It was common amongst Irish Protestants to give a surname to a child as a Christian name. The child could be male or female although more usually applicable to sons. The surname is taken to be that of the childs mother or a relative from whom the child would inherit. The Irish used the same name for both sexes in some instances. Names such as Florence were more commonly given to male than female children. Sidney or Sideny was used for both sexes but was more commonly a female name as was Kitty a diminutive of Catherine but also of Christopher. Kit was applicable to Christopher also. Constance was given to male and female children. Constant was also given to males and Constantia to females. Giles is most usually found as a male name but in Ireland is found as a female name. Other names which are given to both sexes may be spelled differently such as Francis (male) and Frances (female); Olive (female) and Olave (male); Jess (male) and Jessie (female). We have diminutives which differ materially from the original given name. Anastasia/Anastatia----- Anty, Antsy Bartholomew-Bartle, Bat, Batty, Bartly Elizabeth: -- Bessie, Betsy, Libby, Lizzie. Bridget/Brigid:-- Biddy, Bride, Beesy Christopher: - Castor, Kit, Kitty Cornelius: - Con, Connor, Corny, Neily Hyacinth: - Centy, Cynthia Dermot: - Darby, Honora/Honorah: - Honor, Oney, Onny, Honny, Noey, Norah, Nora Laughlin: - Lack, Lacky Judith: - Judy, Juggy Anne/Hannah:- Nancy, Nan, Nany, Annie Eleanor/Ellen/Helen:-- Nell, Nelly Roderick: - Rory, Roddy Margaret: - Peg, Peggy, Mag, mags, Meg, Maggy Mary: - Molly, Mally, Polly, Maire Martha: - Polly, Patsy Theobold: - Toby We have names which are different but used interchangeably and accepted - this is usually accepted because of a common diminutive to both names either in their English version or their Irish translation. Abigail and Deborah: - Abbie, Debbie, Gubbie (Gobnait) Alice: - Ellen (The Irish for Alice is Eilish and that for Ellen is Eileen and both can be shortened to Eily. Bridget/Brigid: - Bedelia, Delia, Bessy, Belinda, Dinah David: - Daniel Edward: - Edmund Gerald: - Garret, Gerard Giles:- Cecily, Cecilia, Celia, Julia Grizell:- Grace Hannah:- Honora, Johanna Jacob:- James, Jane, Joan, Jean Judith: - Julia Owen: - Eugene Patrick: - Bartholomew Peter: - Patrick (in Ulster) Randal: - Randolph, Ralph Susan: - Johanna Theobald: - Tobias With the attempts of officialdom to change our names to versions which they could handleIrish or English equivalents of one another - but not necessarily a correct translation of such names. Beircheart: - Benjamin Ailbhe: - Albert Brian:- Bernard, Barnabus, Barney Diarmaid; Dermot, Darby, Demetrius, Jeremiah Tiernan:- Terence Teidgh/Teige:- Thaddeus (Thady), Timothy Aodh:- Hugh, Edie Tirlogh/Turlough: Terence Eoghain:- Owen, Eugene Cormac/Cathal/Cearbhal/Cathaoir/Sorley:- Charles Conal/Conchubhar/Conn:-Cornelius Donal/Dhonal:- Daniel, Donald Donncha/Donogh:- Denis, Donat Giolla na Naomh:- Nehemiah Eamonn:-Edmond, Edward, Aimon Gobnait:- Debora, Abigail Sadbh:- Sabina, Sarah Siobhán:- Judith, Johanna, Susan, Jane Eileen:- Ellen, Helen, Eleanor Síle/Sheelagh:- Cecelia, Cecily, Giles, Sheila, Celia, Julia Úna/Oonagh: - Winifred, Agnes Favourite Catholic Christian Names: Boys: Patrick, John, James, Denis, William, Darby, Dermot, Daniel, Cornelius, Henry, Timothy, Thaddeus, Thomas, Michael, Jeremiah, Bartholomew, Brian, Lawrence, Terence, Owen, Mathias, Martin, David, Malachy, Miles/Myles and Joseph. Girls: Mary, Catherine, Bridget, Honora, Margaret, Ellen, Anastasia, Johanna, Judith, Julia, Rose, Mary Anne, Elizabeth and Jane. Favourite Protestant Names were: Boys: Arthur, John, Henry, James, William, Frederick, George, Edward, Richard, Charles, Philip, Oliver, Jonathan, Anthony, Andrew, Simon and Stephen, Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Samuel, Joshua and Gamaliel. Girls: Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth, Eleanor, Lucy, Catherine, Susanna, Hannah, Margaret, Jane, Isabella, Frances Barbara, Gertrude, Dorothea, Charlotte, Alice, Diana, Rebecca, Lydia, Phoebe, Henrietta, Lettice, Ursula, Penelope, Esther and Heather. Some regional naming practises: Austin (Augustine) common among Catholics in Connaught Dominic- amongst Catholics in Mayo and Galway Hyacinth: Galway Ignatius & Xaverius: amongst Catholics in Mayo and Galway Florence amongst Catholics in Cork. Moses a name used by Protestants was common amongst Catholics in Wexford. Lancelot in Monaghan Jane was more common in Northern Ireland than in Southern, or amongst Protestants in Southern Ireland. Lettice was found amongst protestant families in Cavan Fintan is a name most associated with Catholics in Laois.