Gender Feminine
Usage Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish [1]
Meaning & History
Possibly derived from Old Irish ét meaning "jealousy, passion". In Irish legend she is the subject of the 9th-century tale The Wooing of Étaín [2]. She was the wife of Midir, but his jealous first wife Fuamnach transformed her into a fly. She was accidentally swallowed, and then reborn to the woman who swallowed her. After she grew again to adulthood she married the Irish high king Eochaid Airem, having no memory of Midir. Midir and Étaín were eventually reunited after Midir defeated Eochaid in a game of chess.In modern Irish this name is properly spelled Éadaoin.
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Sources & References
- O'Brien, Kathleen M. Index of Names in Irish Annals, available from https://medievalscotland.org/kmo/AnnalsIndex/Feminine/Etain.shtml.
- Page at https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T300012.html.