These Irish baby names are about to become super trendy

It seems that some Irish names such as Liam and Clare continue to be popular in the United States and some Hollywood types have grabbed on to names such as Ireland and Keeva, but recently Buzzfeed.com made the prediction that 17 Irish baby names “are about to take over.”

Sounds ominous! But then again they are really beautiful names. Here we run through their list of the 17 Irish names that are set to be on-trend, and explain their meanings and origin.

 

What’s certain going through the list is that these names may take over but most likely only in the United Streets. We would reckon it’ll be a long time before you meet a young fella in Carlow town called Tierney, Bartley or Vaughn.

Quinn

This Irish baby name means wise, counsel or intelligent.
Quinn is one of the most popular Irish surnames and is to be found in every county in Ireland. The Irish original from which the surname derives is Ó Cuinn, from Conn, a popular personal name, meaning chief or leader.

Nessa

Originally a Viking name it became popular in Ireland in the 14th century. In Irish history Nessa was the mother of Conor Mac Nessa, king of Ulster. A powerful and beautiful woman, ambitious for her son, she tricked her second husband, Fergus, into giving up his kingdom to his stepson.

 Colm

(pronounced: C-uh-lum)
Colm means dove in the Irish language. The name may also be an abbreviation of the name Malcolm or Columba.

 Siobhan

(pronounced: Shev-aun)
It is derived from the French name Jeanne, which was introduced into Ireland by the Anglo-Normans in the Middle Ages. Siobhan is the Irish version of the English name Joan, which means “'God is gracious.”
The Greek name is a feminine form of the Greek Iōannēs, which is in turn a shortened form of the Hebrew Johanan, which is where the meaning “God is gracious” comes from.

 Sinead

(pronounced: Shin-aid)
Sinead is the Irish version of the name Jane or Jennifer, derived from the French name Jeanette and the Scottish name Jean. Again this name has its origins in the Hebrew name Johanan and also means "God is gracious."

 Bartley

This is the Irish form of the Hebrew name Bartholomew, meaning the Son of Tamai. It is also derived from the name Parthalon, the leaders of the first people believed to have occupied Ireland after the biblical flood of 2800BC. Legend says that he brought agriculture to the land.
Strictly this isn’t an Irish name but has gained popularity lately in the west of Ireland.

 Bradan

(pronounced: Bray-dawn)
This names comes the word bradán, meaning salmon. The name is derived from the legend of Bradán Feasa (The Salmon of Knowledge), a tale of the Irish hero Fionn MacCool.

Cliona

(pronounced: klee-na)
The name comes from the Irish clodhna, meaning shapely. In Irish mythology, Clíodhna is a Queen of the Banshees (fairies) of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Cleena of Carrigcleena is the potent banshee that rules as queen over the sidheog (fairy women of the hills) of South Munster.

In some Irish myths Clíodhna is a goddess of love and beauty. She is said to have three brightly colored birds who eat apples from an otherworldly tree and whose sweet song heals the sick. She leaves the otherworldly island of Tir Tairngire ("the land of promise") to be with her mortal lover, Ciabhán, but is taken by a wave as she sleeps due to the music played by a minstrel of Manannan mac Lir in Glandore harbor in County Cork: the tide there is known as Tonn Chlíodhna, "Clíodhna's Wave."

Finn

Derived from the legendary hero Fionn Mac Cool, a central character in Irish folklore and myth, the name means fair-headed. Fionn was incredibly strong, brave, handsome, generous and wise, a wisdom he acquired by touching the Salmon of Knowledge and then sucking his thumb.

 Tierney

(pronounced: Teer-nee)
The name means lord or chief and implies that the child lord of the household.
It comes from the 6th century saint Tierney of Clones. He had the privilege of being baptized by St. Conleth of Kildare with St. Brigid as his godmother. As a young man he was captured by pirates and taken to the English king who placed him in the monastery of Rosnat in England. He later returned to Ireland and became Bishop of Clogher, in County Down.

 Aisling

Meaning dream or vision, Aisling has I
ts origins in the 17th and 18th centuries, in Irish poetry.

