A–Z of Irish Names for Children and Their Meanings

Book excerpt: Including over four hundred beautiful, original and unusual Irish names, Diarmaid Ó Muirithe's brilliant reference book provides the origin, historical and cultural background of practically every Irish name you have ever come across and many you have not! Peppered with witty snippets of information in Diarmaid Ó Muirithe's unique style, The A–Z of Irish Names for Children is the perfect guide to naming your child. In Ireland we have a wonderful selection of names to choose from. We have our own Irish versions of biblical names, the names of the Evangelists and of continental saints who have taken our fancy at various stages in our history. The Vikings left us some of their personal names, which either in their Irish or their Anglicised forms have proved to be as hardy a growth as those names given to us by the Anglo-Normans. Lots of them are included in this charming and informative book. And, of course, we have the great repository of the old Irish tradition from which to choose our children's names. From Aaron to Úna, Diarmaid Ó Muirithe provides a gloss on more than four hundred Irish forenames in his inimitable style that mixes scholarship and wit with quirky and entertaining facts and stories. Thus, we learn that the name Art has nothing to do with Arthur; that Brendan is originally of Welsh origin and came to Ireland in a Latinised form; that Cathal is usually translated as Charles, although there is no historical connection between the two; and much more. As with all Diarmaid Ó Muirithe's work, The A–Z of Irish Names for Children is a model of scholarship lightly worn, informed by a sense of curiosity and fun. It's the perfect book from which to choose your child's name or find out more about your own Irish name and roots.