Eithne - Meaning of Eithne

What does Eithne mean?

Pronounce
Eithne

[ 2 syll. ei-(t)hne, eit-h-ne ] The baby girl name Eithne is pronounced as EHN-Yah or EHTH-NIY- †.

1: Eithne's language of origin is Celtic. It is predominantly used in English, Gaelic, Irish, and Scottish. The Irish eithne was used in bardic poetry as a term of praise. In Celtic mythology, the name was borne by various characters, including the mother of the Irish god Lugh. Another bearer was the Elcmar's wife, who died embracing Christianity, thereby popularizing the name among early Irish saints and queens. Saint Ethenia was the 5th-century daughter of King Laoghaire; as a little girl, she was among the first to be converted by Saint Patrick, together with her sister Fidelmia. The name is usually pronounced 'EH-THNIY-' by English speakers and 'EH-NYAH' by Irish speakers, thus the Irish phonetic variant Enya. This form has been made famous by the Irish singer Enya (1962-).

Eithne has 18 derivatives that are used in English and foreign languages. English derivatives of the name include Aine, Edna (also used in Irish and Scottish), Ena (also used in Irish), Enja, Enya (also used in Irish), Ethenia (also used in Irish), Ethna (also used in Irish), Ethnah, Ethne (also used in Irish), Ethnea, Ethnee, and Ith.

Derivatives used in foreign languages include the Irish Aithne, the Irish Aithnea, the Irish Etha, the Irish Ethni, the Irish Etna, and the Irish Etney.

The origin and meaning of the name Eithne is inherited by all variant forms.

2: Eithne's language of origin is Celtic. It is predominantly used in Irish and Scottish. The meaning here is 'little fire'. It is derived from the word aed which is of the meaning 'fire'. The name is sometimes taken as the feminine form of Aidan. Eithne is the feminine version of the English, Gaelic, Irish, and Scottish Aidan.

See also the related categories, queens, god, daughter, english, mother, praise, wife (sister), phonetic, irish, fire, celtic, saints, gaelic, and singer.

Eithne is not commonly used as a baby girl name. It is not in the top 1000 names.

Baby names that sound like Eithne include Ethnee, Ethni, Eadin, Ebbann, Ebbanne, Ebbone, Edain, Edin, Edine, Edmée, Ednah, Edone, Edwine, Edwinne, Edwyn, Edwynn, Edwynne, Edyn, Edyne, and Ellin.

† English pronunciation for Eithne: EH as in "ebb (EH.B)" ; N as in "knee (N.IY)" ; Y as in "you (Y.UW)" ; TH as in "theme (TH.IY.M)" ; IY as in "eat (IY.T)"

A famous person named Eithne is Enya, Singer, born Eithne Ni Bhraonain 17 May 1961, Gweedore, Ireland.