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Eithne (earlier Ethniu, Ethliu, Ethlinn and a variety of other spellings - see below) is a popular Irish female name meaning 'little fire' and is borne by a variety of historical and legendary figures, including:

Medieval

• Ethniu, daughter of Balor and mother of Lug in Irish mythology
• Eithne, daughter of the king of Alba, wife of the High King Fiacha Finnfolaidh and mother of Tuathal Teachtmhar
• Eithne, the mother of Saint Columba
• Eithne and Sodelb, Leinster saints

Modern

• Enya (Eithne Ní Bhraonáin), musician
• Eithne Farry, former literary editor of Elle
• Eithne Fitzgerald, Irish economist and former Labour Party politician.
• LÉ Eithne (P31), a ship in the Irish Naval Service
• Eithne Walls, a physician and former dancer, who danced with the popular Riverdance group on Broadway, died on the the Air France Flight 447 crash on June 1 2009.

Other spellings and earlier forms include: Ethnea, Ethlend, Ethnen, Ethlenn, Ethnenn, Eithene, Ethne, Aithne, Enya, Áine (sometimes a separate name), Ena, Etney, Eithnenn, Eithlenn, Eithna, Ethni, Edlend, Edlenn.

Eithne is considered by some sources to be the feminine cognate of the name Aidan ^[1].

References

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Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish Ethniu.

Pronunciation

• IPA: [ˈɛnʲə], [ˈɛhnʲə]

Proper noun

Eithne

1. A female given name.
2. (Irish mythology) The daughter of the Fomorian king Balor, wife of Cian and the mother of Lugh and Dealbhaeth, and the grandmother of Cú Chulainn and Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Descendants

anglicized forms:

• Edna
• Ena
• Enya
• Etna
• Ethna

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish Ethniu.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɛnʲə/

Proper noun

Eithne

1. A female given name of Gaelic origin.
2. (mythology) The daughter of the Fomorian king Balor, wife of Cian and the mother of Lugh and Dealbhaeth, and the grandmother of Cù Chullain and Fionn mac Cumhaill.