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Original poster

AIBU to think my DH has gone mad over this baby name?

419 replies

kweefa · 21/01/2025 10:19

So, I’m currently 37 weeks pregnant with DC2, and DH and I are still arguing over the name. For context, we have a DS(4) called Oliver (family name, everyone loved it, no issues there). But this time, DH has got it into his head that we should name DD something, frankly, ridiculous.

He wants to call her Nevaeh. Yes, “Heaven” backwards. He says it’s “unique but meaningful.” I think it’s chavvy and will age terribly (sorry if that offends anyone). I mean, can you imagine a 50 year old Nevaeh filling out her pension forms?

I’ve suggested plenty of other names Sophie, Amelia, even Freya but he keeps turning them down as “too common.” Meanwhile, he’s vetoed names I love (Florence, Ivy, Matilda) because he “knew a girl in school with that name and she was annoying.” 🙄

WWYD? Am I being unreasonable or is DH completely deluded?

P.S. Posting for traffic!

OP posts:
PointsSouth · 21/01/2025 13:38

RetroTotty · 21/01/2025 13:27

Yes! bring back Mildred - Ethel and Enid too!

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There aren’t enough Hepzibahs about.

(I might really mean that. Let me think about it.)

PyongyangKipperbang · 21/01/2025 13:39

Its actually pronounced "Neveahwhichisheavenbackwards" in its full form. 🙄

And as for unique.....there are three in DD's year alone and several more in the school, Jane would be more unique than that!

Katbum · 21/01/2025 13:41

I don’t think Nevaeh is a terrible name, and obviously nor do plenty of people or it wouldn’t be as popular as it is. I wouldn’t give my child that name, but nor would I name
my child any of the names you have suggested, which to me sound bland and twee. But again they are not objectively bad, names are just a matter of taste. However, naming a child is a personal thing and you have to find a compromise. What about another family name?

Someonelookedatmypostinghistorysoichanged · 21/01/2025 13:44

It’s not that unique .. I know a child called this and the parents are raising them gender neutral so that name literally means neveah (neither)

nouveaunomduplume · 21/01/2025 13:50

according to UK government data, it's so unique that it's the 99th most common girls name, with 494 girls being called this in 2023 alone. Almost another hundred with hyphenated versions, and another 25 whose parents couldn't quite reverse the letters correctly.
source: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/datasets/babynamesenglandandwalesbabynamesstatisticsgirls

AIBU to think my DH has gone mad over this baby name?
Giggorata · 21/01/2025 13:54

Dreadful name, not just because it is so awkward, but because it is one of those “you-neek” names, which are now anything but unique.

There are so many more truly meaningful names: angelic, goddess, celestial, virtues, qualities, or those which are personally meaningful.

Stand your ground.
I remember a heated discussion with my ex, who wanted to call our unborn child Irulan if it was a girl. After the Princess in Dune.
Irulan.
Thankfully it was a boy, but I would have invoked the patio protocol first.

KookyRedWriter · 21/01/2025 14:00

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Balloonhearts · 21/01/2025 14:02

LostTheMarble · 21/01/2025 11:47

Lucifer is less about a nickname and far more about the negative label put on a young child. As has already been shown on this thread, a whole person’s personality/social group will be ill judged based on a name. Imagine being called literally devil child from birth. And depending where he’s raised, some children from devout families may be told to keep away from him completely, that’s more than just a bit of eyebrow raising then forgetting about it.

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No worse than being called Mary. The eternal virgin.

gotmyknickersinatwist · 21/01/2025 14:02

Streetsofkenny · 21/01/2025 11:43

Just to add, you've just reminded me that my friend was planning on naming her daughter Nevaeh - said daughter will be 20 in a couple of months, so that's at least how long this monstrosity of a name has been around! She told everyone the planned name for a while before she gave birth. (When she actually told me, I imagined the name as Nave - as she said "it's 'eaven backwards" and I thought she was referring to "Evan backwards"!)
In the end, she named her daughter Cara, so all's well that ends well!

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I adore the name Cara. It's so simple and beautiful.

Cocothecoconut · 21/01/2025 14:03

It’s not unique
at least 3 in school I’m at
and chavvy/ naff

HowToSaveAWife · 21/01/2025 14:05

kweefa · 21/01/2025 10:27

That’s actually a lovely suggestion, thank you! I do like Niamh, but I’m worried about people constantly mispronouncing or misspelling it. We live in an area where Irish names aren’t very common, and I can just imagine her having to correct people all the time. Do you think it would be an issue, or am I overthinking it?

