Irish-gaelic Help Making Names

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Aksel_Leaf Tuesday 16th of August 2005 04:47:26 AM
Help making names - I mainly have some names that I'm looking to have spelled in Gaelic. I am currently basing a story off of celtic mythology, and being able to keep the names as authentic looking as possible would help. It greatly adds to the feel of the story.

Some basic questions would be
* when do I add "Mac" or "O" before a surname? Is there a rule to this, or is it just whatever?

* the names I would like to know how to spell in Gealic would be: Adamnan and Aksel.

There is more, but i can't really think of it at the moment, too much going around in my head. Any help with this would be greatly appretiated.

RMKiwi Tuesday 16th of August 2005 07:00:36 PM
- [quote]I mainly have some names that I'm looking to have spelled in Gaelic. I am currently basing a story off of celtic mythology, and being able to keep the names as authentic looking as possible would help. It greatly adds to the feel of the story.

Some basic questions would be
* when do I add "Mac" or "O" before a surname? Is there a rule to this, or is it just whatever?[/quote]

Mac means son, and Ó means grandson (or now, descendant). Conchúr mac Neasa means Conchúr son of Neas. Seán Ó Néill means Seán, descendant of Niall (notice that the noun after mac and Ó have a different form: they must be in the genitive case.)

Most of the time there are spelling differences between Old Irish and Modern Irish. In which language do you need your names?

[quote]* the names I would like to know how to spell in Gealic would be: Adamnan and Aksel.[/quote]

Adamnán would be spelled Adamnán in Old Irish (8th and 9th centuries AD), Adhamhnán in Modern Irish (today). Aksel is not an Irish name, I don’t know how it would be spelled in the Irish way, maybe Acsail.

[quote]There is more, but i can't really think of it at the moment, too much going around in my head. Any help with this would be greatly appretiated. [/quote]

Just feel free to ask any question here!

Aksel_Leaf Wednesday 17th of August 2005 07:30:43 AM
- great thanks, Acsail is definitely a start. I know only a bit of the terms used for Irish grammar and word structure, for instance something called "Sliding" vowels, or some such. I'm pretty much just starting upon this road to learning Gealic, but your help is most welcome.

As for names again, in Irish lore i know that there was te first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann named, Nuada Airghédlam(?), which is supposed to mean "of the silver hand" if i spelled it right...

Anyways, I'm wondering would these kind of nicknames be given to people in the ancient times? and also how might one translate the word Silverleaf, or if two words "Silver Leaf".

[EDIT] I just realised the character that would be named Silver Leaf would be named so because of his long wavey platinum blonde hair. Would it be more accurate to be called "of the Silver Hair" or "of the Silver Trees"?

RMKiwi Thursday 18th of August 2005 10:44:42 PM
- [quote]I know only a bit of the terms used for Irish grammar and word structure, for instance something called "Sliding" vowels, or some such.[/quote]

sliding vowels? what do you mean?

[quote]As for names again, in Irish lore i know that there was te first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann named, Nuada Airghédlam(?), [/quote]

Old Irish spelling: [b]Núada Airgetlám[/b] (there are other variants but anyway you never have "gh" not "é" in it)

Modern Irish spelling: [b]Nuadha Airgeadlámh[/b]

[quote]which is supposed to mean "of the silver hand"[/quote]

Right

[quote]Anyways, I'm wondering would these kind of nicknames be given to people in the ancient times? [/quote]

I think so.

[quote]and also how might one translate the word Silverleaf, or if two words "Silver Leaf".[/quote]

Silverleaf in the old way of composition and Old Irish spelling: airgetduille

Silver leaf > duille airgid (Modern)

[EDIT] I just realised the character that would be named Silver Leaf would be named so because of his long wavey platinum blonde hair. Would it be more accurate to be called "of the Silver Hair" or "of the Silver Trees"?

