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Irish Names

 

 

Niamh


Niamh pronouncced "nee + iv" or "neev"

Versions in English: Neave,Niav

Niamh means "radiance, lustre, brightness"

The daughter of the sea god Manannan she was known as "Niamh of the Golden Hair," a beautiful princess riding on a white horse.

She fell in love with Fionn's son Oisin and lived with him in Tir-na-nOg ("Land of the Young")where 300 years passed in what seemed like three weeks.

In 2003 it was the eleventh most popular girl's name in Ireland.

Picture shows Niamh Ní Charra from Riverdance.


Etain


Etain pronounced 'e + tane'

Etain means - gentle beauty.


Nora

Nora, Norah, or Noreen

A classic Irish name, it could be a shortened form of Eleanor meaning "torch" or could be from the Latin Honora meaning "honor, reputation" and became so popular in Ireland in the Middle Ages that many people assumed it was Irish.

Noreen is the diminutive of Nora and means "little honourable one."


Oonagh

Oonagh, Oona or Una pronounced 'oo+na'.

From the Irish word uan "a lamb" or may come from the Latin una meaning "one," hence it is sometimes translated as "Unity."

In legend Oonagh was "Queen of the Fairies" who had long golden hair which reached to the ground and she was also the wife of Fionn Mac Cool


Neala



Neala or Neila pronounced 'nee + la' which means 'female champion'.


It is the feminine form of Niall.


Yseult


Yseult, Isolt, Iseult pronounced "ee + solt"

All these variations refer to the famous Irish woman bethrothed to King Mark of Cornwall who fell in love with his nephew Tristan when they drank a love potion by mistake.



Sophia Myles plays Yseult in the Holywood film.


Nuala


"noo - la"

It is really a shortened version of Fionnuala and in Ireland it is more widely used than Fionnuala. Meaning "fair shouldered, exceptionally lovely," the name has been in existence since the 13th century.


Eimear

"ee + mer"
Eimear possessed the "Six Gifts of Womanhood" – "beauty, a gentle voice, sweet words, wisdom, needlework and chastity!" She was bethrothed to the warrior Cuchulainn when they were children and they loved each other very deeply. But Cuchulainn had "a wandering eye" and Eimear endured this, realizing "everything new is fair," but when he made love to Fand, wife of the sea god Manannan, Eimear confronted the lovers. After seeing the strength of Fand's love she offered to withdraw. Touched by this display of unselfishness, Fand left Cuchulainn and returned to the sea. When Cuchulainn died Eimear spoke movingly and lovingly at his graveside.


Muirne


"mir + ne"

muirne means "high-spirited, festive." Muirne loved Conall who was from an opposing tribe. Her father, a druid, opposed the match and had Conall killed but not before Muirne had conceived a son, who grew up to be the legendary warrior Fionn Mac Cool and who later avenged the death of his father


Darcy

Darcy is an anglicised form of the Irish "dorcha", meaning "dark" or "dark-haired" or "descendant of the dark one." Both a surname and a given name.


Caoilainn


"kay + linn"

caol "slender" and fionn "white, fair, pure." Several saints were Caoilainn and one was described as "a pious lady who quickly won the esteem and affection of her sister nuns by her exactness to every duty, as also by her sweet temper, gentle, confiding disposition and unaffected piety."


Muirne


Muirne means "high-spirited, festive." Muirne loved Conall who was from an opposing tribe. Her father, a druid, opposed the match and had Conall killed but not before Muirne had conceived a son, who grew up to be the legendary warrior Fionn Mac Cool and who later avenged the death of his father.