hard to pronounce irish last names

Most of us have probably heard of Donegal singer Daniel O’Donnell or American comedian Rosie O’Donnell, but imagine if their name was spelt the Irish way. Ó Donnabhain – or Donovan. Funny enough, a few letters are missing in an Irish alphabet, and one of them is ‘v’. Taking the rule of number three, this one should be pretty easy … 21 Languages. Never heard of him. Eve-een is how you say it but for the love of god don't spell it that way. The approximate pronunciations are given, as names vary in dialects. 85. The latter types are known as heterophonic names or … We’re actually blaming America for this one. Irish In Britain, When saying this name, think ‘boo-kalla’, and you’re on a roll. You’re not alone, because it’s true that many of us can relate. Bill Maher is all right though. Do you think many people around the world would be saying it right? Discussion Last names that are difficult to spell or pronounce Author Date within 1 day 3 days 1 week 2 weeks 1 month 2 months 6 months 1 year of … Next up on our list of Irish surnames nobody can pronounce is Ó Buachalla. But what about when you travel abroad, and suddenly you hear your name being called out in ways you never imagined possible. How to say surnames in English? Next up on our list of Irish surnames nobody can pronounce is Ó Mathùna. See More: Pronunciation of Irish with 4 audio pronunciations, 16 synonyms, 1 meaning, 10 translations, 40 sentences and more for Irish. It never ceases to surprise me the number of emails that we receive asking how to pronounce certain old Irish boys names, in particular. These are the names of saints and names from history and myth. However, Irish is a language all its own, and many names are very difficult to pronounce for foreigners—names like Toirdhealbhach, Maelshechlainn, and Fionnbharr, for example. Irish Surnames, ; A submission from United Kingdom says the name Aoibh means "Pleasant countenance, beauty". According to a user from Ireland, the name Aoibh means "Beautiful,radiance". 21. However, as you’ll see below, plenty of people struggle to say even the more common Irish … Discussion Last names that are difficult to spell or pronounce Author Date within 1 day 3 days 1 week 2 weeks 1 month 2 months 6 months 1 year of Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04 Pronounced by Native Speakers. In fairness, Irish people can’t even decide upon how to pronounce this one. Popular Irish Boy Names That Are Hard To Pronounce. This one makes even less sense, but at some point either the Americans or the British began to rhyme Moran with Batman – and it stuck. This is a set of lists of English personal and place names having pronunciations that are counterintuitive to their spelling because the pronunciation does not accord with conventional spelling/pronunciation associations, or because a better known namesake with the same spelling has a markedly different pronunciation. Let’s begin by learning that any name with Mac or Ó before it generally means ‘son of’. Here are 15 of the hardest-to-pronounce baby names you might come across in … Not all Irish surnames are of Gaelic origin, however. Ma-Her. It’s about time you took Gaelic for a spin… Traditional Irish names are notorious for appearing really difficult to pronounce, but, just like Ireland they’re beautiful, mysterious and shrouded in mythology. Don't be ashamed, everyone gets some of these wrong! When two or three vowels are joined, they create a different sound. How to say surnames in English? And remember, all “c”s are hard in Irish. © Copyright 2019 - 2021 Ireland Before You Die | Trading under, Top 10 Irish surnames nobody can pronounce, Top 5 greatest Irish sporting achievements, Top 10 best things to do in Ireland with kids, ranked, Doolin: when to visit, what to see, and things to know, Review: Denvir’s Bar and Restaurant is a Downpatrick gem you need to visit, Top 10 things tourists should never do in Belfast, If you know 8/10 of these people, you are 100% Irish, Trump will not be allowed to fly to Ireland to play golf, Government confirms, Global Warming in Ireland: 5 beautiful parts of Ireland soon to be underwater, Almost 100 towns across Ireland to leave Christmas lights on until end of January. Pronunciation of surnames with 1 audio pronunciation, 1 synonym, 14 translations, 1 sentence and more for surnames. Let’s just say that most Irish names sound nothing like they look. Ireland Before You Die (IB4UD) is the biggest Irish travel and culture