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Baby names

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Original poster

Is Aoibhe a step too far in the UK?

260 replies

mika2 · 09/05/2013 23:09

I'm Irish, living in the UK and due DD1 in 4 mths. I really want to give the baby an irish name - DH has reluctantly agreed - and had come up with an extensive list of boys names i liked (and was convinced it was a boy!) but now i know it's a girl I'm still struggling. Not helped by the fact that a lot of them (Ciara, Tara, Niamh, Beibhinn, Saoirse, Siun) have already been taken by my very extended family. At the moment this is the best we can come up with;

Clodagh (klo-da) - but DH is insisting on nn chloe (which defeats the purpose of giving the baby an Irish name IMO)
Aoife (ee-fa) - pretty, but v v common in ireland and getting more so here?
Caoimhe (quee-va) - I love, but DH isn't so keen
Aoibhe (eva) - alternative to aoife, but a bit more "out there" than the others as even Irish ppl seem v confused on how to pronounce. And with such an obvious english alternative, can see DH/DD giving up and spelling it Eva eventually

Thoughts on the above for a baby growing up in the uk? And any other suggesions gratefully received!

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AThingInYourLife · 09/05/2013 23:24

Aoife is soooo much nicer than Aoibhe.

Why call a child Eva but make them spell it Aoibhe?

You could try Aoibheal :o

Apparently this is an old name that has inexplicably fallen out if favour Wink

tethersend · 09/05/2013 23:22

Caoimhe is lovely.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 09/05/2013 23:22

Dervla has issues of its own although it's a gorgeous name (Dearbhla, Deirbhile anyone?)

Irishmammybread · 09/05/2013 23:22

Catriona (though the sneaky silent o catches everyone out!)
Alanna
I really like Caoimhe too.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 09/05/2013 23:21

I think that if you want to give an Irish name, then go the whole hog and give one that has a specific pronunciation rather than Aoibhe which, as you say, lazy sods will try to spell Eva. At least if you use Caoimhe you know they're going to have to make an attempt to spell it correctly, there's no easy get out.

All of them are lovely, I do like Eimear as suggested by NMM though :)

Beehatch · 09/05/2013 23:21

All Irish names, even with trad spelling seem to be getting more common here in SE England. In our nursery pretty much all the names you have listed are on the current rolls, even Caoimhe.

Movingtimes · 09/05/2013 23:19

Dervla?
I also like Orla.
I have an Aoife and we never meet any others until we go to Ireland where we are tripping over bucket loads of them. She does get a lot of people spelling her name wrong or not knowing how to pronounce it, but once they know they know. I would go with the name you like best and not bother to worry about what other folk make of it.

amonthefence · 09/05/2013 23:19

I know several Irish friends called Aine. (On-ya)

katkoala · 09/05/2013 23:18

we love Nuala, but having a ds Grin

NMM · 09/05/2013 23:14

Órla?
Emer (not the 'correct' Eimear spelling I know, but pronounceable!)

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