This has been alluded to above, but please don't allow the parents instinct to be different name a kid something that is going to be a problem for the child due to all listed above.

Remember, it's the kid who has to live with it through school and for the rest of her/his life.

Don't saddle the child with your ego.

With so many "different" names and permutations thereof these days, I'd be tempted to name a baby John or Mary or something like that. There aren't that many of those anymore.

Thanks for the ideas! I passed them onto Julie. As I said earlier, she is looking for an Irish boy name that isn't necessarily in the Top 10--- so that her son isn't in class with 10 other little boys of the same name when he gets to be school-age.

But she's not looking for an odd or bizarre name, and I think the names presented on here (the tasteful ones suggested in the spirit of the original post) were great recommendations.

Thanks again! I'll keep you posted on what name they go with--- we have a few more months!!!

I also like the name Quinn, but it rhymes with their Irish last name, so I think that one is definitely out!!! ;)

I really like the name Eamon. Its easy to spell & common enough that people know how to say it!

And have them check out this web site for tons of fun:

http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html

Re: Name Julie's Baby!
 

Ooooh! Sorry I got here so late! Her situation is almost the same as mine -- we are having a boy in a month, have a two-syllable, very common Irish last name, and I also don't want a trendy name. (Love the names Aiden and Connor, but I'm afraid they'll be the Arthur and Earnest of this generation.)

I went to the Social Security website, which has been suggested in the thread, and copied and pasted the US results for 2003, as well as the results for our state and several neighboring states, into a spreadsheet. My cut-off point is #25 in popularity.

Baby Name Wizard, which was already mentioned, is a great resource!

Some of the names we considered were Ian, Declan, and Garrett. My co-worker who is due three days before I am is naming her son Griffin, which I also like. And didn't Ben Stiller and his wife just name their son Quinlen? Also a cool name!

We weren't tied to an Irish name, which gave us more options. Right now the front runner is Joel: easy to spell, easy to pronounce, not trendy, not common, and not even in the top 100!

Wish your friend luck with this process. It's turning out to be much harder that I imagined.

eekappa, i think joel is a classy name.

I'm fond of Seamus and Liam:D

Thanks! I appreciate the input!!

/hijack

I'm kinda surprised that Joel isn't more popular - it seems that there are about 30 in my church's nursery (not counting the Joelles!).

I have a thing for the name Declan. When I first started reading Maeve Binchy & other Irish writers, I found it odd, but then I met one. Actually, I met a "Dec", not knowing what his full name was. I thought it was pronounced Dee-clan, not Dec-lan! What's the name's meaning? I could never saddle a child with a name that meant something funky.

Griffin
 

Maybe I'm just a dumb bunnyman (snaps to Delt and AlphaSigScott on the song name game thread), but I always get "Griffin" and "Griffith" mixed up.

Just something to consider.

I like "Joel".. sounds so musical.

Dang, did everyone respond to Joel at the same time? Sounds like a winner! :cool:

Persimmom!

Eamon is neither easy to spell nor common.

If i heard it and had to spell it I would try it numerous ways:

Emon, Emonn, Eeman, etc.

I have never heard of it. It sounds cool, but I wouldnt call it common (at all).

I really dont care for the numerous incarnations of Quinniillliinnn, et al. Has fartknocker written all over it. If you're FOB and half your living relatives are in the 'old country' then you could get away with it. Stiller is of Irish ethnicity, but I dont know how far back that was. Were all from somewhere at somepoint. If you arent tight with the culture but get all tight with it in name only, you are just trying too hard and again, its fartknockerish.

Joel works tho.

Declan, according to babynames.com means "Irish Saint."

Thanks again y'all for being a mini-focus group on the name Joel. It's much more meaningful hearing from people who aren't just saying "How nice!" to be polite. Honeychile, we'll just have to stay away from PA if we want to keep the name's uniqueness. ;) The only Joel we know is the golf pro at the country club, and I've told DH that I think he's hoping to get a discount for life at the pro shop by selecting the name. We've had lots of friends and acquaintances tell us "I only know one Joel, and he's a great guy." Then there's the Tom Cruise character in Risky Business, but I don't think that counts.

Oh, adpiucf, tell Julie to google any of the names she likes with her last name. She won't want any axe murderers with the same name as her son. Which reminds me of that Seinfeld episode when Elaine was dating a guy named Joel Rifkin, which was the name of a serial killer... but that doesn't count either. :p

I'll be more specific, its an incredibly common Irish name. I'm of Irish descent & we've got more Eamon's in my family then I could care to count! :D

Lexington (the city I'm from) was founded mainly by Irish/Scottish settlers & so we've got a lot of names floating around here that I'd say are common that you may not think so! It just depends on where you're from, I guess!

(And there is a singer named Eamon-he had a couple of hits that were pretty popular.)

Caleb?

Eamon deValera was an Irish freedom fighter and the first president of Ireland (the Free State and after), so the name is common amongst people who were in tune with the Irish struggle for independence from England. I am sure it would have been fairly common among Irish (the ones in Ireland) anyway, but that just added to the popularity.

I would never have thought of googling a name - how smart is that?!

And yes, I must know at least ten Joels, so we'll just have to "meet" on neutral turf! ;)

I'm liking Declan even more, with the meaning of Irish Saint! I also love Caleb, but my brother raises Dobermans, and Caleb (meaning bold dog) was the main sire of their brood - no Calebs for me!

Caleb is nice, and is #33 on the US list in popularity.

How about Gavin? We've been watching Rescue Me and that was one of DH's suggestions, even though it's Dennis Leary's character's last name. It doesn't sound really great with our last name, though. We had to reject Colin for the same reason, though I love the name.

I love the name Gavin. I have a cousin with that name and always thought it sounded so nice.

One of my good friends just became a new aunt to a little boy named Gavin. :)

But yeah, if it doesn't sound good with the last name, then I would say nix it.

I have one of the most common first names Margaret, last time I check it was #9 on the list. And all the things you warn about for a uncommon name happen to me all the time. I never can find those custom names things because my name is classic not trendy. And forget about spelling, 50% of the time people spell it wrong.

I personally think using a less common name with a special meaning to you or a cultural connection is nice. Far better than picking a trendy name that has no significance but just sounds cool.

When I have kids I want to them to have Irish names as well so I have plenty of suggestions. My personal favorites besides Patrick (I know, wayyyy to common) are Colm, Finn, Eamon & Rowan

So what name did Julie choose for her baby?

It's a big secret... She won't tell us until he's here.

BUT she did tell me that she did choose one of the names I sent to her. So I will keep you posted!!!

Her belly is getting bigger! :)

Soooooo Ditto .... (Shala = cheerful in Greek, but parents not Greek)

Update!
 

Keagan Cashel Flynn arrived at 2:29 AM this morning at 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and 18.5 inches! Mom, baby and dad are doing great!

Now, that's an Irish lad! Congrats to mom, dad and baby Keagan!

hooray for your friends!!

Re: Update!
 

Goodo, after that name, they can call Her K C!:D

My kind of Name!:cool:

Re: Update!
 

Congratulations to your friend! I love that name.

Keagan means fiery and determined-- I think Cashel is a location in Ireland. He's a very cute little boy! :) His daddy already has the website up and they are handing out Keagan's very own business cards with cigars!