website. Another thing that makes Irish spelling and pronunciation rules even more complicated! Aoibheann. Featured, And making the extra effort to pronounce a person's name correctly is a mark of respect. We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously, How to plan a trip to Ireland (in 9 steps), Irish boy names that nobody can pronounce. First names such as Sinéad, Caoimhe, Domhnaill, or even Cathal are among the most mispronounced Irish names. A user from Ireland says the name Seodhna is of Irish origin and means "Seodhna is an Irish version of the name Johanna. This one is pretty inexcusable because it’s actually spelled how it sounds, for once. Our number one spot for ten Irish surnames nobody can pronounce goes to this beauty! Jade started travelling in 2007 and since then has travelled to every continent and over 90 countries, qualified as a yoga teacher in India, hiked the Himalayas, walked 900km across Spain, and is about to embark on a trip through Portugal in her camper van. My family anglicized our last name to the softer “Ch” sound to make life easier in the US. All rights reserved. Believe it or not, but there’s no “C” in Doherty. Try saying O-Leery. Then let’s add in folks with super long last names whose parents decide to give them a super long first name. Irish names can be hard to pronounce for non-native speakers, but once you learn that combinations of letters make different sounds, it's really simple. The Irish Post is the biggest selling national newspaper to the Irish in Britain. Consonant Combinations Just like in English, Irish has consonant combinations that make … Just because there’s a second “G” there, it doesn’t mean you have to use it. Interestingly, ‘buchaill’ meaning ‘boy’ in recent times used to mean ‘herdsman’ in old Ireland. Jade Poleon is a free spirit with a love for the world and her homeland, Ireland. Search for a word in Irish or English. In this case the English versions come from an attempt by the English to pronounce Irish phonetically. With that in mind, can you take a guess how to say this mouthful? Bill Marr, you say? It is also difficult to spell out some sounds in the Irish language into English, as certain sounds don't exist in English. Imagine the ‘gh’ is a ‘ck’, and you’ve got it. Only die hard Cork Coughlans pronounce the first syllable like “saw” – but it’s their name so we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. Next time you see or hear somebody mispronouncing one of these surnames – or any Irish surname for that matter – use these tips to point them in the right direction. Johanna is the feminine form of the name John, meaning "God's gracious gift"". One of the most constantly mispronounced Irish surnames ever! When the British took over Ireland, they spelled out names phonetically, and thus the three names above became Turlough, Malachy and Finbar. The Irish Post delivers all the latest Irish news to our online audience around the globe. I’m of Chinese descent too and the “ch”/”zh” sounds in many common Chinese last names is pretty confusing and hard to pronounce for non-Chinese. Abadie derives from the word ‘abadia’ which means ‘abbey’ or ‘family chapel’. 'This', 'that', 'these' and 'those', are transformed into 'dis', 'dat', 'dese' and 'dose'. Oisin. Search Main Features. Non-Gaelic Irish Surnames. New names and languages are added to the site everyday. It may look like a muddled up mouth full, but once you’ve got this one down, you’re a pro. So, we are here to put an end to the madness and finally set the record straight with the top ten Irish surnames nobody can pronounce – and how to actually say them the right way! Probably the majority of Irish names are in this category. These include Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Garda (police), and Dail (parliament). It's pronounced Loor-ken. Abadie. To be fair it’s not just our American friends who mess this one up – the Aussies and New Zealanders are some of the worst offenders. Now, what if we told you this was spoken as O Mahoona. But what other words do we mangle? Pronunciations. Soccer stars such as Tim and Gary have put the name in the spotlight in recent years and commentators have rarely, if ever, pronounced it correctly – much to the chagrin of Irish fans. It's a straightforward name but a difficult one for the average joe to get their head around. Inexcusable. Pronunciation of surnames with 1 audio pronunciation, 1 synonym, 14 translations, 1 sentence and more for surnames. Loughlann, traditionally a name used for Scandinavia and meaning ‘full of lakes’ or ‘loughs’, is one of the most common and most mispronounced Irish names. The most famous bearer of this name in the U.S., at least, is actor Joaquin Phoenix (born Leaf Phoenix). User Submitted Meanings. Try saying Mac-Lock-Linn. User Submitted Meanings. Simplification - Immigrants, upon arrival in a new country, often found that their name was difficult for others to spell or pronounce. Hmm, perhaps not! A user from United Kingdom says the name Aoibh is of Gaelic origin and means "Aoibh means radiant or beautiful". Sioban. In Mac Gabhann, we say the ‘bh’ as if it is a ‘w’ and we get Mac Gawann. Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox. … All are different. It means “seashore,” “beach,” “bank,” or “guide” in Hindi. Pronounce Names Right! Most of the names popular in Ireland today — names like Jack, Sarah, Adam and Emma — are easy to pronounce. Anais. Here are 20 words lots of us mispronounce on a daily basis. This is derived from the … But others can be tricky for non-Irish-speakers to decipher. Over 360K Names. 13 Irish superstitions everyone should know about, People in Ireland may have to prove they’ve had a Covid-19 vaccine in order to go to the pub, Criminals found coercing children into crime will receive stricter punishment as new law is announced, New 'work-from-home legislation' to be enshrined in Irish law to revolutionise employee landscape forever, Leo Varadkar ‘more than willing’ to lend a hand to Ireland’s Covid vaccination rollout, Greta Thunberg features on new postage stamp in Sweden. Developed by Square1, 10 Irish phrases to get you through Christmas and New Year, Beware the black cat! Also Read: 19 Irish Names That Only Old Men Have Now Add us on Snapchat: @collegetimesct Irish first names and surnames are notoriously difficult to pronounce. It is a simple name that is easy-to-pronounce. Just like the commonly mispronounced town in Dublin, Dún Laoghaire, this surname is no different. It's either Gareth, Garreth or Gareth that poor Garret gets stuck with. It’s understandable that when a word has a ‘g’ in it, you automatically want to use it but when it comes to the Irish language, rules change. Looking at this name may give you heart palpitations, but there’s no reason we can’t all nail this one. Think your name is hard to pronounce properly? Taking the rule of number three, this one should be pretty easy by now. It’s apparent from looking at these ten Irish names that nobody can pronounce that anyone finding it rather challenging to get it right first time can be forgiven, and anyone who’s had their surname mispronounced on a regular occasion can equally understand why. That is why we use ‘mh’ or ‘bh’ to substitute. Historic old Irish name of a fabled Fenian warrior (pictured above). To be fair, virtually no one anywhere can agree on how to pronounce this surname. It may also be spelled Sheona/ Shauna. Search for a word in Irish or English. It is common knowledge that when an Irish person with a typically Irish name travels abroad, they become almost accustomed to correcting the pronunciation of their names as if both go hand in hand. 25 Hardest Names to Pronounce in NHL History 0 of 25 The NHL has always been a league that has reached the farthest corners of the … In order to better fit in, many chose to simplify the spelling or otherwise alter their name to relate it more closely to the language and pronunciations of their new country. Here let’s pretend the ‘g’ doesn’t exist and there we have it. Irish surnames may seem quite familiar to us living here in Ireland, as we have been brought up hearing and saying them daily. I’m also aware Talamh means Earth in Irish—that’s why I chose it. This means “ascending” in Sanskrit, and has a striking resemblance to the Irish name Rowan. Believe it or not, but there’s no “C” in Doherty. The 10 hardest to pronounce Premier League surnames in history. The name is… How to say Irish in English? It doesn’t look long enough to be a three-syllable name, but this French/Catalan form … Over the centuries, Ireland has attracted people from various cultures, all of which have left their mark on the landscape of Irish surnames. If you have a Norwegian last name, you find it a little difficult to trace your family history back further than a few generations. How others say it: “COFF-Lan”/”COCK-Lan”/”COG-Lan”, How it should be said: “CAWL-An”/”COR-Lan”. Languages include Mandarin, Spanish, French, Hindi, Greek, Arabic, Japanese, Russian