Boys Name: Ciaran

Ciaran is a diminutive of Ciar. This was the name of two Irish saints: Saint Ciarán the Elder, the patron of the Kingdom of Munster, and Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, the founder of a monastery in the 6th century. Ciar is derived from Irish ciar meaning "black".

- quoted from Behind The Name

The Ciaran spelling ranks #61 in Ireland and it ranked as high as #28 in 2002. The Kieran spelling is much more popular recently and it rated #206 in England and Wales and #576 in the USA which is quite something.

Ciaran has been a favorite of mine for a long time. I love the Irish spelling versus the Kieran spelling, mostly because of actor Ciarán Hinds and it being closer to my father's name Colin. I'm not sure how it would go over especially since some members of my family would have a harder time spelling and pronouncing it. I'm much less fond of the Kieran spelling, the K just makes it much less appealing to me. 

Ciaran Michael is my favorite combo but I also like Ciaran Henry, Ciaran Oliver, Ciaran Thomas and Ciaran William. I would leave off the line over the second a as in Ciarán.

What do you think of the name Ciaran? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with?

Boys Name: Colin

There's two thoughts on the origin of the name Colin. 

Colin (1) - Anglicized form of Cailean or Coilean, both name meaning "whelp, young dog" or "child" in Gaelic. This name is also used as a Scottish form of Columba which means "dove".

Colin (2) - A Medieval English diminutive of Col, a short form of Nicholas a Greek name that means "victory of the people".

- quoted from Behind the Name

The name Colin has become increasingly more popular over the last few years. It ranked #140 in the USA, #65 in Sweden and #60 in Switzerland. It has always been common in England, Scotland and Ireland. 

I have a real love for this name because my father is named Colin. My grandmother (his mother) chose his name because growing up her favorite book was The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgdon Burnett and she loved all things Scottish so all three of her kids were given Scottish names (Colin, Bonnie Jean and Kenneth). It's a name that my parents weren't over fond of but they did name my brother Colin Andrew (he goes by Andy). It's a name I'd love to use one day provided that my brother doesn't use it first (he has first dibs anyway). I like the combos Colin Laurence, Colin Stone, Colin Michael or Colin David. 

What do you think of the name Colin? 

Do you know anyone with this name? 

What other names would you pair it with?

Names I've Been Thinking About

Lately I've found and been thinking about the names below. I like the sound of these and thought I'd just share them here. I'd love to know if you've heard of any of these names and what you think of them!

Girls:

• Niobe - I found this today and really didn't know how to pronounce it or anything about it! So I looked it up on Behind the Name (my one stop source for names). It's pronounced nee-o-bee or nye-o-bee (similar to Naomi). It's a name from Greek Mythology and the meaning is unknown. To me it sound similar to Phoebe which I love so I'm really starting to like this. I can at least add it to my very short list of N names that I like.
• Nimue - another name I just didn't know anything about! This one is from Welsh Mythology so I like it because of that already. Some people pronounce it nee-moo but it's really pronounced nih-moo-way. I have a hard time pronouncing it and I'd love to hear a Welsh person pronounce it because I'm sure it's beautiful! Meaning unknown.
• Gwendlyn - this name I found in a name game I played and thought it was rather pretty. I can't find any info on it so it's probably a misspelling of Gwendolyn but I thought it looked pretty anyway.

Boys:

• Colm - on St. Patrick's Day I watched a TV program where a man from Ireland had this name. I enjoyed hearing it used because I don't think I'd heard it used before. I really like the short sound and like that's it's less popular than Callum which I love. It's in the same family as Callum and means 'dove'.
• Leith - this is an English name which has ties with Scotland and is also the name of a river that runs through Edinburgh, Scotland. I kind of liked it because it's similar to Keith but different.
• Imre - I'd heard this name before but ran across it again. I love the sound! It's pronounced EEM-re. It's actually a Hungarian form of the German names Emmerich, but to me it sounds Welsh or Celtic. I like it!
• Aloysius - every time I run across Aloysius it surprises me how much I like the sound. It's just a fun name to say - al-oh-WISH-us! It's related to the name Louis which I also like right now. These old-fashioned names are delightful!
• Jason - I usually don't like this name but the few Jasons I have met are really nice and make me want to like this name even though it is well known and popular. 

I'm also falling in love with the name Colin again! It's my dad's name and my brother's first name (but he goes by his middle name) and I really don't hear it often enough. If my brother doesn't use it then I'm going to because I do love it! My dad doesn't have a nickname but I'm kind of liking the nickname Col (like call) right now. What do you think, on a little boy?