Regan

This can be used for a boy or girl. The name comes from the Irish word rí, meaning king and the diminutive – ín. So the name means the king’s child.

 Caoimhe

(pronounced: Qwee-va)
Caoimhe, or the Northern Irish Keeva, is derived from the Irish caomh meaning beautiful, gentle or precious.

10 Phrases To Drop From Your Vocabulary

These verbal mistakes can cost you credibility and influence, so fix them, stat—if you want people to take you seriously.

Researchers believe that the earliest spoken language was Mayan, which was around 7,000 years ago. Imagine, in 70 centuries, we’ve progressed to, “… and I was like, really?”

Whether you are leading a team meeting, presenting to a prospective client or delivering a keynote speech to a global audience, verbal mistakes will undermine your credibility and distract from your message.

If you want to have integrity and influence, consider dropping these phrases:

1. “I’m confused,” or “I don’t get it.”
Instead of putting all the responsibility on the other person, take co-ownership. Say, “Help me understand your position,” and remain open.

2. “You know what I mean?” and “Does that make sense?”
Asking for constant validation chips away at your command.

3. “I was like…” or “She was like…”
The word “like” is an unsophisticated setup that gets in the way of your clarity and credibility.

4. “Um, ah, uh, you know.”
Watch out for overuse of filler words and practice pausing to counteract the clutter.

5. “I’ve been too busy” or “I started writing an email and forgot to send it.”
Excuses are unattractive. Say, “I apologize for the inconvenience. You will have it by tomorrow.”

6. “Out-of-the-box thinking”
… should be retired. We can’t escape all the buzzword phrases, but ones like this have become boring.

7. “You always…”
Sweeping generalizations lack insight and get in the way of healthy dialogue. Be specific and avoid using vague blame tactics.

8. “I think we should kind of do it this way.”
Tentative language waters down your presence as a confident communicator. Make a solid recommendation and own it.

9. “I hate to say this, but…” and “John is a good person, but…”

Don’t try to disguise criticism with a layer of caring or say things that offer zero value.

10. “Really?”
It’s an all-purpose complaint that sounds like whining. Try making an interesting observation instead.
If you want to have more credibility and influence, be uh, like, you know, more intentional in your communication.

Replace negative tone and lackluster words with positive tone and authentic appreciative words. Each new day is an opportunity to inspire greatness, so say something real.

iBall launches CompBook laptop series, prices start at Rs 9,999

NEW DELHI: Indigeneous brand iBall has made its foray into the budget laptop segment with the launch of CompBook laptop series. The Mumbai-based company launched two laptops iBall CompBook Excelance and CompBook Exemplaire priced at Rs 9,999 and Rs 13,999 respectively.
While the CompBook Excelance features a 11.6-inch multi-touch IPS display, CompBook Exemplaire comes with a 14-inch multi-touch IPS screen. All other specs of both the laptops are largely identical.

Powered by 1.83GHz Intel quad core SoC, the laptops house 10,000mAh battery and comes with 2GB RAM. The laptops have 32GB internal storage, which is expandable up to 64GB.

MediaTek seeks to ride on 4G smartphones wave in India

Taiwanese semiconductor company MediaTek said that it plans to bring its entire portfolio of LTE, VoLTE and VoWiFi-ready chipsets to the Indian market.

MediaTek aims to boost its share in LTE segment during the year 2016 and is already working with about 10 OEMs to deliver 25+ unique VoLTE-enabled handsets in India by the next quarter, some of which are expected to be enabled with VoWiFi.

The company also is working to certify ViLTE and eMBMS to meet requirements of Indian smartphone users.

Mediatek also said that it plans to offer more solutions from its high-end chipset series Helio in the country. Currently, MediaTek offers the Helio X10, X20 and P10 SoCs for the Indian market.
Running parallel to its processor offerings, MediaTek also aims to make widely available its MiraVision solutions, a patented technology with a range of sub-features that deliver digital TV experience on mobile phones powered by MediaTek Helio range of SoCs, improving viewing experience of consumers and makes the FHD TV experience on mobile (images and videos) crisp and clear.