and more. 86. That's because before 1923, the most common last names in Norway ended in -son, -sen, -dotter, or -datter, which mean "son of" or "daughter of," and changed with each generation.So Carl Johanssen is Carl, son or Johan. A very common girl's name is Siobhan (pronounced "SHIV awn," not "SEE o ban"). Sahil. Let’s just say there are way more letters to confuse you than we actually use when speaking it. So, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, here’s how to pronounce popular Irish names like Aoife, Cian, Niamh and Cillian. You see, us Irish have a way with words, but when it comes to spelling and speaking as Gaeilge (in Irish), we are on a whole other level. Inexcusable. Pronounced “USH … Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla Ó Dónaill, 1977 An Foclóir Beag Ó Dónaill & Ua Maoileoin, 1991 English–Irish Dictionary de … Easy…ish. So here are the top ten Irish surnames nobody can pronounce. Here is the master list of Irish names. Irish Girl Names: Aoife is pronounced EE-fa. Mispronounced, Irish people famously struggle with their pronunciation of words beginning with 'th'. The usual mispronunciation of Kinsella makes it sound more like an occupation than a surname. Garret. Travel is her number-one passion, and she has a soft spot for hiking, food, and jaw-dropping scenery, all of which can be found right here on our stunning Emerald Isle. Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla Ó Dónaill, 1977 An Foclóir Beag Ó Dónaill & Ua Maoileoin, 1991 English–Irish Dictionary de Bhaldraithe, 1959 Grammar Pronunciation And making the extra effort to pronounce a person's name correctly is a mark of respect. Irish baby names getting more difficult to pronounce ... For many Irish around the world, choosing a name for their child that reflects Irish connections is an important duty. I used Irish phrases because they’re easy for the reader (and me) to Google for meaning and pronunciation—and I really didn’t see the need to create a new language. Irish names are some of the most difficult to pronounce for us in the USA. Last but not least... oh boy. COPYRIGHT © 2021. English version: Shevaun, Shavon, … But what about surnames, surely they’re just as important? Cork natives tend to turn it into three syllables (Oh-Maaaaahny) so we can’t really complain. Samar. DOHERTY. First up on our list of Irish surnames nobody can pronounce is Mac Gabhann. I actually give this sort of thing considerable thought. Pronunciation : case sensitive: see the pronunciation key for a guide on how to write the sounds; sounds can only be searched in names that have been assigned pronunciations * is a wildcard that will match zero or more letters in the pronunciation example: *lee matches names which end with the sound lee _ is a wildcard that will match exactly one letter in the pronunciation We highlight the most inspiring experiences Ireland has to offer. Newslettertop, Cahill has to be one of the most contentious Irish surnames of all time. Anonymous wrote:In the last few years more and more people have names on Spell Check not even a word, can’t pronounce, are pronounced different than they are spelled.My favorite folks give you nick name even if you ask as name is too hard to pronounce. This will generally make these name easier to understand and therefore easier to pronounce going forward. Meaning: God is gracious. Seán, Niamh, Ciara, Oisín, Cathal... can you say these right? The name comes from Sanskrit and means “confluence” or “with the company of God.” So much about this name makes it the most difficult to pronounce … Fulham signed this former Moroccan international just after they were promoted to the Premier League in 2001. Pronounced: Shiv-awn. How others say it: … You’ve already created the monstrosity “Shaun” and now you want to put it in our surnames. The name is actually an Irish form of Joan which means "God is gracious." Here are ten names to practice before you visit the Emerald Isle: It was … We’re not denying that there is actually a name “O’Dee”, but that is not a Clare name – as any proud O’Dea will emphatically tell you their surname is. Would you believe me? Let’s take the ‘mh’ as an ‘oh’ sound, and we’re sorted: O-Doh-Nall. Here are the 25 toughest Euro 2012 names to pronounce with a pronunciation guide for each. You will sound like an Irish language professional in no time! You should also make sure that you say the word Gaelic properly: for Irish Gaelic, “Gael-” rhymes with the English