Suggestions wanted!

[jenny_evergreen]

Hi! I'm a mom with a son named William Emerson. A second baby is planned, and I have name problems.
The middle names are set; Xavier for a boy, Rose for a girl. (These are for my dad, who died just before Will was born.)
The first name must be Irish/Irish-American. (Family tradition; one kid has to have an Irish name.)
I don't like a lot of the popular Irish girl names, like Maeve and Niamh.
Names already used by other family: Kathleen, Kaeli, Shannon, Brian/a, Sean, Shannon, Erin. Probably a few I'm forgetting.
Names that don't have obvious pronunciations are out. (So no actual Gaelic, pretty much.)
Keeping all that in mind; suggestions?
(I'm totally blank on a girls name; I'm currently considering Finian for a boy.)
Last name starts with an S and is long and Greek.
Thanks!

Edited to add: Maureen is also used.
Also, it's important to me to have a good "short" version. (Fin for Finian is okay. For a girl, I prefer something ending in y, but I'll take a single syllable short if I like it enough.)

Comments

[bleed-insanity.livejournal.com]

Colleen, Dana, Kennedy,Lia, Maureen, Molly, Nessa, Riley, Tara, umm haha iuno i just quickly skimmed through my book called "O'BABY, The Irish Baby Name book"

[jenny_evergreen]

Colleen is no good; bad association with it.
Maureen was one of the names that was used already by family that I forgot.
I have a problem with finding names that have good "short" versions, or, conversely, I like Molly, but feel a little stunted with no "long" version.

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

Sorcha? Eilish? Bridget?

[jenny_evergreen]

Pronunciation issues on the first two; there's not really a good "short" version of Bridget. (Bridge? Eh.) Thanks, though!

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

Apart from using the ch of church by mistake I'm not sure how you can mispronounce Sorcha? And Eilish is the most phonetic spelling of the name I can find, it's said more or less exactly as it looks. Oh well. :)

[jenny_evergreen]

The people I know would pretty much universally use the ch of church for Sorcha. Eilish is, if I recall correctly, frequently anglicized as Alice. Which is an okay name, but not, you know, great, for me.
Thanks again, though!

[bleed-insanity.livejournal.com]

Bri is what most Bridgets i know are nicknamed, but that might interfere with the brianna's of the family

[jenny_evergreen]

*nod*

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

Well I don't know what happened to the commenter that said it's 'Sasha with an o', but it's not. Sor-ka is how the small Irish child of my acquaintance pronounces it, as do many other Irish Sorchas, and .ie-sourced websites confirm it. Saoirse is pronounced Seer-sha, which may be where the confusion has crept in.

[dionysia.livejournal.com]

Girls:
Finnuala (nn Finn or Nuala)
Keira/Kira (from Ciara)
Keeva (from Caiomhe)
Ashlin (from Aisling)
Mary (nn Molly?)
Kara/Cara
Margaret (nn Meg?)
Frances

Boys:
Kieran (from Ciaran)
Seamus
Brendan
Rowan
Ewan
Francis

Check out this list:
http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/iri.php

[dionysia.livejournal.com]

Of the above, I think the following sound good with a Greek last night:
Keira/Kira
Mary
Kara/Cara
Margaret

Kieran
Francis

[jenny_evergreen]

Margaret does have some real possibilities; the main problem is that we already have a cat called Maggie, and I prefer Maggie to Meg. :\

Don't want to use Mary. The K/C names tend to feel awkward 'cause my sister is Kate, and her daughter is Kaeli, so we're approaching overkill there.

Francis is Frank...eh.

Keiran is okay, but there's the K thing again.

I didn't think anyone would suggest Seamus; it's already used in the family.

I don't like Ashlin for some reason I don't really understand.

Most of the rest of the names have "short" version problems.

You see why this is not easy for me. :\ Thanks, though!

[ewaeva.livejournal.com]

Is Moira Irish? I know a woman from Ireland with that name, and it's lovely.

Bonus - it means "destiny" in Greek, so it's perfect with a Greek last name.

[ewaeva.livejournal.com]

Success! I checked; it IS Irish/Celtic.

AND Greek. :)

[jenny_evergreen]

Moira is pretty and a possibility I think. Thanks!

[bstrong.livejournal.com]

i'm a bridget! just thought i'd throw that in :) it means strong

[jenny_evergreen]

Bridget doesn't have a good nickname that I know of, and that's important to me. Thanks, though! I'm glad you like your name!

[bstrong.livejournal.com]

it's okay. most people call me bridge, my dad calls me smidge :) good luck finding a name

[jenny_evergreen]

Thanks!

[halfwright.livejournal.com]

I babysit a little girl named Ashlyn (from Aisling) and no one has trouble pronouncing it. My friend Moira, however, often has difficulties.

