Twist in the Gael for Irish names..

New book lifts lid on pronunciation and popularity

- BY LARISSA NOLAN

IRISH names are having a surge of popularity, with the likes of Caoimhe, Fiadh, Tadhg and Rian in the Top 20 every year.

And some of our biggest celebrities have Irish names, such as Cillian Murphy and Saoirse Ronan.

But often, Gaelic names and spellings are hard for those from elsewhere to get their tongue around.

Now a new book gives the stories behind these names and explains how to say them.

Irish Baby Names: What they mean and how to pronounce them.

Them, explains the provenance and pronunciation of names like Beibhinn, Blaithin and Croia; and ones for boys such as Turlach, Conall and Senan.

Authors Feilim O'Connor, Morgan Buckley and Gavin Drea's compilation of more than 200 names is like a compendium for new parents looking for something special.

Chapters include misprounounced names and those from mythology and geography; as well as names from wilder times in Ireland and those that have been somewhat lost in time.

Wild names include Cliodhna, which means Queen of the Banshees: “a dark, female ghost of the night in Ireland”.

Those from mythology include Brigid, after the goddess and member of the Tuatha De Danann.

Eimear was the wife of Cu Chulainn, while Sadhbh was an ancient figure who was twice turned into a deer by a wicked druid for refusing his advances.

She chose Fionn Mac Cumhaill instead, and her son Oisin's name means “little deer”.