The Celtic Book Of Names: Traditional Names from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales [Paperback]

D. J. Conway (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2000

From Presidents Reagan and Clinton to entertainers Carroll O'Connor and Aidan Quinn, it's clear that Celtic heritage abounds in the United States. While the names Aileen, Glenna, and Morgan are generally well known, what about Siobbhan, Fiona, or Branwen? If your last name is O'Brian, MacQueen, or Ellis, you may well already know of your Irish, Scottish, or Welsh background. But if your name is Roche, Preston, or Bonner, have you discovered a new branch in your family tree?

The Celtic Book of Names offers the most comprehensive collection of names available. Included is an alphabetical list of women's and men's names, divided by Irish, Scottish, or Welsh background. Each entry includes the meaning, legends or historical references, and variants of the name. Also provided is a comprehensive list of family surnames and a retelling of common Celtic myths and legends to give the names context.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Conway, who has written numerous books on Celtic topics (e.g., Celtic Magic, Llewellyn, 1990) features traditional names from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales but not Cornwall, the Isle of Man, or Brittany. The book is arranged alphabetically by first names, surnames, and names associated with myths and legends, and the introduction provides a succinct history of the Celts. Interestingly, many first names have become surnames, especially in Ireland and Scotland. For example, O'Brien means "son of Brien" and mac Cumail refers to the son of Cumail. Correct pronunciation for personal names is given where spelling differs from pronunciation, but there are times when pronunciation is impossible to determine. Accent marks are highlighted as well. Conway suggests that readers use a dependable Gaelic dictionary for the Celtic country of choice. This is a good reference source, complete with bibliography and snippets of history sprinkled throughout. Celtic descendants living in North America should like this title; a less comprehensive choice is Loreto Todd's Celtic Names for Children (Irish American, 1998).ALarry R. Little, Penticton P.L., BC
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

D. J. Conway, well versed in Celtic culture, has written more than twenty books, most recently Celtic Magic, which sold over 160,000 copies. She lives in Roseburgh, Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Citadel (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806520965
• ISBN-13: 978-0806520964
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,279,131 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I was disappointed in this book., April 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Celtic Book Of Names: Traditional Names from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales (Paperback)

I should have looked to see what else this author has written before I bought the book - her penchant for New Age subjects would have warned me off. I wanted a book with a lot of Celtic/Gaelic names for a baby. There are those, but half the book is taken up with surnames (not what I was interested in) and the names of Celtic deities (interesting, but again, not what I was looking for).

And if you write a book with Gaelic names in it, PLEASE include a guide to pronunciation! I admit that my knowledge of Gaelic is pretty limited, but I am pretty sure that some of the pronunciations the author did give were wrong, which didn't exactly inspire a lot of trust in her research.

All in all, I'll probably return it.