Picture Credit: BARM/Fame Pictures

Westlife singer Shane Filan and wife Gillian welcomed a baby boy Friday January 22.  Celebrity Baby Blog reports that Shane Peter joins older brother Patrick Michael (16 months) and Nicole Rose (4 1/2).  Hmm, might they be Irish?  Fans of Westlife already know this, but for the uninitiated, yes, this is an Irish pop band, and yes, the Filan family is Irish -- Shane and Gillian were high school sweethearts in a town in northwest Ireland.  

Pointing out the obvious, the newest addition to the family is named after this father.  What else about this baby's name?  Namipedia's entry for Shane tells us this name is an Anglicized form of the Irish Seaghán, which in turn is a variant of Eóin -- a Gaelic cognate of John, meaning God is Gracious.  And therein lies the fun of name origins, to see how Shane connects to John, two names that at first glance look wildly different.  

A popular boy name in Ireland, Shane ranks #23 in popularity.  In the U.S. Shane is also a favorite: in the top 500 American names since the 1950s, reaching #60 in the 1970s and currently ranked #174. Elsewhere around the world: #248 in Scotland, #281 in Canada (Alberta), #281 in Canada (British Columbia).

Any guesses on what this baby will be called around the house?  Nickname possibilities include: Shane Jr., Junior, Peter, Petey.  How do you like Shane Peter as a match for Patrick Michael and Nicole Rose?  Do you think the three names complement each other well?

--D.J.