Daidí na Nollag
/ˌd̪ˠadʲiː n̪ˠə ˈnˠɔl̪ˠəɡ/masculine
Santa Claus in Irish is Daidí na Nollag. Wiktionary also lists Saintí and San Nioclás.
Meaning: fictional figure (name)
Ways to say it
| Irish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Daidí na Nollag | /ˌd̪ˠadʲiː n̪ˠə ˈnˠɔl̪ˠəɡ/ | masculine |
| Saintí | ||
| San Nioclás | [sˠanˠ ˈn̠ʲɪklˠaːsˠ] (word by word, narrow) | masculine |
The terms refer to the fictional figure of Santa Claus.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Daidí na Nollag literally translates to 'Daddy of Christmas'.
Which one should you use?
Daidí na Nollag is the more affectionate, colloquial way to refer to Santa Claus, similar to 'Santa Claus' or 'Father Christmas' in English. San Nioclás is another form used for the name, and Saintí is also a way to refer to him.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Munster region, you might hear the term Daidí na Nollaig.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase Daidí na Nollag is a noun phrase where na Nollag is the genitive singular form of an Nollaig (Christmas).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌd̪ˠadʲiː n̪ˠə ˈnˠɔl̪ˠəɡ/
Did you know?
- The Irish word Daidí is actually a loanword borrowed directly from the English word 'daddy'.
Examples in context
- Bhí mé ag caint le Daidí na Nollag inné.I was talking to Santa Claus yesterday.
- Is maith liom Daidí na Nollag.I like Santa Claus.
Example conversation
Two children are talking about Christmas presents.
- SaoirseAn bhfuil Daidí na Nollag ag teacht?Is Santa Claus coming?
- CianTá, beidh sé anseo go luath.Yes, he will be here soon.
- SaoirseAn mbeidh Daidí na Nollag ag tabhairt brí keychain?Will Santa Claus be bringing a keychain?
- CianB'fhéidir, ach bí tostach anois!Maybe, but be quiet now!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “santa claus” translations and entries Daidí na Nollag, San Nioclás, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (San, Nioclás) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Nioclás, San, daidí, san, CC BY-SA 4.0.
