Although NB has it listed as a boys name, my introduction to [name_m]Laoghaire[/name_m] was through Outlander (a female character) and some research suggests that it is (or was) more commonly a female name of Celtic origin. Another spelling I’ve seen is Laoire, which I’m leaning towards preferring, if only for simplicity.
Despite the less than pleasant character, I really like the name and I’m wondering what you all think of it? Could you see it on a little girl? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like it? Any thoughts are appreciated.
EDIT: I should add, pronunciation, as far as I know, is LEER-ee. Or LAIR-ee in some parts.
[name_m]How[/name_m] is this pronounced? Tbh I don’t have the easiest time seeing it on a little girl, but I’d file it under the “some will pull it off beautifully while others may not” type of name. But I’m also American and we don’t see Celtic names that often.
When I saw [name_m]Laoghaire[/name_m], I had no idea how to pronounce it and didn’t like the look of it. However, Laoire looks so pretty and the pronounciations are nice.
Okay, never would’ve guessed that. See phonetically I get what you mean, it’s quite pleasant sounding. It’s just a lot of letters. I’m not normally one to worry a whole lot about a name being mispronounced/misspelled just because it’s true of many popular ones, my own included. But at least where I live, this is just far too much. I think [name_f]Lyra[/name_f] would be a very nice alternative though it lacks the same origin. Laoire is indeed simpler but I’m not sure how much of the issue it alleviates unfortunately.
I live in [name_m]Dublin[/name_m], so my first thought was of the suburb Dún [name_m]Laoghaire[/name_m]. Honestly I think it’s ridiculous as a first name especially for a girl. To me it’s like naming a person Chicago or [name_m]Boston[/name_m]. Plus the pronunciation is like “leery” as in to be suspicious of something. Hard no from me on this one. Sorry!
Ha, this made me laugh! I live in Northern [name_f]England[/name_f] and whenever I see names like [name_m]Preston[/name_m] or Everton I just cringe a little inside. Totally fair!
I will say, I’m glad it hasn’t been totally panned by everyone though. Once I mentioned the pronunciation, I was expecting more distaste for it but it doesn’t seem to have gone down too badly.
I can totally see the appeal in the sound! I wonder if there is another -ree ending girls’ name that could work as that’s the dazzling part for me. Means no “leery” connotation.
I think it’s very pretty although I understand the reservations expressed. Another possible spelling would be [name_m]Leary[/name_m], which would put it in the category of a surname name. That said, I like the Laoire spelling best, but am not sure I would be brave enough to use it as a first name.
So, my thoughts on the name when I saw it were thus:
Oh, that’s a celtic name isn’t it…
[name_m]How[/name_m] the hell am I supposed to pronounce that?
Now, this should be taken with a grain of salt as I live in the U.S., so as another poster said, we don’t see true celtic spelled names a lot. People tend to adjust them for easier reading. I don’t know how it is in [name_f]England[/name_f], but I assume, since part of [name_f]Ireland[/name_f] is part of the U.K., that it is far more common around there, and that people would likely know how it is pronounced. So, as far as my second thought, it’s probably not relevant to your situation.
As for the sound of the name. Peronally, I’m not a fan of how it sounds, even without the connection to the word leery. I tend to tie the spelling of a word with the sound, so names like [name_f]Merry[/name_f] and [name_f]Mary[/name_f], if I know they are spelled differently on two different people, will make me think of two completely different names if they are said aloud, even though they sound exactly the same. Not everyone does this, though, and homophones to names do matter. To me, this name is like naming your child [name_m]Wiley[/name_m]. Not a good connotation, though a cute sound, and unless you want people associating that meaning with your child, you might consider another name. If it doesn’t bother you, though, go for it
Another name to consider that has a similar sound, though not as fun of a spelling: [name_f]Miri[/name_f] (I’m personally in love with this name)
I’d relegate it to the middle name spot, but it certainly has a pretty sound! It might just be a bit too much of a hassle for a kid to handle day to day.
