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Emerald Isle Names

© Kristen Hanley Cardozo

I had to get there eventually. Irish names are perhaps the biggest trend in the States at the moment, particularly for boys. It’s only been since the past decade that names like Aidan and Declan have been common. Perhaps because the name Sean became mainstream in 80’s America, parents are reaching farther and farther afield to find Irish names that are unusual in the United States.

I have mixed feelings about this. While it is wonderful to see more names from other cultural sources, there seems to be a misplaced sense of romance in all of this, and a lack of attention to detail. There are many lovely Irish names, but, as in any culture, there are also those that are hopelessly out of style in Ireland itself, or that have unpleasant connotations. Most Caucasion Americans, and many non-Caucasian Americans, have at least a smidge of Irish blood, but sometimes this nostalgia seems misplaced. The same people who eagerly seek out the most Irish sounding names are ofttimes also those who couldn’t tell you the name of the Irish prime minister (Bertie Ahern) and in fact have no substantial interest in Ireland. Whether this is truly a bad thing, I don’t know. After all, many of these people’s ancestors tried to hide and Americanize their Irish names for years. Perhaps this Irish pride is retribution…an America where one can walk down the street with the name Seamus and not be called a “stupid Mick”. I just know that it makes me feel a little confused. After all, I named my own son Liam, and I have never been to Ireland, nor did I know much about the specifics of the potato famine that brought my family here until a few months ago. I guess it just seems that Ireland is in fashion right now, and fashion, at least cultural fashion, always makes me a little nervous.

Nonetheless, this is supposed to be a guide to Irish names. My ambivalence aside, there are many beautiful choices. There are also a number of pitfalls. Ireland is currently experiencing its own nostalgia…a wish to revive the (until recently) dying Irish language, and pre-English customs. The Irish language, like Welsh, is very difficult for most Americans to fully grasp. Oh, give us a little credit. We’ve caught on that “sea” is pronounced “shay”. But there are a few more things we need to learn. For example, how many people know off hand how to pronounce Aoife, one of the most popular girls’ names in Ireland currently? (It’s EE-fah, by the way.)

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