O'Baby: The Irish Baby Name Book (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "There is evidence to suggest that settlers arrived in Ireland as early as 3500 B.C..." (more)
Key Phrases: popular early name, common early name, contemporary surname, United States, Middle Ages, Finn Mac Cool (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Ireland is famous for its beauty, its magic--and its lyrical names. This one-of-a-kind baby name book offers hundreds of choices for parents-to-be. From ancient to modern names and from popular to rare, this handy resource includes A-to-Z listings on a variety of themes, such as names for redheads, brunettes and blondes; famous Irish personages; Irish saints; magic, myth and legend; Celtic animals and plants; historical events and literature; and alternate spellings.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 166 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Books (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425168182
• ISBN-13: 978-0425168189
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #317,000 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for reading and reference, June 10, 2003

By	Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This charming name book will assist parents in choosing the appropriate Celtic name for their baby as it provides an extensive list of evocative Irish names. But why an Irish name? For some reason, this musical language and the magical legends of Ireland have become very popular in the Anglo-Saxon world and further afield. The introduction discusses trends in the giving of names and mentions the most popular current Irish names. The chapter Little Dark One provides a cursory history of the settling of Ireland by the Celts and then lists and explains suitable names for dark haired people, such as Darcy, Douglas and Duane. In the chapter The Fairest Of Them All there's mention of the Tuatha De Danaan and a discussion of names like Barry, Finbar, Kelly, etc. Red haired people are treated in the next chapters, where some of the more common names are Rory and Rowan, whilst the next chapter deals with names deriving from the root words for light or brightness; these include Aidan and Keegan. A Celtic Menagerie provides names that are connected with animal names or qualities: here you will find Colm, Conan, Conor, Oscar and Ronan. In the chapter titled The Green Isle, names derived from plants are given, including Darren and Tyrone. Warrior names in the next chapter include Casey, Fergal and Kane. Wednesday's Child provides names for less worthy traits, like Doran, Etain and Kennedy. Banshee names include Bevin, Cliona and Una, while names invented by authors include Fiona, Gulliver, Imogen and Vanessa. The next chapter discusses and lists the retranslation back into Irish, of popular Anglophonic names and also provides a list of Irish names with their English translations. The A - Z index lists all the names and their meanings/histories alphabetically and is followed by a calendar of saints' feast days. This interesting read and valuable reference work concludes with a thorough index.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Puts other name-books to shame!, October 5, 2001

By	Susannah Cullen (New York) - See all my reviews

This is a literary and unusual name-book - well worth a look if you want to give your child, dog or goldfish an Irish name, but a fascinating read even for the non-parent because of the history of these beautiful names and the interesting way in which the author has grouped them. There are names for redheads, blondes and brunettes, names for warriors and gentlefolk, artistic names, and many others. This is a small gem and a triumph of research. I wish Mr Johnson would give us a similar insight into Native American names or even English names. Anything by this thoughtful writer would be worth reading.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A rich and resourceful guide., July 14, 1999

By A Customer

A rich and resourceful guide. I learned so much about Irish history too. When Caitlin grows up I'll pass along this book to her.