Erin and Irene - same name?
Hi folks!
I'm trying figure out when to celebrate my wife's name day. Her name is Erin, which doesn't have a particular name day in Sweden (where we live), or even - according to the name day database on this web site - in any country.
Erin (by the same source) seems to be an old Irish derivative of Ireland, Eire (Eirinn). But where does that name come from, or what does it mean?
Irene (same source again) comes from the Greek eirene, meaning peace.
Is there a common root here? The words start to look fairly similar, and I seem to remember reading somewhere that Erin (<-- Ireland, Eire) means peace as well.
Anyone have some ideas or input? Would it be appropriate to celebrate Erin on the name day for Irene?
Thanks,
Anders
I'm trying figure out when to celebrate my wife's name day. Her name is Erin, which doesn't have a particular name day in Sweden (where we live), or even - according to the name day database on this web site - in any country.
Erin (by the same source) seems to be an old Irish derivative of Ireland, Eire (Eirinn). But where does that name come from, or what does it mean?
Irene (same source again) comes from the Greek eirene, meaning peace.
Is there a common root here? The words start to look fairly similar, and I seem to remember reading somewhere that Erin (<-- Ireland, Eire) means peace as well.
Anyone have some ideas or input? Would it be appropriate to celebrate Erin on the name day for Irene?
Thanks,
Anders
Replies
I want to know what the name Erin means?
Hej, Anders
Hur mar du i dag?
Actually, Eire doesn't mean "peace" if I recall my Gaelic class (I can always ask my Gaelic professor when I see him next.) There is an online dictionary for Gaelic if you're interested (I think you can access it from the main board here if you click on references, then yourdictionary.com, then Irish.
Hej da
Phyllis (aka Sidhe Uaine or Gaia Euphoria)
Hur mar du i dag?
Actually, Eire doesn't mean "peace" if I recall my Gaelic class (I can always ask my Gaelic professor when I see him next.) There is an online dictionary for Gaelic if you're interested (I think you can access it from the main board here if you click on references, then yourdictionary.com, then Irish.
Hej da
Phyllis (aka Sidhe Uaine or Gaia Euphoria)
I have no clue about all that, but I love the name Erin!! :) I've never even heard of "name days" lol. What are they?
In Sweden, and in some other countries, each day of the year is connected to one or several names. So some people celebrate their name day. There's a lot more about the subject on this web site.
hi, im not sure about your question, i wouldnt casue there differnt names! and just for the record erin isnt an old Irish derivative its the irish for ireland!(im irish so im sorry if im coming off touchy!)
Hej hej!
Thing is that I've come across references (although I can't remember where - duh!) to Erin meaning "peace" as well - tracing it through its Gaelic roots. This is the reason I'm asking, but if no one's heard of such a root, I'm guessing my memory is either failing me or the place(s) I've read this are simply in the wrong.
And since I don't know of any Swedish name day names that mean "western island" I guess Irene will be as good a day as any and better than most!
Thing is that I've come across references (although I can't remember where - duh!) to Erin meaning "peace" as well - tracing it through its Gaelic roots. This is the reason I'm asking, but if no one's heard of such a root, I'm guessing my memory is either failing me or the place(s) I've read this are simply in the wrong.
And since I don't know of any Swedish name day names that mean "western island" I guess Irene will be as good a day as any and better than most!
I’m not sure if this will actually let me post 22 years later lol, but I can confirm that I once had an embroidered, laminated bookmark given to me by my grandmother when I was a child back in the early 80s, and it said “Erin” and under it in quotations was the word “peace,” indicating that was the meaning of the name (there was also a Bible verse under that about a good name being preferable to great riches, although I’m pretty certain that verse isn’t referring to ones actual name but rather a “name” in the reputation sense of the word). I have always been curious as to whether there is an actual link to the Gaelic/Irish word “Erin” being derived from the Greek, as they certainly had contact in ancient times, although it seems a bit far fetched that the word for their own land would have somehow come from a foreign language. Ancient Greek writers apparently referred to Ireland as “Ierne,” among other names, which is certainly close to “Irene,” which is the anglicized version of “Irini,” or the Greek word for “peace.”