Introduction

      What does cool mean when it comes to names for Irish babies? Something very different than it means for other kinds of baby names.

      Our first edition of Cool Names for Babies was aimed at the American market, where cool names are often invented, drawn from a range of ethnic backgrounds, borrowed from places or surnames or things. In the USA, when it comes to baby names, anything from Heaven to Harlow to Harmony goes.

      The British are more conservative, so when we devised the UK edition of Cool Names, we focused on the revival of such old-fashioned names as Edith and Arthur, on trendy short forms such as Dixie and Alfie, on royal names such as Leonie and Ludovic.

      And then we came to the Irish. Irish baby-naming is a culture in itself, full of gorgeous and often obscure ancient names whose original bearers were kings and queens, mythological heroes and heroines, saints and fairies. During the centuries of British rule, these native Irish names were suppressed, with anglicised forms—Grace for Gráinne, Eugene for Eoghan—taking their place.

      But after Irish independence, a priest named Patrick Woulfe started a campaign to restore the use of original Irish names. His 1923 book, Irish Names for Children, launched a national revolution in the way children were named. Ancient names were rediscovered, original forms were revived and a naming culture was restored to its original glory.

      Today, such Irish names as Aoife and Conor and Niamh, Cian and Caoimhe and Cillian, Oisín and Róisín, Darragh and Aisling and Saoirse are at the top of the popularity charts. They share the spotlight with non-Irish names popular throughout the English-speaking world: Emma, Sophie and Ava for girls, Jack, Daniel and Luke for boys.

      Which brings us back to the issue of cool.

      Cool, when we’re talking about Irish names, most often means traditional. In many ways what’s old in Irish names is what’s new. The coolest names these days are the most deeply rooted ones, spelt the original way. Names scrambling the fastest up the popularity ladder, for instance, include Fionn and Ruairí and Aoibhe (in tandem with Finn and Rory and Eve).

      And if distinctive, undiscovered names often count for cool in the rest of the world, they do in Ireland as well, where the rosters are full of such treasures. You’ll find them all in these pages, along with details about why their original bearers were so inspirational. Irish literature and theatre also offer a trove of stylish names with inspiring associations, along with lots of other sources, both expected and surprising.

      Here are some basic rules to keep in mind when searching for a cool name for your baby:

      Cool Means Unusual

      In general, the more unusual a name, the cooler it is. With once-uncommon names such as Aoife, Luke and Ella now competing for the top spots, you have to move further and further from the mainstream to find a name that’s truly distinctive. While fashionable Irish names such as Aisling and Cian