[jenny_evergreen]

Bummer about your friend; I rather like Moira.

[estrellechica.livejournal.com]

Delaney and Kahlen (pronounced like Kaylin)

[jenny_evergreen]

Delaney would shorten to Laney, which I don't care for much.
Kahlen has pronunciation problems written all over it, I think.
Thanks, though!

[sageharper.livejournal.com]

babynamesofireland is my fave site for finding Irish names.

Really like the other names you have used/are considering.

[jenny_evergreen]

Thanks for the recommendation!

[jenny_evergreen]

I wish Gaelic were a bit easier for USAns to pronounce!
Maura is a bit too close to Maureen, which is one of the names I forgot to list as already taken by a family member.
Thanks, though!

[sherball.livejournal.com]

Maura
Miora
Kelsey
Colleen
Kaitlyn
Tierney
Rowan
Siobhan

I don't think any of these have a good 'short' version.

[jenny_evergreen]

Yup. Good nicknames/"short" versions are a real pain to find, it seems. :\

[sherball.livejournal.com]

I totally understand the wanting to be able to shorten the name. My name Lori, can't get any shorter. I always hated that I couldn't have a nickname, and a full name when I was growing up. To add to it, I have no middle name! I made sure my daughter had a nicknameable name. :) Good Luck!

[jenny_evergreen]

*nodnod* Yes; that's the problem with Molly, which I really like otherwise.
Thanks!

I have another one!

[ewaeva.livejournal.com]

What about Orla?
Very pretty, uncommon name!

Orla Rose S....

Re: I have another one!

[jenny_evergreen]

You know, it IS pretty! No good short version/nickname, though. :\

Re: I have another one!

[ewaeva.livejournal.com]

Yeah... It looks that way for most Irish names that have been suggested, though. Most are rather short already. But I think Orla is so pretty it doesn't need another "cute" version... it works for a little girl or a grown woman.

Although Moira DOES work better with a Greek last name.

I'm glad you like my suggestions. This is fun (I almost wish I had some Irish heritage, so I had a good reason to use some of these great names one day!). Best of luck with your growing family!! I hope you let us know what you finally choose!

P.S. I like Finian, and Fin is great as a nickname.

Re: I have another one!

[jenny_evergreen]

It is a problem. *sigh*

I don't know; I think I'd like a diminutive for a little girl.

Moira is kind of flying high at the moment.

It'll probably be a long time before a final decision is made, but I'll try to remember to post about it.

Thanks!

[glitterberrys.livejournal.com]

Bridget or Brenna for a girl, maybe?

[jenny_evergreen]

See other comments for the Bridget problem. Brenna is okay, but doesn't really do it for me. (Plus I have bad associations with Brenda, which it's awfully close to.) Thanks, though!

[glitterberrys.livejournal.com]

Aislinn maybe?

[jenny_evergreen]

I've seen that one mispronounced way too many times. :\ (And it doesn't really float my boat, anyway.) But thanks!

[rockstargrrrlie.livejournal.com]

I love Finnian for a boy and Finn is an adorable nickname, so I am not even going to suggest boy's names.

For girls, these are some that I found on behindthename.com:

Bedelia (although very Amelia Bedelia)
Cailin
Caitria/Catriona
Ciara
Daly
Deidre
Enya
Fiona
Nola
Nora
Rory
Talulla


I personally like Ciara (pronounced Kee-ar-ah) the best.

Michelle

[jenny_evergreen]

Ciara is nice, but, I think, a little close to Kaeli for my comfort.
Thanks!

[shishenbelle.livejournal.com]

i loooove:

Tierney for a girl (Call her T or Tier)

and

Finnley for a boy (Finn)

My cousins name is Aidan, we call him A

good luck i love irish names! and i LOVE William Emerson!

[shishenbelle.livejournal.com]

oh and i LOVE

Callaghan - prounounced Cal-a-hann

you could call him Cal !

oh and Quinn or Liam

[jenny_evergreen]

Also spelled Callahan. Only problem is that I don't like Cal! :P Oh, well! I like Quinn and have considered it. I could call my William Liam, and might! :) Thanks!

[jenny_evergreen]

Thanks! I'd always find Tier a little sad, but it's a good name.

[daveandmonika.livejournal.com]

The trouble I forsee for you is that the diminutive of Irish names adds a sylable instead of subtracting
ie Noreen for Nora instead of Jenny for Jennifer

good luck looking for ones you like
the site I suggest is http://www.babynamesofireland.com

[jenny_evergreen]

*nod* That doesn't help, that's for sure.

That site and the namenerds site are the two I've used for ages. Can't seem to settle on anything, though. Thanks!