How do you pronounce Laoghaire in the Outlander books?
How exactly are you supposed to pronounce Laoghaire on Outlander?
If you listen to the Outlander audiobooks and watch the show, you’ll hear two different pronunciations for a few names here and there. The name Laoghaire is one of those names.
How exactly are you supposed to pronounce the name? Where does the name even come from?
The nickname LegHair
Because most people reading the Outlander books had no idea how to pronounce the name before the audiobooks and the show, Laoghaire’s character was given an unflattering nickname. Many call her “LegHair,” and it’s a name that has stuck.
The name initially comes from the look at the name split in two. “Laog” has become “Leg,” and “haire” has become “hair.”
Of course, that’s not how you actually pronounce the Gaelic letters.
The correct way to pronounce Laoghaire on Outlander
In the audiobooks, Davina Porter pronounces it “Lee-oar” and sometimes “L’heer,” but they’re not quite the right way. Instead, it’s pronounced “Leery” or “Lee-ree.”
This was confirmed in a video released from STARZ ahead of the first season premiere. It was a series of videos to help with some character names and various other words that would be mentioned throughout. “Lee-ree” is the pronunciation given.
Is Laoghaire a real name?
The name Laoghaire didn’t come from a baby book, but a map. Diana Gabaldon has often said that she picked out the name that way.
There is a place in Ireland called Dun Laoghaire. The name has possibly come from that.
It’s also a masculine name, a version of Lóegaire.
It’s because of the connections to real places and names, I refuse to use the awful nickname to the character. Also, in the earlier books, I have some sympathy for the teen.
Next. Turning the tables on the Laoghaire hate. dark
Which names do you struggle with saying in Outlander? Share in the comments below.