ainm

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish ainmm,^[1] from Primitive Irish ᚐᚅᚋ (anm), from Proto-Celtic *anman, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ (“name”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster, Mayo) IPA^(key): /ˈanʲəmʲ/^[2][3]
• (Galway) IPA^(key): /ˈænʲəmʲ/^[4], [ˈæːnʲəmʲ]^[5]
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈɛnʲəmʲ/^[6]

Noun

ainm m or f (genitive singular ainm or ainme, nominative plural ainmneacha or ainmne or ainmneanna)

1. name
2. reputation
3. (grammar) noun

Usage notes

• When applied to a person, ainm can signify either the whole name or specifically the first name, the word for surname being sloinne, hence the common phrase ainm agus sloinne (“first name and last name”). The terms ainm baiste (“baptismal name”) and céadainm (“first name”) can also be used to indicate the first name specifically as opposed to the surname.

Declension

Declension of ainm (fourth declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative ainm ainmneacha vocative a ainm a ainmneacha genitive ainm ainmneacha dative ainm ainmneacha forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an t-ainm na hainmneacha genitive an ainm na n-ainmneacha dative leis an ainm don ainm leis na hainmneacha

Alternative declension, feminine

Declension of ainm (second declension)

bare forms case singular plural nominative ainm ainmneacha vocative a ainm a ainmneacha genitive ainme ainmneacha dative ainm ainmneacha forms with the definite article case singular plural nominative an ainm na hainmneacha genitive na hainme na n-ainmneacha dative leis an ainm don ainm leis na hainmneacha

Alternative plural forms: ainmne, ainmneanna

Synonyms

• (noun): ainmfhocal m

Derived terms

• ainm áite
• ainm baiste (“baptismal, Christian, name”)
• ainm bréige
• ainm briathartha
• ainm ceana
• ainm cleite
• ainm dílis (“proper name, noun”)
• ainm iomlán
• ainm muirne (“pet name”)
• ainm teibí (“abstract noun”)
• ainmchlár
• ainmchlásal
• ainmfhocal
• ainmliosta
• ainmnigh
• áitainm
• cad is ainm duit?
• céadainm (“first name”)
• dea-ainm (“good name”)
• in ainm Dé (“for God’s saket:”)
• leasainm
• logainm
• ná baintear an t-ainm den bhairín/bhlonag (“call a spade a spade”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of ainm

radical	eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
ainm	n-ainm	hainm	t-ainm

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

1. Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “ainmm”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
2. Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 260, page 132
3. de Búrca, Seán (1958) The Irish of Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo: A Phonemic Study, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, →ISBN, section 18, page 9
4. Finck, F. N. (1899) Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), volume II, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 25
5. de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1977) Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge: An Deilbhíocht [The Irish of Cois Fharraige: Accidence] (in Irish), 2nd edition, Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath [Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies], page 297
6. Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 89, page 36

Further reading

• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “ainm”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 13
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ainm”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “ainm”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “ainm”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2025

Middle Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish ainmm, from Primitive Irish ᚐᚅᚋ (anm), from Proto-Celtic *anman, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ (“name”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈanʲ(ə)mʲ/

Noun

ainm n or m

1. name
   • c. 1000, “The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig”, in Ernst Windisch, editor, Irische Texte, volume 1, published 1800, section 1:

     Boí rí amra for Laignib, .i. Mac Dathó a ainm.

     There was a wonderful king over Leinster; Mac Dathó was his name.

Descendants

• Irish: ainm
• Manx: ennym
• Scottish Gaelic: ainm

Mutation

Mutation of ainm

radical	lenition	nasalization
ainm	unchanged	n-ainm

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Middle Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “ainmm”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Old Irish

Noun

ainm n

1. Alternative spelling of ainmm (“name”)

Mutation

Mutation of ainm

radical	lenition	nasalization
ainm (pronounced with /h/ in h-prothesis environments)	unchanged	n-ainm

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish ainmm n, from Primitive Irish ᚐᚅᚋ (anm), from Proto-Celtic *anman, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ (“name”).

Pronunciation

• (Lewis) IPA^(key): /ãnãm/^[1][2]
• (Harris) IPA^(key): /ænæm/^[2]
• (Uist, Barra, Skye, Wester Ross) IPA^(key): /ɛɲɛm/^[2][3][4]
• (Acharacle, Sutherland) IPA^(key): /ɛɾɛm/ (as if spelled airm)

Noun

ainm m (genitive singular ainme, plural ainmean or ainmeannan)

1. name

   Dè an t-ainm a th’ oirbh? ― What is your name?

2. denomination
3. title

Derived terms

• ainm àite (“placename”)
• ainm-baistidh (“forename”)
• ainm-chlàr (“catalogue”)
• ainm-chlàr, catalogue, index
• ainm-sgrìobhte (“signature”)
• ainmeil (“famous”)
• ainmich (“name”, verb)
• ainmneach (“nominative”)
• an ainm an àigh (“for goodness' sake”)
• ath-ainm, far-ainm, frith-ainm, leas-ainm, leth-ainm (“nickname”)
• clàr-ainm (“catalogue”)
• dè 'n t-ainm a tha ort, dè 'n t-ainm a tha oirbh? (“what is your name?”)
• deagh-ainm (“good name”)
• droch-ainm (“bad name”)
• foir-ainm (“epithet; pronoun; nickname”)
• frith-ainm (“nickname”)
• geàrr-ainm (“acronym”)
• gnàth-ainm (“usual or common name”)
• tuiseal ainmneach (“nominative case”)
• tùs-ainm (“patronymic”)

References

1. Oftedal, M. (1956) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
2. Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1940) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. I: The dialects of the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap
3. Rev. C. M. Robertson (1902) “Skye Gaelic”, in Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, Volume XXIII: 1898-99‎, Gaelic Society of Inverness, pages 54-88
4. Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1941) A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. II: The dialects of Skye and Ross-shire, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “ainm”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎, 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “ainmm”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language