Fashion As Comfort: Using Clothes To Heal

A health crisis can come in many shapes and sizes. For some people, it is managing a disease or defect for an entire lifetime. This disease or defect might be visual or it could be internal. In many cases, it’s both. For others, it could be an injury sustained in the line of duty or while playing a sport.
Dr. Laura Miele-Pascoe, a professor with Ohio University’s Masters in Coaching Education, wrote about the psychology of injury for professional athletes in an article for Psychology Today.

Discussing the career-ending injuries of athletes like Lamar Odom, Miele-Pascoe points out that, “Not everyone has the capability of overcoming what I call the darkness inside
of their psyche. Some people turn to drinking; others turn to drugs . . .” This can be said for anyone who has suffered a health crisis and is struggling to cope.

If the crisis involves a person’s appearance, coping can sometimes be even more difficult, as everyone can see the scars, the loss of hair, or whatever has altered that person’s appearance. We all cope differently. While it may seem superficial to some people, fashion can work wonders for people managing health crises. Some use it to cover up; other use to enhance.

Fashion As A Cover-Up

I had open heart surgery when I was eight months old and have had a huge scar on my chest ever since. It is visible above most necklines. I’ve been lucky that my heart has remained relatively healthy the rest of my life. I haven’t needed extra surgeries, and my scar healed nicely without any extra help, though there are some great new treatments out there.
Had my surgery taken place when I was older, or had I needed more than one, I may have been less confident about having this scar. For many of my fellow women survivors of this type of surgery, comfort may be found in wearing a strategically tied scarf or higher neckline.
I have a second scar from my surgery, one that healed improperly. This one is more traumatizing psychologically for me than the other, because I was always teased for having a second belly button. Even today, I prefer swimsuits that cover it rather than ones that cover the giant red line running down my chest.

Fashion As A Way To Show-Off

For more than five years, I’ve volunteered with my local branch of the American Cancer Society (ACS). I’ve met amazing people who have survived cancer and who are still fighting it. I’ve met a young man recovering from breast cancer and toddlers fighting lymphoma.
For these fighters, one of the biggest battles is the physical effects cancer treatment has on them. Not only do they deal with the emotional toll of hearing, “You have cancer,” but many endure painful treatments that will save their lives but do damage to their appearance in the meantime.
There are nonprofit programs — like Sherman Oaks, California’s weSPARK — that treat both the emotional and the physical effects of cancer treatment. weSPARK partners with ACS’s Look Good Feel Better to provide self-esteem boosting fashion and beauty treatments for cancer patients.
Look Good Feel Better provides makeup tutorials, hair styling guides, and even a virtual styling tool to women and teens undergoing cancer treatment. Some cancer survivors and patients go about using fashion in a different way to show off their strength.
One woman I met at a Relay for Life still wears her hair shaven as a reminder to herself and to others that she survived breast cancer. She also wears a “F*ck Cancer” shirt on a regular basis; the t-shirt and her hair proclaim an understandable love/hate relationship with the disease she defeated.

 

Fashion As Both

 

Many people going through a health crisis use fashion in both of these ways. They gladly show off some scars and hide others, like I do, calling one a lifeline and barely admitting to another. Others cover up their balding heads with hats and skillfully tied scarves while wearing vibrant clothes, calling attention to the healthier parts of their bodies.

Some people take the combo to extremes. Brave mastectomy survivors are covering up scars and showing off their survival by getting tattoos on their chests. PersonalInk is an organization of tattoo artists dedicated to providing their services to mastectomy patients who want to cover the scars but show off what they’ve survived.

Injured veterans are also finding solace in the fashion and tattoo worlds. Many who have lost limbs to improvised explosive devices are turning to modeling to heal their psychological scars. Alex Minksy, a former Marine who lost his right leg, began his second career as the subject of a photographer’s simple request. Now the tattooed vet models for fitness sites, fashion photographers, and even on the runway.

Fashion As A Healer

No matter how we use fashion, it can be a great healer. We may use it to cover up a new injury or show off an old scar. We may use it to do a little of both. Like each of us, it is diverse enough that it can heal our psychological and physical wounds. We just have to find the fashion that speaks to each of us.