T's up to you!

of the Silver hair > Airgetf(h)alt (Old Irish) / na Gruaige Airgid (Modern)

of the Silver trees > Airgetchrand (OI) / na gCrann Airgid (Modern)

Aksel_Leaf Friday 19th of August 2005 01:57:28 AM
- Wow, thanks a bunch. Most helpful, I would like to do something to help out in return or I don't know contribute to the forums in some way, so if you need a signatur picture or something I can do that. :P

Anyways, Another question was pertaining to the before mentioned "Mac" would there be a specific reason this is given to someones name? or was every man called "Mac ". Like for instance, I know in some cultures to be identified with a certain family name, or sinlg eperson was seen as a sign of nobility, and sometimes warrior-hood. I sometimes see people refered to with Mac and sometimes I don't.

RMKiwi Saturday 20th of August 2005 01:02:33 AM
- [quote]Wow, thanks a bunch. Most helpful, I would like to do something to help out in return or I don't know contribute to the forums in some way, so if you need a signatur picture or something I can do that. :P[/quote]

Oh, I don't need anythin in return, i do that for the glory of the Irish language ;)

[quote]Anyways, Another question was pertaining to the before mentioned "Mac" would there be a specific reason this is given to someones name? or was every man called "Mac ".[/quote]

Mac means "son", it's the normal word, in Modern Irish, to say "son". Now, in older times, people were called by their first name followed by mac (=son) or iníon (=daughter) + the first name of the father or of the mother (the father’s one, most of the time). There were no family names at that time.
So, if you are Micheál and your father is Dónall, you are called Micheál mac Dhónaill.

More recently, people had to have family names (for administration etc) so many of them used mac + the father’s name or a famous ancestor’s name as a family name, and from that time, family names are transmitted like that and people are called Mac Dhónaill even if their father wasn’t called Dónall.

But in spelling you’ll see a difference between the two ways: now you have a capital letter to "Mac" in surnames, but long ago, it had a small letter. You see that when u translate to English:

Micheál Mac Dhónaill = Michael McDonnell
Micheál mac Dhónaill = Michael, son of Donnell.

Like, when Mac has a capital letter you know that it’s a part of the surname; when it has a small letter, you know that it means "son" and that you’ll have the first name of the father after it.

