Is Aoibhe a step too far in the UK?

I have an unusual Irish name and I really like it but don't want to 'out' myself.

What about Mairead, Grainne or Kathleen (coming back into fashion!)
Edel is lovely.

Sinead

Nora is also a name I have heard for a newborn. Roisin.Ciara, Finola

Sowornout. - we have an Eibhlin. Don't get me started about using a more ulster pronunciation than Cork people can live with.

I grew up in the UK when my Irish name was unpronounceable, but evidently it's become obvious since then. The Bananarama effect ...

Hear what you're saying on this morriszapp, I'm in the central belt of Scotland and a Gaelic speaker so a bit of both, think a lot of Gaelic names have been taken to mean 'Scottish' when there are several other traditions, including Norse names in Orkney and Shetland.
We've settled on Angus for dc1 if he is a boy - works with slightly different pronunciation/spelling as a Scottish name in Gaelic, English and Irish (a lot of our family ties are in Ireland and are Irish speaking). Didn't want to pick one that only worked for one of those 'threads' if that makes sense.

Perhaps,I can't really say,Jim had been working for the company for many years before I came along! He did tell me his real name,but I honestly can't remember it,I know it was a very long and difficult name to say though,he was pushing 80 though so it was a very old African name...think it ended in something that sounded like kim-bay and it was the kim sounding part that inspired him to go by Jim...something like that anyway!

I don't think there's anything wrong with having a "stand out" name as such,providing its not ridiculous obviously,but Irish names aren't ridiculous,they just look somewhat ridiculous on paper to those of us who don't know/understand the Irish language/spellings,but pronouncing them is easy-especially once you've been told/heard it! So I can't see that it would hinder any work promotions/advancements as obviously everyone will know the name...

Intheshed, I think you will find I am actually living in the thick of funny unusual names here, so I represent the future, not the past ...

Are you an Irish speaker, op? I'm Scottish and tear my hair out at the endless 'Scottish' names chosen by people who don't speak Gaelic and who grew up in eg the Central Belt where traditional names are Andrew, James, Margaret etc

If those names are from your native language then fair play. But if you are an English speaker then I dunno, these names don't seem appropriate. Fwiw, I don't know how to pronounce any of them, and would need to be told.

I honestly think there is much more diversity in names for our DC's generation anyway. When I was at school there were always at least 2 Sarahs, Catherines, Emmas etc. In my class there were 5 boys called James! Given the wide range of names of kids I meet, I think attitudes like BlueShoes has described will thankfully become obsolete in time.

In my limited experience of African names, they appear to be pronounced phonetically. So not as tricky as Aoibhe. Azubuike would probably become 'Azu'.

I think Saorsia is a beautiful Irish name - unsure of spelling.

I fail to see how having an Irish name is a hindrance in the workplace. The city is full of foreign workers from all parts of the globe. Many in positions of power. Perhaps a made up name can hold you back, even then I'd have my doubts. I have an English surname and am always asked how to spell it, so what ? This is true of many names.

How about Tierna ( Tee-er-na) or Laoise (Lee-sheh)?

Or, because they're used to having ignorant colleagues who won't make any attempt to pronounce their actual name...

I can't believe being one of twenty odd Sarahs or whatever is better in any competitive business than being the only one with a particular name, really can't - seems counter-intuitive to me (the boringly named woman) to want to blend in to get ahead. I'd never forget an Azubuike!

In blueshoes defence,I used to work with a guy called Jim...it wasn't his actual name,not even close,but he was African and nobody could say his real name properly so he decided to call himself Jim to make it easier for the people he works with :) if anyone at blueshoes workplace was deciding on names for people with foreign,pretty un-pronouncable names without the persons say-so then that's just plain racist,but I doubt that's the case,if someone knows their name is difficult they'd probably choosen an alternative themselves to make everyones like easier.

Love Clodagh!! I know a gorgeous little Clodagh too.

If I wasn't heavily pregnant I'd be cracking open the wine right about now! Will make do with

Where I work it is very competitive and the rewards high. Every little edge counts. Not for everyone, then again, do you want to close off your dd's options? Not the end of the world, she might just give herself an easier nickname.