The Worst Mortgage Advice Home Buyers Actually Believe

Getting a mortgage is a daunting prospect, which explains why so many people seem eager to pat your hand and say, "Let me give you a little advice." Sure, those pearls of wisdom may come from an ocean of good intentions, but the suggestions might not necessarily be right for you. In fact, they could be dead wrong.

 

So before you take some friendly outside counsel as gospel, be sure to check it against our list of the worst mortgage advice people often give.

'Don't bother getting pre-approved for a mortgage'

Why you might hear this: Hey, you've barely begun shopping for a home! There's no need to get all serious about mortgages just yet. And besides, a mortgage pre-approval isn't real anyway -- your application isn't reviewed by an underwriter, so it's no guarantee you'll get approved for a mortgage later. So why bother?

Why it's bad advice: While a pre-approval might not be "official," it will help you avoid major problems down the road.

"Getting pre-approved by a bank is one way to avoid the heartbreak that comes from falling in love with a house you can never buy," says Maryalene LaPonsie of MoneyTalks. "It may also give you an edge if there are multiple offers for the same property. A seller will feel more confident selecting a bid from someone with a mortgage pre-approval rather than a person who hasn't even begun the process."
-- -- --
'Get your mortgage from the bank where you already have an account'

Why you might hear this: When it comes to convenience, you just can't beat the bank you're already using. Plus, since you have an existing relationship with it, it'll give you the best rates, right?
Why it's bad advice: You already know to shop around for a home. You need to do the same with your loan.

"Even though the big bank where I keep my checking and savings accounts claims they'll give me better service and an easier application process, that may not always be true," says Albert Tumpson, a banking and real estate attorney who owns several properties and refinances them every couple of years. "I've found more favorable terms with other venues. Always go with the most favorable terms."

'Don't bother reading the fine print'

Why you might hear this: Because actually perusing all that mortgage paperwork will drive you insane! And besides, this is the standard contract that everyone gets. Just sign here, here, and here -- and you'll save yourself a ton of headaches.

Why it's bad advice: Because that fine print contains some clauses that could cost y
ou serious money!

"Take your time and go over every last word with a fine-toothed comb," says Jamie, a homeowner who purchased her second home two years ago. She was astounded when her lender asked her to sign a mortgage contract involving hundreds of thousands of dollars without "bothering" to read the details. Jamie ended up taking several hours to go over the contract and found several items to dispute. So what if the process took a little longer? It was well worth the wait.

'Always go with the lowest interest rate'

Why you might hear this: A lower interest rate means lower monthly payments. Duh.
Why it's bad advice: Lower interest rates can have all sorts of strings attached -- often in the form of an adjustable-rate mortgage.

ARMs are not always a bad thing, but just be on the alert when someone suggests an interest-only ARM, says Shant Khatchadourian, president of SKR Capital Group. "Interest-only ARMs can result in significant payment shock, especially if rates increase down the line and amortization kicks in."

In the past, as interest rates were dropping and home values were rising rapidly, interest-only ARMs worked well for some people -- especially those who didn't plan to stay in the home beyond the length of the loan's first term. But although interest rates are low, they're likely to rise soon, so beware.

'Borrow as much as you're approved for, even if you don't need it'

Why you might hear this: Who doesn't want a bigger and better house? Besides, a bank wouldn't approve you for all that money unless you could afford to pay it back, right? Right?

Why it's bad advice: It's always wise to live slightly below your means, since you never know when life might pitch you a financial curveball, such as a layoff or medical problem.

"You can qualify for monthly payments up to 50% of your income these days," says Khatchadourian. "But half of your gross income seems like quite a bit for most people, especially when they factor in taxes and insurance."

So be sure to make a budget, decide what monthly payment you're comfortable with, and stick to it.

8 Life Lessons For This Moment

Change is an interesting concept. When we view a change as good, we welcome it, even strive to achieve it – but when we view it as bad, we turn around, run away, and do our very best to resist it.

We live in a world that bombards us with change: ‘Change this so you can do this’ or ‘Change this so this will not happen.’ ‘Change this to be happy’ or ‘Change this so you will not be sad.’ It is hard.

