Girl's name
Eithne
“ETH-na (also EN-ya)”
IPA: /ˈɛnʲə/
probably from eithne, 'kernel' or 'grain'
Why it is said that way
The th is not the English th. ETH-na is the usual respelling, and the same name gave Enya — the singer's stage name is simply Eithne spelled for English speakers.
- th → h — never the English th
The story behind the name
Borne by queens, saints and at least one mother of a god: Eithne, daughter of Balor, was the mother of Lugh. Nine holy women of the name are remembered in the Irish calendars. Its Ulster pronunciation, spelled phonetically, gave the world Enya.
Meanings follow Ó Corráin & Maguire's Irish Names and Woulfe; pronunciations give the commonest Irish-English form. Know this name better — a dialect pronunciation, a family tradition? Tell us. · All Irish names A–Z