Katie writes:
We are expecting baby #4 on St. Patrick’s Day, the date is pretty set unless baby decides to come earlier which is unlikely. Baby #4 is a girl and she’ll be joining Grace Kathryn Mae (6), Nora Elizabeth (4) and Asher Jack (2). We are looking for an Irish/Gaelic name, my husband’s family has Irish roots, we both went to the University of Notre Dame and of course the obvious is that the baby is going to be born on St. Patty’s Day. Our last name rhymes with Ramble but starts with a “c”.
I’m not thinking that Patricia is a good name choice but it is often suggested to us. If the baby were not born on St. Patrick’s Day her name very well would have been Audrey Jayne. I love how Grace, Nora and Audrey sound together but Audrey is not Irish. I’ve been attracted to names that have an “a” and an “r” in them but this has proven to be challenging to find in the Irish name category. Names that we’ve been tossing around…
Quinn – I love, my husband grimaces. How terrible is it that my children’s one and only cousin’s name rhymes with Quinn, his name is Flynn?
Keira – I like, again my husband isn’t sure
My husband just likes Audrey and must be banking on me going into labor before my c-section which has never happened.
Thank you for thinking this through for me!
I have such a perfect name for you, I don’t even want to tell you, for fear you won’t think it’s as perfect as I do. It’s a name I like even WITHOUT any Irish or St. Patrick’s Day connection, but if I had a reason to use it like you do, I would use it as the middle name IN A FLASH: Clover. CLOVER. It is gorgeous. I love it. USE IT. I suppose it is not an Irish name, but it sounds like you guys don’t really LIKE Irish names and want more like a HOLIDAY name tied to St. Patrick’s Day.
And then you can use Audrey, your husband’s favorite that you love with the sibling names, as the first name. Audrey Clover _amble.
Since your oldest daughter has two middle names, what about two middle names for this baby? Audrey Patricia Jayne?
It sounds like you both like Audrey. Why don’t you use it with an Irish middle? Or Patricia as a middle? Sorry, I just had to say it– Audrey Patricia sounds SO nice. Or Ireland as the middle? Audrey Ireland? Or Shannon or Erin or Dierdre or Kathleen or Caitlin or Siobhan?
Another name with some similar sounds is Arden, but I like Audrey better for you.
Audrey Clover!!! LOVE.
Bah, please don’t name her Clover! What about something more Irish-American like, Margaret? Grace, Nora and Maggie is adorable!
I think Audrey is fantastic with the other names! I love Audrey Jayne and Audrey Patricia equally. (I’m no help, am I…) Audrey Clover is sweet and whimsical, and could work as well.
Good luck!
Audrey Clover and Audrey Patricia are pretty cool.
Of, for feminine Irish names with A and R, you can use these links
(A before R) http://www.behindthename.com/php/search.php?terms=*a*r*&name=yes&gender=f&usage=iri&operator=or
(R before A)
http://www.behindthename.com/php/search.php?terms=*r*a*&name=yes&gender=f&usage=iri&operator=or
Some of the few names that, to me, seem to go with Grace, Nora, and Asher are:
Ca(i)tri(o)na
Maureen
Moira
Other names with an Irish connection (meaning or description http://www.behindthename.com/php/search.php?terms=irish&meaning=yes&description=yes&gender=f&usage=&operator=or ) that I like with Grace, Nora, and Asher are:
Alannah
Clare (A and R!)
Deirdre
Fiona
Maeve
What about a non-Irish name that means lucky?
Felicity
Gwyneth
Zelda
Other gaelic/irish names:
Aveline
Brenna
Ciera
Re(a)gan
Tierney
Zaira
I love Clover, myself… I’m going to throw my two cents in, and also suggest that Erin gets some consideration? It’s the romantic name for Ireland that poets and writers used in the nineteenth century… And since Erin is one of my own names (I’m another 4-name baby), I can say I’ve had a good experience with it!
I love Anna. Really, any variation of Anne, especially the nn Annie. But Anna seems like a perfect sister name for Grace and Nora.
Other ideas:
Isla
Brigid
Alice
Fiona
Mary
I love the previous poster’s suggestion of Clare with Grace and Nora, and it’s got the Irish connection you’re looking for (esp. with the Clare spelling–County Clare). But I think you should use Audrey, since you both love it. And Audrey Jayne does sound great! Maybe use a St. Paddy’s day theme for a second middle name, since your other daughter has two middles.
I love Clare, too. Audrey Clare is so sweet!
Also, Maureen. I know a Maureen shortened to Molly and I find it just lovely.
Keira is so close to my favourite Irish boys name, Kieran, but I’m not sure it goes with the style of the other names.
Clare is a great suggestion.
Depending on where your husbands family is from you could name her after a place. A couple I thought of with A and R in them:
Tralee (I associate it with the Rose of Tralee which is especially pretty)
Connemara, although I would turn it into a first and middle name Connie Mara _amble. I think Connie is a lovely old fashioned name which would go with your other girls names well. Grace, Nora and Connie
Good luck.
