39 Baby Names
Kanye-Pharrell
Jack
“I had a boy called Jack two years ago and we have an Emily this year,” she says. “But I also have a TY student helping out who is called Emily. “Throughout the years I have always had a mix of names in school and have seen everything from from Nuala, Larry, Jyles, Shane and Sean to Kayleigh, Inaaya, Finlay, Jaslene and Tiernan – so a good variation from traditional to the not-sotraditional. I feel it’s still quite a mixed bag when it comes to names and I also feel a lot of parents are going back to Irish names – which is nice too. “But whatever the names, whether they are traditional or unique, I find that children don’t query anything and definitely from preschool age up to about eight, most kids will just accept every name without question.”
Thinking ahead
2014 Top Names
According to the latest CSO figures, the leading baby names in Ireland in 2014 are: Boys:
Girls:
Jack James Daniel Conor Sean
Emily Emma Sophie Ella Amelia
MI Aug-Sept 2014_Baby Names.indd 39
1963 Top Names
Boys:
Patrick Michael Paul James
Girls:
Margaret Catherine Anne Ann
Irish Top Names
According to BabyNamesofIreland.com, the most popular Irish-language names are: Boys:
Aidan Daniel Sean Conor Dylan Niall Cian Darragh Liam Oisin
Girls:
Siobhan Ava Aoife Anna Ciara Caoimhe Niamh Saoirse Maeve Keeva
However open children are to unusual names, psychologist Peadar Maxwell says that while parents choose baby names for various reasons, they should be mindful of how it will be received throughout their child’s life. “One thing I would advise parents of newborns to think about is what the name will sound like on an adult,” he says. “Also, if you really like a particular shortened version of a name, consider giving your child the full version on their birth certificate and then calling your child by the pet name. This gives them the option of using a more traditional name on their CV or in business when they are adult if they so wish. “Celebrity names will go out of fashion quickly, especially if they are names ‘invented’ for or by the celebrity. Think about if you would like to have an unusual name from entertainment or sport from your parents’ youth. Think about other names in your immediate family: does the name for your new baby alliterate, rhyme or clash with other names, or your child’s surname? What will his or her initials be? Make sure the initials don’t spell something that will be a cause of taunting in school.”
29/07/2014 11:22:21