Short answer is I do not positively know if the list at: http://www.exis.net/ahd/monaghan/irish-names-naming.htm is correct. It was sent to me out of an Irish book - and sadly I did not cite the resource. There are many other pages online with the same order of naming, but they may all be copies of another? There is: http://genealogy.miningco.com/hobbies/genealogy/cs/namingpractices/ on naming patterns for many countries. The irish link goes to my page above. The Scottish link goes to another..... This link: http://irishculture.about.com/culture/irishculture/library/weekly/aa080400a. htm uses either way on the maternal side. Nothing is easy! Ann ______________ Ann Harney DESIGNS http://www.exis.net/ahd/ 757 622-5795 ~ 757 576-4899