Or “Colleen” is the word for “girl” in Ireland, and also a very pretty name in the U.S.
I like Audrey but personally am not a huge fan of sibling groups where some but not all initials are repeated. That said, if you love Audrey, you should go for it. I like Clover as a nod to St Patrick’s Day
Some other ideas, connected to St Patrick or the day
Maeve – means cause of great joy
Trinity
Tara
Lorica
Maewyn
Jade – green?
I vote for Maeve, Maggie or Molly. Maggie Jayne or Molly Jayne both sound adorable. Maeve Jayne doesn’t really work. I know a Maeve Kathleen – which I think is a great Irish name. Another possibility is Mary? I know a lot of Irish Marys. Mary Patricia? I also really like Keira -but it doesn’t go as well with your other names. If none of these seem right, you can’t go wrong with Audrey – it goes perfectly with Grace and Nora. You have lots of great choices. Good Luck!
Can Jayne be a first name? It’s so lovely! Jayne Trinity? Jayne Clover?
Audrey Clover.
I’m surprised no one suggested Bridget. But I just scanned the other comments – sorry I’m sort on time – and maybe someone already suggested Bridget. I like Bridget as an Irish-American name.
Grace, Nora, Asher, and Bridget.
I like the suggestion of Clare and think Clare Patricia would be perfect in every way for a girl with Irish ancestry born on St. Patrick’s Day. Grace, Nora and Clare would be lovely together.
From Irish baby name websites: Clare is a medieval name derived from ‘clarus’ “clear, bright, famous.” Clare has been widely used in Ireland in honor of St Clare of Assisi (1103-1253), a follower of St. Francis of Assisi, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the “Poor Clares”. The name Clare has always been very respected in Ireland and is still popular today.
I find Clover too whimsical with your other children’s names and would not use it, even as a middle name. Likewise, I would use the standard, classic J-A-N-E spelling of the classic name Jane (Jayne is not the same name at all) if that name is used as a middle or first name.
Noticing that you already have a child whose name begins with “A”, I think Jane might work better than Audrey Jayne. Jane Patricia goes well with Grace Kathryn and Nora Elizabeth, and Grace, Nora and Jane go very well together.
I also like Clare Patricia for your third daughter.
Just noticed that Audrey Jayne C… would have the same initials as her brother Asher Jack C… Maybe the names would be too similar following two sister names that are more distinct?
Ash-er Jack C. (AJC)
Au-drey Jayne C. (AJC)
I think Clover would be adorbs, especially because of the birthdate. Audrey Clover seems perfect. BUT I am going to tell you my favorite Irish name that I would have used for one of my baby girls if my in laws wouldn’t have mispronounced it for the rest of her days. It’s Aisling (pronounced Ash LEEN). It means ‘vision, or dream’. Isn’t that lovely? It’s Irish, it starts with A, it’s not a standard Irish-American name. It sounds great with the other names.
Best of luck with your baby girl, that will be one HECK of a fun birthday!
LOVE this name: Saoirse. It’s Irish, and has an “a” and an “r”. If I was pregnant, this would definitely be on my short list.
I like Clare best of the suggestions. I like Audrey too, particularly with Patricia. (I would skip Audrey Jane/Jayne, for the reasons cited by the poster above.)
Clover is cute, but maybe too whimsical for you? Erin could be used as a middle or first depending on what name you use it with.
There is also:Fiona or I guess the actual Irish name, Fionnait. Moira/Maura. Neeve (Niamh), Riona.
Good luck!
You suggested Quinn. I knew a little girl whose name was–and I don’t know the spelling of it, but it sounded like–Quinlyn/Quinnlyn or Quinlan/Quinnlan. She was an beautiful spunky tomboy.
I also really like Margaret/Maggie, Bridget, and Erin.
Audrey Patricia is just beautiful, it goes with your other names and has a subtle nod to her birth date
I don’t know if it has any relation to the name Patricia, but my sister works with a Patrina. I actually like it the most out of the female versions of Patrick, and this is the version I would use if I were having a girl and wanted to honor my grandfather.
Audrey Patrina
Patrina Jayne
I also love the suggestion on Clover. Audrey Clover is a beautiful name and a great way to recognize a St. Patty’s day baby. I would totally use is as a middle if the second middle (my maiden name) was not a word name.
Good luck! I can’t wait to hear what you choose.
Erin ?
I think Audrey and Clara fit into your sibling set better than Quinn, and while I like Clover as a middle name to honor her birthdate, I don’t think it flows well in the first name slot. I feel similarly about the name Quinn.
Audrey Clover and Audrey Clare. Audrey Quinn sounds nice, too.
Clara Jane or Clara Jayne
If Audry is a name you both love then go with it! i agree with all the comments suggesting Audry Patrica i think it sounds perfect and goes so well with your other childrens names!
best of luck xx