The British are taking Ireland's good name

SHE might by any other name smell just as sweet, but she's as likely to be called Roisin as Rose, according to the latest Oxford Concise Dictionary of First Names.

The just-published second edition laments: "British names as traditional as roast beef, e.g. Andrew, Edward and Anne, are being rejected in favour of exotic sounding newcomers." And side by side with this decline in the British royal family's influence on christenings, the authors identify "a growing trend to revive often obscure Celtic names from Ireland, Scotland and Wales."

The dictionary includes such exotica as "Gobnat and Blathnat (after an Irish saint and queen respectively)", while male entries include Conley (Irish Gaelic meaning `chaste' or `sensible'), Guaire (Irish meaning `noble'), Naoise (the lover of Deirdre in Irish legend), and Gearoid (Irish for Gerald)."

The authors are at a loss to explain the popularity of the names, which goes well beyond Britain's large Irish population, according to co-author, Mr Patrick Hanks (no Irish connections).

"The Irish population is a factor. But I think there is a lingering influence from Celtic revivalists like W.B. Yeats, combined with the passage of time which has made Irish culture interesting rather than threatening."

Some of the names have simply passed into common usage, he adds. "Many English people use Kevin with no idea that it's an Irish name. On the other hand, I think you'd probably have to have some Irish blood in you to call your child Declan."