Mumsnet Talk

Expecting a baby girl in April and this is my current shortlist.

I love Isobel, but am concerned about how popular it is. Annabel would be a nod to my mum's name so a potential compromise. I also love Caoimhe (irish name, pronounced Keeva) so I suppose the question is...

... Would you rather be one of 20 3 Isobels in your class, or have a name you have to spell out for people every day of your life?

Thoughts appreciated!

are you spelling it Caoimhe or Keeva??

I like Annabel best.

Are you Irish? Do you live in Ireland? If not then calling a child Caoimhe is saddling them with a name that will be a pain in the neck. Keeva just isn't as pretty somehow!

I think Annabel is a lovely name

Annabel

Caoimhe if you spell it that way, I don't like the Keeva spelling

Yes, I am Irish but live in England, so would prefer Irish spelling, which might be a burden to a little one living in England!

Okay, if you are spelling it properly then Caoimhe Keeva does not look nice at all!

holly and rilla I agree, much prefer Caoimhe, Keeva makes it very Jeremy Kyle changes it somehow!

Sorry if putting Keeva in the title was confusing.

Annabel is delicious.

I like Caoimhe if and only if you have genuine Celtic heritage and spell it Gaelicly, otherwise I'd sniff privately.

Annabel is beautiful

Sorry to say Caoimhe is my all time most hated Irish name (I am Irish) There is something about it that sounds like nails on a blackboard to me, particularly if it's pronounced Kweeva <shudder>

I like the sound of Caoimhe, but I think 99% of people will not know how to pronounce it.

Isobel is lovely.

Think Annabel is beautiful!

Knows someone with the name Annabel and was bullied at school due to it the bel bit was used to call her big ben clangabell and quoismoded( sp) the hunchbuck in the film. They used to shout the bells the bells. It was horrid to hear

Isabel would be my choice, very pretty with a lovely soft sound to it. I wouldn't care about popularity. Name her as you like. She will be your daughter so her name will suit your thoughts and dreams for her.

definitely isobel,such a beautiful and timeless name

Caoimhe. It's really pretty and of course you can use outside of Ireland. 10 years ago people used to think Niamh was 'out there', now it's pretty much mainstream. People only have to be told once how to pronounce a name. Please don't use Keeva as it really cheapens the name. Stick to your guns. Isobel is lovely but everywhere and fwiw I prefer Anna to Annabel.

Chartreuse I'm the opposite, I hate when I hear Caoimhe pronounced Keeva, to me it's always Kweeva. But yes, I know both pronunciations are legit.

I think it would be a total bum ache for a child growing up in England to be called Caoimhe.

Caiomhe.

I grew up in England with a C (can't spell sorry) but pronounced keefer (to rhyme with reefer

startsnadunicorns how horrible for her

Thanks everyone, interesting to hear other people's thoughts, much appreciated

I love the name Isobel so much!

1 - Annabel
2 - Isobel
10 - Keeva

Caoimhe comes in at 5 or so

Caoimhe is lovely. Names like Niamh were a pita for people years ago but now most people can spell it. I'm sure it will be the same for names like Caoimhe.

Will she have an easily spelled surname so she doesn't have to spell both?

I have a pita name that has to be spelled nearly everytime I'm on the phone. When I worked in an office I had to spell it 10 times a day but at least my surname was common do that was never a problem

*so not do.