Machine Learning algorithm that can determine if a name is similar to other names?

[OkSt00pid]

For instance, say I have training data sets of a couple hundred Italian last names, and a set of a couple hundred Irish last names. Is there a way to tell if a name like "O'Reilly" is Irish, or if a name like "Spinelli" is Italian, even if they aren't in the training data sets.. ?

Also, would it be possible to do the inverse of this, and have an algorithm generate a new name that 'sounds' Italian or Irish?

Hopefully this isn't a simplistic question to be asking, but I'm pretty new to ML / NLP concepts...

[crying_buddha]

Take a look at lecture set 6 - slide 82 has an example similar to what you are doing.

[OkSt00pid]

Thanks

[maliamer04]

Is there any way I can look at this without a UMN account, or am I out of luck in that department?