Irish Baby Names

Many prospective parents would love to choose an Irish baby name, but are intimidated by mysterious Gaelic spelling. "Easy Irish Baby Names" solves the problem

There is something very special about Irish names. How else can we explain the spread of Irish baby names across the English-speaking world – from Ireland to the United States, from Australia to Canada, and beyond?
It isn't just second or third-generation Irish people who are giving their kids Irish names – on any block in America today you can find Rileys, Erins, Seans, and Ryans whose families have no more connection to Ireland than they do to the planet Mars.
No, Irish names are special. The appeal surely lies in the poetic, lilting cadence that suffuses the Irish language. The Gaelic or Celtic words seem to come from an ancient, magical world, shrouded in mystery. Indeed, one of Ireland's great mythical heroes,  Fionn mac Cumhaill, sometimes called Finn McCool, was both a fierce warrior and a great poet. Members of his Fenian clan had to be well-versed both in literature and warfare.
Out of this richly poetic culture, hundreds, if not thousands of names have been handed down from generation to generation. And while many parents would love to bestow an Irish name on their baby, it is sometimes impossible to know how to pronounce, or even correctly spell, many of the traditional Irish names. It isn't easy to go through life, especially the school years, with a name like Siobhan (pronounced "Shev-orn"), or Tadhg (pronounced "Teague," like "league"). So for parents everywhere who want to choose a romantic Irish name, but don't want to have their child always having to spell their name, this list is for you.
Fortunately, many perfectly beautiful Irish names, for both boys and girls, are easy to spell and easy to pronounce. Unlike many Irish words, which have no relation to English in their pronunciation, this list sounds just the way it looks.
For boys, the following names are classic Irish names (in some cases the spelling has been anglicized over the years):

Aiden
Cody
Conan
Connor
Cormac
Declan
Donovan
Finn
Keagan
Kieran
Liam
Nolan
Patrick
Ronan
Ryan

Some of the boys' names are among the most popular in America today, including Aiden, Cody, Kieran, and Ryan. And some, like Cormac or Declan, are far less common, giving parents a chance to choose an unusual, but pronounceable, Irish name.
For girls, there is an equally rich list to choose from:

Bridget
Caitlin
Cassidy
Colleen
Erin
Fallon
Flannery
Kathleen
Kelly
Kerry
Kiley
Maureen
Nia
Reagan
Shannon

This list of Irish girls' names includes some currently fashionable names, like Caitlin, Fallon, and Nia, along with classic Irish girls' names that are perfect for a new generation, including Bridget, Colleen, Kelly, and Maureen.
Which ever you may choose, as a parent looking for an Irish name, you will know that any name from this group will fit your child comfortably. They will be able to wear their Irish name with pride, without having to spell it out every five minutes!

Neil Street is co-publisher of the name website Baby Names Garden, and is a big fan of Irish names.