These mini life lessons are not major changes to make, they are simple things to be aware of for those of us seeking more connection to right NOW.

1. Give more hugs

This should be an easy one right? But then why isn’t it? We all know that moment. We run into an old friend, but then we wonder how good of friends we really were, but we only have five seconds to decide if we should hug them. It can be awkward.

Well let’s take the awkward out of it. Just be the person who goes in for the hug. We can hug the people we see everyday (okay, maybe not our bosses) and hug the people we haven’t seen in years. Be the hugger.

Take time to hug yourself. Literally. Wrap your arms around yourself and show yourself some love.
Human beings need five hugs a day- at least! So go out and get started!

2. Don’t label, just love

This is a hard one. Go ahead and reflect on the last time a label has really served anyone, including ourselves. Labels put people in boxes. Nobody wants to live in a box, but, unfortunately, we label others and ourselves all the time.

As a yoga teacher, I find myself often thinking “okay, what would a ‘yogi’ or a ‘spiritual person’ do in this situation?” I am trapping myself inside a box of labels. I ask myself how I should handle the situation based on the label I have given myself rather than my truest self which is rooted in love.
The question to ask is: “What would love do?”

The truth is we are all a lot of things that we think we can describe with words, but we are all also a lot of things that words cannot do justice. Lets promise ourselves to be aware of how we use our words and the boxes we put ourselves and others into with our labels.

3. Surrender

Sometimes I feel sad and I don’t know why. Then I feel sad, because I feel sad. Then I feel anxious because I do not know what I will stop feeling sad. So in the process of all this I have created multiple emotions for myself to deal with rather than just one.

Here is the promise: promise our hearts that when they feel joy- we will welcome it, but when they feel sorrow- we will also welcome that too. The battle between what our mind wants and what our heart feels is a tough one, but it is also a very important one.

Let’s surrender to our hearts. Give ourselves permission to feel what we do not want to feel. Sometimes we have to sink down a little, in order to rise up even higher. There is suffering in life, and that is okay.

4. Enjoy the space in between

Life is not about waiting for the next relationship after a break up, or a new job after the last one did not work out. Just like yoga is not simply about the postures, but more importantly the space in between the postures.

Rather than waiting for something in the future, enjoy where we are right now.

5. Listen to our bodies

Our bodies are always talking to us, we just have to learn how to listen.

My junior year of college I began to suffer from anxiety. I would wake up Sunday morning, after three nights of binge drinking, and feel like I could not breath. Getting out of bed was not an option, but staying in bed I would spiral down into a hole of self pity. I felt trapped.

The way I was living my life was clearly unsustainable. My body was begging me to please stop pouring poison into it. It took me about three years to learn to listen.

As I have listened I have become in tune to other things. How does my body feel after spending time with certain people- drained or renewed?

I have not become an expert listener, but the more I listen, the more I find I am happy with the choices I make.

Listening to our bodies does not mean we have to make sacrifices. It just means we are becoming more in tune to our needs and our truest self.

Our bodies are always ease dropping on our minds, and therefore they hold a lot more answers than we may expect.

6. Be our best selves

This one seems pretty simple; try your hardest, be kind, be authentic.

Not so fast- this one comes with a bit of a challenge: being our best selves means accepting that our best selves may look different everyday..

Sometimes my best self wants to eat a salad for dinner, and other times I really just want a couple slices of pizza. Sometimes my best self makes it to 6 am yoga class, and sometimes I hit the snooze button for half an hour instead. As human beings we show up differently everyday- and that is beautiful.

We make decisions we are proud of and we make decisions that make us want to hide in a corner. Ask yourself- did I do my best? That is really all that matters.

7. Put yourself in time out

As children, being sent to sit in a quiet room for five minutes alone was a punishment.
Now, to many adults, it probably sounds like heaven.

So next time we need a little break (and if we are listening to our bodies, they will tell us)- just put yourself in time out. Go sit in your car for five minutes (No phone!), and breathe. Go hide in the bathroom for five minutes- do what you have to do! Take a time out.

8. Trust

Trust is the magic. Trust is what allows us to enjoy the space in between. Trust is all about the little things in life. Trust.