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You could spell it Neve, like Neve Campbell.

LostTheMarble · 21/01/2025 14:07

Balloonhearts · 21/01/2025 14:02

No worse than being called Mary. The eternal virgin.

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I grew up in the church and knew many people with the name Mary (or the Welsh variants), I’ve never known one girl/woman to be teased about being an ‘eternal virgin’ in all honesty. Especially considering though Mary had a supposed virgin pregnancy, she was married and wasn’t considered an ‘eternal virgin’. And ultimately not known as the harbinger of all evil and doom of humanity. Lucifer and Mary are of no comparison what so ever.

Streetsofkenny · 21/01/2025 14:07

Just to add - as has been perfectly demonstrated by this thread, it will end up being misspelled all the time. I'd say about 20% of posts on this thread are spelling it as "Neveah" which of course is "Haeven Backwards"!!

KookyRedWriter · 21/01/2025 14:11

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Ponoka7 · 21/01/2025 14:11

I called my DD a universal name for the Heavens. It is predominantly Latin, used in the states more now. She was and has been an absolute Angel. It also fits in with our multinational background. As said there's quite a few Nevaehs about.

gotmyknickersinatwist · 21/01/2025 14:12

LostTheMarble · 21/01/2025 14:07

I grew up in the church and knew many people with the name Mary (or the Welsh variants), I’ve never known one girl/woman to be teased about being an ‘eternal virgin’ in all honesty. Especially considering though Mary had a supposed virgin pregnancy, she was married and wasn’t considered an ‘eternal virgin’. And ultimately not known as the harbinger of all evil and doom of humanity. Lucifer and Mary are of no comparison what so ever.

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If you're Irish and you're christened Mary, you'll likely end up being called Moira or Maura.

LostTheMarble · 21/01/2025 14:30

gotmyknickersinatwist · 21/01/2025 14:12

If you're Irish and you're christened Mary, you'll likely end up being called Moira or Maura.

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It was Mair or Mari, at least in the very Welsh part of Wales I’m from. Still a popular name from what gather (unlike Mary itself).

oakleaffy · 21/01/2025 14:37

@kweefa Is it pronounced 'Never?''

A ghastly name, really naff.

Do not give in on this! Neveah give in!

AnnoyedAsAllHeck · 21/01/2025 14:46

I've always loved the name Maigan. I had a friend years ago ho named her DD this and I always loved it. But, tbh, I seem to love girl's names with "M". My DD and my DGD both have "M" names.

Horses7 · 21/01/2025 14:51

Any name that isn’t pronounced as it’s spelling is a potential nightmare

Iamthewintersale · 21/01/2025 14:54

kweefa · 21/01/2025 10:27

That’s actually a lovely suggestion, thank you! I do like Niamh, but I’m worried about people constantly mispronouncing or misspelling it. We live in an area where Irish names aren’t very common, and I can just imagine her having to correct people all the time. Do you think it would be an issue, or am I overthinking it?

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If you’re going with an Irish name I would say that’s one of the most recognised, like Siobhan, but might be a bit odd if you have no Irish roots!!
PS never met a bad Niamh, and I know dozens! Always lovely… them and the Aoife’s …

PuggyPuggyPuggy · 21/01/2025 15:09

He wants to call her Nevaeh. Yes, “Heaven” backwards. He says it’s “unique but meaningful.”

Get him to explain in what way it's meaningful. "Heaven" is meaningful, obviously. It means Heaven. What about backwards Heaven? Is it the opposite of Heaven? Is it Hell? What are people supposed to make of it when they meet the poor girl? All I can think of is heavy metal records being played backwards and upside-down crucifixes whenever I hear / read about this. Which is often enough to know it's not unique.

As plenty of people have pointed out, nobody knows how to spell it when they hear it. nobody knows how to pronounce it when they see it. I'd put money on the poor kid ending up with a skincare-based nickname, because NIVEA.

CurlewKate · 21/01/2025 15:23

Are you from the 1980s?

TheGoogleMum · 21/01/2025 15:32

When i chose my daughters name the year she was born her name was not even in the top 150 names. Now it is in the top 50. Unusual names don't always stay unusual!
I don't really like nevaeh

TightlyLacedCorset · 21/01/2025 15:33

MounjaroOnMyMind · 21/01/2025 12:12

In about 30 years Nevaeh will become a classic.

It really won't.

Maybe you're right going by this thread!😬

But there will be loads of adults and grandparents with the name by then so I think it will become more.... ubiquitous