Phrasebase Archive
	Aksel_Leaf	Tuesday 16th of August 2005 04:47:26 AM
	Help making names - I mainly have some names that I'm looking to have spelled in Gaelic. I am currently basing a story off of celtic mythology, and being able to keep the names as authentic looking as possible would help. It greatly adds to the feel of the story. Some basic questions would be * when do I add "Mac" or "O" before a surname? Is there a rule to this, or is it just whatever? * the names I would like to know how to spell in Gealic would be: Adamnan and Aksel. There is more, but i can't really think of it at the moment, too much going around in my head. Any help with this would be greatly appretiated.
	RMKiwi	Tuesday 16th of August 2005 07:00:36 PM
	- [quote]I mainly have some names that I'm looking to have spelled in Gaelic. I am currently basing a story off of celtic mythology, and being able to keep the names as authentic looking as possible would help. It greatly adds to the feel of the story. Some basic questions would be * when do I add "Mac" or "O" before a surname? Is there a rule to this, or is it just whatever?[/quote] Mac means son, and Ó means grandson (or now, descendant). Conchúr mac Neasa means Conchúr son of Neas. Seán Ó Néill means Seán, descendant of Niall (notice that the noun after mac and Ó have a different form: they must be in the genitive case.) Most of the time there are spelling differences between Old Irish and Modern Irish. In which language do you need your names? [quote]* the names I would like to know how to spell in Gealic would be: Adamnan and Aksel.[/quote] Adamnán would be spelled Adamnán in Old Irish (8th and 9th centuries AD), Adhamhnán in Modern Irish (today). Aksel is not an Irish name, I don’t know how it would be spelled in the Irish way, maybe Acsail. [quote]There is more, but i can't really think of it at the moment, too much going around in my head. Any help with this would be greatly appretiated. [/quote] Just feel free to ask any question here!
	Aksel_Leaf	Wednesday 17th of August 2005 07:30:43 AM
	- great thanks, Acsail is definitely a start. I know only a bit of the terms used for Irish grammar and word structure, for instance something called "Sliding" vowels, or some such. I'm pretty much just starting upon this road to learning Gealic, but your help is most welcome. As for names again, in Irish lore i know that there was te first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann named, Nuada Airghédlam(?), which is supposed to mean "of the silver hand" if i spelled it right... Anyways, I'm wondering would these kind of nicknames be given to people in the ancient times? and also how might one translate the word Silverleaf, or if two words "Silver Leaf". [EDIT] I just realised the character that would be named Silver Leaf would be named so because of his long wavey platinum blonde hair. Would it be more accurate to be called "of the Silver Hair" or "of the Silver Trees"?
	RMKiwi	Thursday 18th of August 2005 10:44:42 PM
	- [quote]I know only a bit of the terms used for Irish grammar and word structure, for instance something called "Sliding" vowels, or some such.[/quote] sliding vowels? what do you mean? [quote]As for names again, in Irish lore i know that there was te first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann named, Nuada Airghédlam(?), [/quote] Old Irish spelling: [b]Núada Airgetlám[/b] (there are other variants but anyway you never have "gh" not "é" in it) Modern Irish spelling: [b]Nuadha Airgeadlámh[/b] [quote]which is supposed to mean "of the silver hand"[/quote] Right [quote]Anyways, I'm wondering would these kind of nicknames be given to people in the ancient times? [/quote] I think so. [quote]and also how might one translate the word Silverleaf, or if two words "Silver Leaf".[/quote] Silverleaf in the old way of composition and Old Irish spelling: airgetduille Silver leaf > duille airgid (Modern) [EDIT] I just realised the character that would be named Silver Leaf would be named so because of his long wavey platinum blonde hair. Would it be more accurate to be called "of the Silver Hair" or "of the Silver Trees"? T's up to you! of the Silver hair > Airgetf(h)alt (Old Irish) / na Gruaige Airgid (Modern) of the Silver trees > Airgetchrand (OI) / na gCrann Airgid (Modern)
	Aksel_Leaf	Friday 19th of August 2005 01:57:28 AM
	- Wow, thanks a bunch. Most helpful, I would like to do something to help out in return or I don't know contribute to the forums in some way, so if you need a signatur picture or something I can do that. :P Anyways, Another question was pertaining to the before mentioned "Mac" would there be a specific reason this is given to someones name? or was every man called "Mac ". Like for instance, I know in some cultures to be identified with a certain family name, or sinlg eperson was seen as a sign of nobility, and sometimes warrior-hood. I sometimes see people refered to with Mac and sometimes I don't.
	RMKiwi	Saturday 20th of August 2005 01:02:33 AM
	- [quote]Wow, thanks a bunch. Most helpful, I would like to do something to help out in return or I don't know contribute to the forums in some way, so if you need a signatur picture or something I can do that. :P[/quote] Oh, I don't need anythin in return, i do that for the glory of the Irish language ;) [quote]Anyways, Another question was pertaining to the before mentioned "Mac" would there be a specific reason this is given to someones name? or was every man called "Mac ".[/quote] Mac means "son", it's the normal word, in Modern Irish, to say "son". Now, in older times, people were called by their first name followed by mac (=son) or iníon (=daughter) + the first name of the father or of the mother (the father’s one, most of the time). There were no family names at that time. So, if you are Micheál and your father is Dónall, you are called Micheál mac Dhónaill. More recently, people had to have family names (for administration etc) so many of them used mac + the father’s name or a famous ancestor’s name as a family name, and from that time, family names are transmitted like that and people are called Mac Dhónaill even if their father wasn’t called Dónall. But in spelling you’ll see a difference between the two ways: now you have a capital letter to "Mac" in surnames, but long ago, it had a small letter. You see that when u translate to English: Micheál Mac Dhónaill = Michael McDonnell Micheál mac Dhónaill = Michael, son of Donnell. Like, when Mac has a capital letter you know that it’s a part of the surname; when it has a small letter, you know that it means "son" and that you’ll have the first name of the father after it.