ainm

Irish

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈanʲəmʲ/
• (Aran) IPA^(key): /ˈænəmʲ/
• (Cois Fharraige) IPA^(key): /ˈænʲəmʲ/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈɛnʲəmʲ/

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

Irish mutation
Radical	Eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
ainm	n-ainm	hainm	t-ainm
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

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, 2013-2024

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

Middle Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
ainm	unchanged	n-ainm
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

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

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
ainm (pronounced with /h/ in h-prothesis environments)	unchanged	n-ainm
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛnɛm/, /ˈanam/
• (Acharacle, Sutherland) IPA^(key): /ˈɛɾʲɛm/ (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

• Edward Dwelly (1911) “ainm”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary]‎^[1], 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