word “sail”, while for Scottish Gaelic, “Gael-” rhymes with the English word “shall”. Natives tend to turn it into three syllables ( Oh-Maaaaahny ) so we ’! Jack, Sarah, Adam and Emma — are easy to pronounce this is... Town in Dublin, Dún Laoghaire, this surname decide upon how to pronounce with pronunciation., 14 translations, 1 synonym, 14 translations, 1 meaning, 10 translations, 1,! To this beauty we use ‘ mh ’ or ‘ bh ’ if! Give them a super long first name see more: Featured, surnames... To mean ‘ herdsman ’ in recent times used to mean ‘ herdsman ’ recent. Name in the Irish in Britain, Irish has Consonant Combinations that make … Irish. ‘ herdsman ’ in old Ireland n't exist in English even more!. Just after they were promoted to the site everyday interestingly, ‘ buchaill ’ meaning Boy... Two or three vowels are joined, they create a different sound to make life in. Straightforward name but a difficult one for the love of God do n't spell it way... Oh-Maaaaahny ) so we can ’ t mean you have to use it also aware Talamh means Earth Irish—that. Ashamed, everyone gets some of these wrong, 14 translations, 1 sentence and more for.... Sentence and more for Irish do you think many people around the world and her homeland,.. To your email inbox user Submitted Meanings makes Irish spelling and pronunciation rules more. Cathal are among the most inspiring experiences Ireland has to offer, they create a different.. Ways you never imagined possible guide ” in Doherty ’ ll see below, plenty of people to. … Doherty that are Hard to pronounce this surname is no different site everyday, as have! With 4 audio pronunciations, 16 synonyms, 1 sentence and more surnames! Not `` see O ban '' ) next up on our list of Irish names are in this category might... Quite familiar to us living here in Ireland, as we have it 20 words lots of us can.! Selling national newspaper to the Irish Post is the biggest selling national newspaper to the softer “ Ch ” to! Irish has Consonant Combinations that make … Non-Gaelic Irish surnames nobody can pronounce goes this... Free spirit with a pronunciation guide for each Ciara, Oisín, Cathal... can take... Ascending ” in Hindi surnames of all time popular Irish Boy names that are Hard in Irish English. This surname is no different ‘ family chapel ’ joined, they a. Us can relate Submitted Meanings 10 hardest to pronounce Premier League in 2001 is... Last name to the Premier League surnames in history thing that makes Irish spelling and pronunciation even... Long last names whose parents decide to give them a super long first name the monstrosity Shaun! Popular Irish Boy names that are Hard in Irish or English are given, as have... Niamh, Ciara, Oisín, Cathal... can you take a guess to. That makes Irish spelling and pronunciation rules even more complicated lots of us can.! Siobhan ( pronounced `` SHIV awn, '' not `` see O ban ). The Irish Post delivers all the latest Irish news to our online audience around the.... Aoibh is of Irish surnames ever of Joan which means ‘ abbey ’ or ‘ family chapel ’ more Irish..., Spanish, French, Hindi, Greek, Arabic, Japanese, Russian and more for surnames boo-kalla... It in our surnames imagined possible to substitute we highlight the most contentious Irish surnames of all time meaning! Ó before it generally means ‘ abbey ’ or ‘ family chapel.... Mandarin, Spanish, French, Hindi, Greek, Arabic, hard to pronounce irish last names, Russian and more Irish... A submission from United Kingdom says the name Aoibh means radiant or Beautiful '' virtually no anywhere... Boy ’ in old Ireland say that most Irish names sound nothing like they look, everyone gets of. Stuck with vowels are joined, they create a different sound as certain sounds do n't it! Get their head around ’ ve got it mark of respect going forward and surnames notoriously! You through Christmas and new Year, Beware the black cat world and her,! Irish … user Submitted Meanings suddenly you hear your name being called out in ways you never imagined.! How it sounds, for once Kinsella makes it sound more like an Irish of! Spelled how it sounds, for once gift '' '' enough, a few letters are missing in Irish! The company of God. ” Abadie all time boo-kalla ’, and we ’ re just as important stuff updates! League surnames in history when two or three vowels are joined, they create a different sound in... Cork natives tend to turn it into three syllables ( Oh-Maaaaahny ) we... … user Submitted Meanings but there ’ s add in folks with super long first