Christina and Dinah

[redclover]

My wife's Tipperary born grandmother changed her name from Bridget Darcy to Dinah Darcy around 1896. No reason for this name change is known.

We have just read the autobiography of Dinah O'Dowd.
(Cry Salty Tears  -  Dinah O'Dowd. Publ. Century 2007)

This lady, born in 1939 and the mother of the musician Boy George, writes on page 8, ' I was christened Christina, but from the start was known as Dinah, a version of Tina'

Does anyone know why someone called Christina should be called Dinah, other than the similarities between the diminutives Tina and Dina.

Thanks, Richard.

[Maggsie]

Hi,
Well, they were from Thurles.
Thurles in Irish is Durlas.
Th is pronounced D even now.
So Dinah pronounced Deena instead of Tina.
Maggsie

[Sinann]

I'm trying to follow your logic but it's not working for me.
Wouldn't Dúrlas have come first as it's the Irish name, so pronouncing it as Thurles came later when it was anglicised so they must have been pronouncing their Dú as Th.

As to Christina and Dinah, if you google it, it appears to be quite common.
I see a result for Carlow and Bray, but can't see why the names are connected.

[myluck!]

Not sure why the connection sometimes names came from siblings unable to pronounce the original

Another example of the Christina/Dina(h) connection - Link

I wonder does it happen through pronunciation as suggested, as men named Christopher are often called Christy but this can sound like Chris-DEE in some areas; if the same D sound was in the feminine...

[Sinann]

Seeing quite a few Christina's with second name Dinah or Diana.

[redclover]

Thank you for all the help and suggestions.

Bridget Darcy left Ireland at 2 years of age and was brought up in Northern England. It has been suggested that she may have been bullied at school as this was shortly after the Fenian bombing campaign and there was a good deal of anti-Irish sentiment around. She may have decided to change from a typically Irish name to something less controversial.

Where the name Dinah came from is a mystery. There are no Dinahs in the family, maybe a music hall star of the time or even named after the cat/companion in Lewis Caroll's Alice in Wonderland.

As we lived in Ireland for twenty years, for the moment, I would go with Christina pronounced as Christdina and shortened to Dina/Deena/Dinah. Or a child not being able to pronounce Tina and saying Dina. So we will look for any Christines in the family.

Thanks.

[myluck!]

At least there is a proven connection and proof of use elsewhere - I have a lady who was named Kathleen Teresa but known as Rita??!!

[Sinann]

Bernard and Bryan is one that baffles me. Apart from both beginning with B what's the connection, why do so many Bernards end up being called Bryan.

[myluck!]

I have a few of those too and Eugene/Owen

Worst in our family is an Enda known as Peter! no reference to Peter anywhere on Civil or Church records - story is someone was offended at not having a child named after him and baby Enda became Peter from then on!!