Gender Feminine
Pronounced Pron. /ˈeː.tˠiːnʲ/(Irish)  [key·simplify]

Meaning & History

Possibly derived from Old Irish ét meaning "jealousy, passion". In Irish legend she is the subject of the 9th-century tale The Wooing of Étaín [2]. She was the wife of Midir, but his jealous first wife Fuamnach transformed her into a fly. She was accidentally swallowed, and then reborn to the woman who swallowed her. After she grew again to adulthood she married the Irish high king Eochaid Airem, having no memory of Midir. Midir and Étaín were eventually reunited after Midir defeated Eochaid in a game of chess.

In modern Irish this name is properly spelled Éadaoin.

Related Names

Rootét
VariantsAideen, Éadaoin(Irish) Éadaoin, Étan(Irish Mythology)
Other Languages & CulturesEdana(History)

People think this name is

classic   youthful   formal   upper class   natural   refined   strange   complex   serious  

Categories

Sources & References

  1. O'Brien, Kathleen M. Index of Names in Irish Annals, available from https://medievalscotland.org/kmo/AnnalsIndex/Feminine/Etain.shtml.
  2. Page at https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T300012.html.
Entry updated June 9, 2023