Aoife is absolutely lovely - I'd seen it written down before, but wasn't sure how to say it (I suspected Weef ).

Given some of the other posts on this thread, I just wanted to say that I have a very Scottish name and live in England. If someone hears my name, they often can't spell it, if they read my name, they often can't say it . Nonetheless, I love my name (and often other people do too, even when they hadn't heard it before), and I like the fact that it's relatively uncommon.

soworn, you are getting het up for nothing. People don't decide to nickname someone. Usually it is the person with the unusual name that gives themselves the nickname.

I think it will be hard to be honest. How about Aisling or Aislynn (not sure how to spell but have heard it and thought was nice).

It is a positive thing,and you would remember it,I just worry how dd would feel later in life at having to correct people trying to say the name from paper who,like myself,have/had no idea how to pronounce it and having to spell out their name to people later in life,over the phone,for example. Eva won't automatically make people say "is that Eva as in E-V-A or A-O-I-B-H-E? When they hear it iyswim? That's my only concern,seeing as dd will presumably be growing up and living in the UK where such irish names aren't common and not phonetically pronouncable in the english language. If op was in Ireland and bringing dd up there I wouldn't of even bothered commenting as the names make perfect sense over there and would cause little to no confusion but it could very easily be a different story here which I why I thought I should probably say how much they confused me,blueshoes probably said what she has for the same reason. The names just don't make sense here unless you've previously encountered them and that may well be a small minority of people so could cause a lot of,I don't know,hassle or embarrassment maybe,for dd later in life..

Don't get me wrong,its not my dd,and none of them are names I would pick myself (obviously!) So it doesn't bother me what name op decides on,I just thought she might like something to consider but seeing as her dh has reluctantly agreed to using an irish name I'm going to guess he was somewhat against it for the same kind of reasons that I've said,essentially to avoid any confusion or trouble with spelling/pronounciation? I assume his family are british so may struggle with spelling initially too but won't have any trouble with pronounciation as they will obviously hear the names before they read them! I'm just guessing here though!

In fact I'm so depressed by Blueshoes' assertion that I think it's a good excuse to open a bottle of wine! :-)

Fucking hell blueshoes I'm glad I don't work for your firm. And if you live in London then that is just plain ignorant, sorry.

London is particularly multi-cultural - and how fucking arrogant for anyone to decide that they are too important/idle to learn how to pronounce your name and will call you something different.

Or for a boss to decide a subordinate with a 'tricky' name isn't good enough. I work with a colleague whose Christian name is 'Azubuike'. He is African. We don't fucking decide 'we'll call the black man 'Alan' shall we?'.

Jesus, wept. It's like a Victorian mistress deciding that the parlourmaid would be known as 'Jane' because it was more suitable than her actual name for her station in life.

Blueshoes - I guess either I move in different circles to you or am incredibly naive. I find it quite disheartening to think people would pass someone over like that in a work situation, where presumably you spend a lot of time with people (as opposed to a restaurant booking situation or similar where I wouldn't expect someone to remember the name - and actually in those sort of situations I admit I always use my surname (an Irish but "recognisable" name) to make things easier).

It is definitely NOT my experience (also work in London though SE based). As I said earlier, one of the things I love about the UK is how much it seems to embrace diversity (in my personal experience).

And I was adamant neither of my children have Irish names!

Yes lots of people meet me, listen politely, ask me to repeat it and get it right from then on but plenty don't listen, can't remember or just can't get their heads around it.

Think about how often you use your name. It's not really school or work that is a problem, people you see regularly learn your name. Things like ringing the bank, booking a cab or a restaurant, introductions in loud bars (sorry WHAT was your name?!)..My name is constantly misspelled on tickets too.

Look it's not exactly a massive burden! It's just a little irritation I would happily have done without.

Damson, I don't think people necessarily remember unless they come into contact with you a lot.

In my job and where I live (London), I met lots from all sorts of countries and different names. In my firm, people with unusually spelt/pronounced names tend to go by a more phonetically logical nickname. Nobody has the time or inclination to relish a tricky name. If you were the boss and had a number of subordinates to choose from, would you choose someone with the tricky name? Maybe in time but not at first.