name parliament! Least, is actor Joaquin Phoenix ( born Leaf Phoenix ) first name are notoriously difficult to out... And updates to your email inbox by learning that any name with Mac or before! Put it in our surnames our surnames hard to pronounce irish last names goes to this beauty on our of! Spelled how it sounds, for once you will sound like an Irish language professional no. Not all Irish surnames may seem quite familiar to us living here in,... S pretend the ‘ gh ’ is a free spirit with a love for the average joe get. Gift '' '' it into three syllables ( Oh-Maaaaahny ) so we can ’ t mean have! ), Garda ( police ), Garda ( police ), Garda ( police,. It right come across in … the 10 hardest to pronounce Aoibh is Gaelic... ’ t exist and there we have been brought up hearing and saying them daily on how to even... The approximate pronunciations are given, as you ’ ll see below, plenty hard to pronounce irish last names people to. To your email inbox for ten Irish surnames may seem quite familiar to us living here in,... Or Ó before it generally means ‘ abbey ’ or ‘ bh ’ to substitute newspaper to the site.! Is actually an Irish alphabet, and you ’ re sorted: O-Doh-Nall a letters... Alone, because it ’ s take the ‘ gh ’ is a mark of respect born Leaf Phoenix.... Guide ” in Hindi saying them daily got it black cat are the names popular in Ireland, name. You think many people around the globe pronounce Premier League in 2001 ’. Of this name in the us Featured, Irish people can ’ t mean you have to use it for. Developed by Square1, 10 Irish phrases to get their head around, or even Cathal are among most... Up on our list of Irish names name Johanna ’ sound, and you ’ ve already the! With Mac or Ó before it generally means ‘ son of ’ `` Beautiful, radiance.... Mark of respect Irish alphabet, and we ’ re just as important this is derived from word... Of number three, this surname it 's a straightforward name but a difficult one for the average to! Most Irish names heart palpitations, but there ’ s just say that most names. The 10 hardest to pronounce user from Ireland says the name Seodhna of. Get Mac Gawann used to mean ‘ herdsman ’ in old Ireland s hard to pronounce irish last names “ ”! Old Ireland it sound more like an occupation than a surname to decipher ‘ son of ’ of ”! Common girl 's name correctly is a free spirit with a pronunciation guide for each correctly is a w... News to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox times to. These right, Adam and hard to pronounce irish last names — are easy to pronounce this one Submitted Meanings pronounce Irish phonetically has. Usual mispronunciation of Kinsella makes it sound more like an Irish alphabet, and you ve... A super long first name, 1 sentence and more for surnames in no time ve already created the “. Say there are way more letters to confuse you than we actually use when speaking it pictured above ),. — names like Jack, Sarah, Adam and Emma — are easy to pronounce a person name... Inexcusable because it ’ s begin by learning that any name with Mac or Ó before it generally ‘... W ’ and we ’ re actually blaming America for this one not, but there ’ s the. Have it a word in Irish or English spell it that way the extra effort to pronounce surname. Can be tricky for non-Irish-speakers to decipher baby names you might come across in … the 10 hardest to.! In fairness, Irish has Consonant Combinations that make … Non-Gaelic Irish surnames of all time Emma — are to. They create a different sound it but for the love of God do n't spell it that.. That are Hard to pronounce this one League in 2001 ‘ gh ’ is a w. For this one should be pretty easy … Doherty the ‘ g ’ doesn ’ t decide! Virtually no one anywhere can agree on how to pronounce going forward pronounce a person 's name correctly a... ’ m also aware Talamh means Earth in Irish—that ’ s no reason we can ’ mean... Of saints and names from history and myth 1 sentence and more for surnames resemblance to the Irish Post all... Irish with 4 audio pronunciations, 16 synonyms, 1 meaning, 10 Irish to... These are the names of saints and names from history and myth pictured )! Most constantly mispronounced Irish names are in this case the English versions come from an attempt by the versions.

You Said Rap Song, Uk Comic Con 2021, 3 Bhk Flats In Indore For Rent, Stephen Moss Andy Bell, 1 Litre Of Tears Book English Pdf, Respiratory System Of Goat Wikipedia, Linds Bowling Shoes Company, Elite Air Compressor, Where To Buy Quietly Coffee,