Opinions on all of these names? What you heard of them before? Have you met people with these names?

St. Patrick's Day Name Game

Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone! This is a Create-A-Family (CAF) game I posted on Behind the Name's Game Board. In honor of the day here are some Irish names to create a family with. Use the names in the namebanks to give the family members first names and middle names. Each name is linked so you can click on it and find out how the Gaelic names are pronounced and their meanings. You can add or subtract children if you want.

Note: DH = Dear Husband, DW = Dear Wife, DS = Dear Son, DS/DS = twin dear sons, DD = dear daughter

DH:
DW:

DS/DS:
DD:
DS:
DD:
DD:
DS:
DD:
DD:
DS:

Girls Namebank: 
Aideen Ailbhe Aileen Ailis Aine Aislin Aisling Aislinn Aithne Alannah Aoibhe Aoibheann Aoife Bebhinn Bedelia Bevin Biddy Bree Brianna Brid Bride Bridget Brigh Brighid Brogan Bronagh Caitlin Caitria Caitriona Caoimhe Cathleen Catriona Ciannait Ciara Cleena Cliodhna Cliona Clodagh Dairine Darina Dearbhail Deirbhile Deirdre Derval Dervila Dervla Devin Doireann Dorean Eabha Eadan Eavan Edna Eibhlin Eileen Eilis Eimear Eireann Eireen Eithne Emer Ennis Enya Erin Ethna Finnuala Finola Fiona FlannFlannan Gobnait Gobnet Gormlaith Grainne Grania Granya Honora Isibeal Kathleen Keavy Keelan Keelin Keeva Kelly Kennedy Kiera Laoise Liadan Lile Luiseach Maeve Maire Mairead Mairin Mallaidh Maura Maureen Mavourneen Meabh Moira Moirin Mona Mor Moreen Moyna Moyra Muireen Muirgel Muirgen Muriel Murphy Myrna Nainsi Naomh Neasa Nessa Neve Niamh Noirin Nola Nora Noreen Onora Oona Oonagh Orfhlaith Orla Orna Patsy Reagan Riona Rois Roisin Rosheen Sadb Sadbh Saoirse Saraid Searlait Shavonne Shea Sheila Shevon Sibeal Sile Sinead Siobhan Siofra Sive Slaine Sorcha Talulla Toireasa Treasa Una 

Boys Namebank: 
Abban Aengus Aidan Ailbhe Ailin Aindreas Alastar Alby Angus AodhAodhan Aonghus Aran Ardal Ardghal Bairre Barra Barrfind Barry Berach Braden Brady Brendan Brennan Brian Brodie Brody Brogan Cadogan Cainneach Cairbre Calvagh Caoimhin Caolan Carbrey Carey Carroll Carson Cathair Cathal Cathan Cavan Ceallach Cearbhall Cian Cianan Ciar Ciaran Cillian Cinaed Clancy Cody Coilean Coleman Colin Colm Colman Comhghall Conall Conan Conley Conn Connor Conor Cormac Cuan Cowal Daire Daley Dara Daragh Declan Dermot Desmond Devin Diarmaid Donal Donovan Doran Dougal Doyle Eamon Edan Eibhear Ennis Eoghan Eoin Faolan Farquhar Fearchar FergalFergus Fiachra Finbar Finbarr Finley Finnegan Finnian Fintan Fionn Gallagher Gilroy Grady Keane Keefe Keegan Keenan Kennedy Kevin Kieran Killian Laoghaire Leary Liam Lorcan Malachy Mannix Murphy Murdoch Naoise Neil Niall Ninian Nolan Oisin OrrinOsheen Padraig Patrick Riordan Ronan Rory Rowan Ryan Seamus Sean Seanan Searlas Shane Somhairle Sorley Sweeney Tadhg Teague Tiernan Tierney Tomas Torin Uilliam Uinseann


Example: This is the family I created.


DH: Ciaran Seamus 
DW: Orla Mairead 

DS/DS: Aodhan Daragh / Ardghal Diarmaid 
DD: Eimear Laoise 
DS: Oisin Tadgh 
DD: Caoimhe Roisin 
DD: Dearbhail Sadbh
DS: Colm Laoghaire 
DD: Saoirse Doireann 
DD: Meabh Caitriona 
DS: Finbarr Cillian 

Ciaran & Orla
Aodhan, Ardghal, Eimear, Oisin, Caoimhe, Dearbhail, Colm, Saoirse, Meabh and Finbarr




I hope someone might take the time to do this game on here. I love Irish names! :)
Happy St. Patrick's Day!