Niamh, Neve or something else entirely?

[glasshalfsomething]

Just that really!

I love the name, and have no objection to the traditional spelling, but having grown up with a pain in the ass name, I'm hesitant to land any child with a name that has to be corrected or spelled all the time.

I just can't decide which variation to use, or whether to fall back in a less loved name?

Thoughts?

(it could be a boy, which would be lovely as that name has been agreed 😊)

[JasonDerulo]

Niamh!!! So pretty and fairly well known anyway

[Choccyhobnob]

I have this thought often too as I have Irish heritage but my married last name is very obviously 'foreign' so I feel the combination of the traditional Irish Niamh with my surname doesn't go anymore so I have contemplated Neve or Nieve. Both nice names but if you don't have a pain in the ass surname go for Niamh!

[Iamcheeseman]

I taught a niamh who at about age 9 had her name 'officially' changed to neve as her parents were fed up of people not having a clue how to say it. It's a bit like siobhan. Once you've heard it and know, it's fine, but lots of people have no idea what those names actually say. It's a tricky one.

[glasshalfsomething]

Wow cheeseman, that's quite an effort to go to.


Alternatives would be

• Caitlyn
• Carys
• Evelyn
• Charlotte

[juneau]

I would avoid Caitlyn, because of 'Caitlyn' Jenner.

I like Niamh or Neve and I'm surprised that such a well-known name is still mis-spelled.

Charlotte is lovely, but popular at the moment. I know of several and thanks to Princess Charlotte I suspect there are many more.

Carys is lovely (I was going to use this if I'd had a girl).

Evelyn is going to end up as Evie, which is v. popular (and rather tired, I think, as its been popular for a good 10 years at this point).

[thisismadness77]

We have a 4 year old Neve. I love her name. :)

[user1471523202]

I have a Niamh! We were unsure on the spelling but just decided to go for it. Haven't regretted it, I think only one person (she's 9 months) has mispronounced it. It's much more common now so most people spell/pronounce correctly

[hollyisalovelyname]

How do you pronounce Neve ?

[BikeRunSki]

I know/know of many Niamh/Neve/Nieves Mongst DS's peers (8/9). Niamh is the most popular spelling and I think it's pretty well known and understood amongst English speakers now.

[glasshalfsomething]

Juneau - you've hit the nail on the head with each of those! I love the names, but the popularity/associations are frustrating!

[AmysTiara]

Niamh. It's popular so I'd think most people would know how to pronounce it now

[glasshalfsomething]

Reassuring to know user147.

I would pronounce Neve same as Niamh, no?

[thisismadness77]

Holly like eve with a n in front.

[hollyisalovelyname]

Thank you.
Neve Campbell the actress is the only Neve I've heard of. I didn't know if it was pronounced Nev A

[indigo13]

I think its a nice name. Ill just add that recently I heard it called out in a group setting and it wasn't easily heard, as in it was a sort of nothing sound compared to the other names being called

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

Charlotte is lovely.

[thisismadness77]

Holly I have family in the US and they always referred to Neve as Nev, apparently that's how Neve Campbell is pronounced! As we always emailed pics etc rather than speak on the phone we didn't realise until they finally met her aged 2 that they always called her 'Nev'. Ha baby Nev! Reminds me of when I took Neve to baby clinic at weeks old and they called her name out as Steve. Who has a newborn Steve?!

[MikeUniformMike]

Carys is a welsh name that was hugely popular in the 1960s so sounds very dated to Welsh speakers. Caitlyn - too popular and too many spelling variations unless you go for the Irish spelling.
Charlotte is OK and Evelyn is a bit too much like Eve/Eva/Ewa/Evie etc.

[DramaAlpaca]

I don't pronounce Niamh and Neve the same at all.

In the part of Ireland where I live Niamh is pronounced as if it has two syllables, a bit like NEE-uv, but the second syllable is very soft.

It's hard to explain in writing but it certainly isn't pronounced Neeve as Neve would be.

I suppose in the UK it wouldn't matter, and I think the pronunciation even in Ireland might be different according to region.

[bridgetreilly]

Niamh not Neve, which just looks ugly to me. I think it's become common enough that people will pronounce it properly.

But personally, I much prefer Carys or Evelyn.

[HappyLollipop]

Go for Niamh it's a fairly well known Irish name at this point so there's few people won't know how to pronounce it, I'd say go for it!

[glasshalfsomething]

Thanks all. Carys would be my first choice, but there's no convincing DH.


He would like Caitlyn and I've countered with Niamh which he would be happy with.


Also debating Catriona, but again there's a pronunciation issue 😕 and I don't love it.


Any other suggestions welcome....typing this Thread up has made me realise I do lie C names...

[thisismadness77]

Seren is nice. Think it's Welsh, means star.

[MikeUniformMike]

Seren is something a welsh speaking person would call their pony. It is naff as a little girl's name. It's on a par with Twinkle.

[thisismadness77]

Well I think it's lovely as does my Welsh friend who named her daughter it. Horses for courses.