[ANSTHRLD] name help: O'Quigg/Ó Cuaig (was: AG Feb/Mar '08)

[Coblaith Mhuimhneach]

Kevin asked about the return of the name "Fiontan Ó Cuaig", and later  
wrote:
> . . . [I] could use whatever advice you have on THIS issue. Fiontan  
> used to go by Finton O'Quigg, so I am fairly certain the SOUND of the  
> name is what's important to him.
>
> Anyone feel like suggesting an alternative, or better sources?

Would the sound in question be something like "oh-KWIG", or perhaps  
"oh-KWAYG"?

You didn't mention to what period your client wishes his name to be  
documented, so I'm not sure which resources would be relevant.

The given name "Corcc" listed in "The 100 Most Popular Names in Early  
Medieval Ireland"  
<http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/irish100/>) could yield the  
clan affiliation byname "Ó Cuircc".  The sound is pretty close.  The  
same article has "Cúán", which could yield "Ó Cúáin".

"16th & 17th Century Anglicized Irish Surnames from Woulfe"  
<http://www.medievalscotland.org/kmo/Woulfe/ 
SortedByGaelicSpelling_O2.shtml> lists "O Coughane", "O Cowghane", and  
"O Quoghane", as well as "O Cuayn" and "O Quane".


By the way, there's a bit of research on various forms of "McCuaig" at  
<http://web.syr.edu/~rcranger/cuaignm.htm>.  It includes the statement,  
"George Black suggests that it is from MacDubhaig (pronounced  
mac-DOO-ig), meaning 'the son of Blackie.'"  (I assume the reference is  
to Black's _The Book of Islay_, which is mentioned earlier in the  
text.)  If the client is, in fact, more interested in using an  
antecedent of "O'Quigg" (which "Ó Cuaig" apparently is  
<http://www.ancestry.com/facts/Quigg-name-meaning.ashx>) than in the  
sound, you might research "Dubh"-based bynames for him.  There are  
quite a few in various articles in the Medieval Names Archive guide to  
Irish names <http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/irish.shtml>.


Coblaith Mhuimhneach
<mailto:Coblaith at sbcglobal.net>