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cara\"><\/span>Cara<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">This one has a mercifully simple pronunciation, pronounced exactly as you would expect. In Irish, it means\u00a0<em>friend<\/em>, but the name also evolved separately in several languages. It is also a popular name in its Latin form, which means\u00a0<em>beloved<\/em>. In Spanish, the word means\u00a0<em>expensive<\/em>; in Vietnamese,\u00a0<em>diamond<\/em>; and in Hausa,\u00a0<em>to complain.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ardal\"><\/span>Ard\u00e1l<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">This masculine name means \u2018high valour\u2019, an impressive description. Like Cara, Ard\u00e1l is fairly easy to pronounce (<em>ardal\u00a0<\/em>or\u00a0<em>awr-dahl<\/em>). The acute accent that appears over a few of the letters in this list is known as a\u00a0<em>fada<\/em>, and it lengthens the pronunciation of the vowel. You might recognise the name Ardal O\u2019Hanlon, Ireland\u2019s national treasure who starred in\u00a0<em>Father Ted\u00a0<\/em>as bumbling priest Father Dougal McGuire.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Aisling\"><\/span>Aisling<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">A common feminine name with many variants, including Ashling, Aislin, and Aislinn, as well as the anglicised versions of Ashyln and Ashlynn. This variance extends to the name\u2019s pronunciation, as it can range from\u00a0<em>ash-leen\u00a0<\/em>to\u00a0<em>ash-linn\u00a0<\/em>to\u00a0<em>ash-ling<\/em>. The name comes from the word for\u00a0<em>dream<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0<em>vision<\/em>\u00a0and previously referred to a genre of Irish-language poetry that flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Odhran\"><\/span>Odhr\u00e1n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">Like Aisling, this one has several variants: Odran, Odr\u00e1n, Odhran, or\u00a0<em>Oran<\/em>, the phonetic spelling. A masculine name meaning\u00a0<em>dark-haired<\/em>, there are several saints in Irish history with the name, including the first Irish Christian martyr, who was a companion of St Patrick.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Padraig\"><\/span>Padraig<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">This one doesn\u2019t technically come from the Irish language, as it\u2019s a gaelicisation of\u00a0<em>Patrick<\/em>, after the patron saint of Ireland. Pronounced\u00a0<em>pawd-rig<\/em>, another version of the name is rendered as Padraic (<em>pawd-ric<\/em>) or Paraic (<em>paw-ric<\/em>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 gsGpOg\">\n<h2 class=\"titlestyled__TitleWrapper-sc-11j6mg5-0 ibrORP\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Deirdre\"><\/span>Deirdre<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cell__Cell-g0fptp-0 kVYVMd\">\n<p class=\"paragraph-wraperstyled__ParagraphWrapper-sc-1xg03x1-0 jQkHdL\">Deirdre (<em>deer-dra<\/em>\u00a0or<em>\u00a0deer-dree<\/em>) is one of the most well-known figures in Irish mythology, also known as Deirdre an Bhr\u00f3in, or Deirdre of the Sorrows. It might be a gloomy name, but it\u2019s made our list nonetheless.<\/p>\n<p>Source:<a href=\"https:\/\/theculturetrip.com\/europe\/ireland\/articles\/the-11-most-beautiful-irish-names-and-what-they-mean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u00a0theculturetrip.com<\/a><\/p><div class=\"awjrl64eee1fc5ebfb\" ><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\"\n     data-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8209967072221559\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"2673331731\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">\r\n@media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {\r\n.awjrl64eee1fc5ebfb {\r\ndisplay: block;\r\n}\r\n}\r\n@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {\r\n.awjrl64eee1fc5ebfb {\r\ndisplay: block;\r\n}\r\n}\r\n@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {\r\n.awjrl64eee1fc5ebfb {\r\ndisplay: block;\r\n}\r\n}\r\n@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {\r\n.awjrl64eee1fc5ebfb {\r\ndisplay: block;\r\n}\r\n}\r\n@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {\r\n.awjrl64eee1fc5ebfb {\r\ndisplay: block;\r\n}\r\n}\r\n<\/style>\r\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Irish language has a rich history, and although it\u2019s not commonly spoken outside of Gaeltacht areas, it is still&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":535,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[2129,2128,2127,2126,2125,2124,2123,2122,2121,2120,2119,2118,2117,2116,2115,2114,2113,2112,2111,2110,2109,2108,2107,2106,2105,2104,2103,2102,2101,2100,2099,2098,2097,2096,2095,2094,2093,2092,2091,2090,2089,2088,2087,2086,2085,2084,2083,2082,2081,2080],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/534"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=534"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/534\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":536,"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/534\/revisions\/536"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stremon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}