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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

caoimhe

86 replies

birchygoo · 22/07/2015 20:00

help from Irish ppl on how its said in your area but also keen to hear from English how difficult you would find this to say

I am from ulster currently living in England. in ulster we would say keeva. talking from friend from Dublin she mentioned they would always say qweva.

just wondering in different areas would they all be qweva? and if I did call a girl this would she have lots of issues with it in England? I do know one little caoimhe here in England already both English parents and said as keeva.

I know you are just going to say spell it keeva - but nope I'm awkward and keeva I don't like sp.

boys names I'm finding much easier as enda is one and it can be read as seen

please don't slate my names I'm not interested in if you don't like them. if we all liked same names it would be hard to tell us apart! also we will be returning home.

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BitOutOfPractice · 25/07/2015 09:34

I'm English and I would not have a clue how to say it. Not s clue. Sorry

MrsDeVere · 25/07/2015 09:24

This reply has been deleted

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dangerrabbit · 25/07/2015 09:14

Lovely name

dontthinktwiceitsalright · 25/07/2015 09:13

Keeva here too ( NI) beautiful name

mika2 · 25/07/2015 08:34

I'm SE Irl and always heard it pronounced quee-va. I love love love this name but never managed to convince English DH that it wasn't totally obscure and wouldn't be a nightmare growing up in the UK. He was also convinced she would get teased as it sounded too close to "queer" Hmm We compromised on Aoife in the end.

chiruri · 25/07/2015 05:51

I'm Scottish but have two Northern Irish friends (one from Derry, unsure where exactly the other is from) called Caoimhe. They both pronounce it Kee-va.

TheHobbit · 25/07/2015 05:03

I have a commonish sounding name but an extremely unique spelling in fact so unique I'm the only one in the world. Believe me when I say how frustrating it is to constantly spell my name! Nobody ever gets it right ever! Even my employers don't and the number of times I've had to get business cards reprinted is a joke. I like my name but so so so sick of correcting people. Doctors are a nightmare as they always tell me im not on the system meanwhile its because they've got my name wrong!!

Kweeva reminds me of kweef so not sure if they will ger teased or called a "Kweefa" and barely anyone will spell it or pronounce it correct.

mathanxiety · 25/07/2015 04:03

Keeva here -- grew up in Dublin but learned Connacht Irish, went to Irish college in Connemara, etc.

I have relatives from the deepest south east who would pronounce it closer to Kay-va (so well done PallasCat!). This is due to their pronunciation of A sounds. They have a Caoilfhionn who is Kay-lan. Carkeys are carkays.

squoosh · 24/07/2015 21:32

Are you really thinking of calling your son Enda?

squoosh · 24/07/2015 21:30

Kweeva

PallasCat · 24/07/2015 20:07

Aww some lovely names birchy!

I also can't resist name planning Smile

I'm English and hadn't seen Caiomhe before - I think I would've gone for Kay-va if I hadn't been told otherwise. I really like it.

Caolan, Cathal and Cormac are all lovely - I think Cathal is my favourite of the three though.

twinjocks · 22/07/2015 23:38

I'm in Dublin and would say Kweeva

DramaAlpaca · 22/07/2015 23:05

Sorry, AFAIK is short for as far as I know!

I love Caolan. I know one who goes by Cal.

Original poster
birchygoo · 22/07/2015 23:03

Afaik - what does this mean.

Sorry I should also probably disclose I am still only trying just got upset that I thought my favourite girl name was said differently than what I had thought and from people I know. So that reassurance means so much

I don't really care if people don't like the name (as its my choice) - would hate to call someone a made up name though

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Original poster
birchygoo · 22/07/2015 23:01

For a boy I really want caolan but sis in law wanted it if she had a boy (had a girl in end up) so now not sure if I can use caolan

I do like cathal and cormac as well.

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DramaAlpaca · 22/07/2015 22:56

Munster Irish where I live. It's usually pronounced Queeva.

Gorgeous name, as long as it's spelled properly. AFAIK, both pronunciations are correct.

VoldemortsNipple · 22/07/2015 22:45

I love Cathal for a boy

MissBattleaxe · 22/07/2015 21:28

Yes I was going with something that rhymed with Naomi. I don't know any gaelic. I know Irish names are popular but there's just no way non gaelic speakers who weren't already familiar with the name could even guess at the pronunciation.

wigglesrock · 22/07/2015 21:27

Oh not to throw a spanner in the works but I think Tadgh is nicer than Enda. Enda is nice but if you're thinking of coming back to Ireland, I think Enda is a bit, I don't know, old fashioned maybe? Although I'm in NI, so it might just be me.

Caoimhe is lovely, I say Keeva but my friend says Queeva.

girliefriend · 22/07/2015 21:26

Im English if i had to hazard a guess how to pronounce the name I would have gone with Kay-o-me Blush

swooosh · 22/07/2015 21:21

My English (but Irish parents, she lives here) friend has a daughter with this name pronounce Qweeva

luckiestgirlintheworld · 22/07/2015 21:20

I'm English and would have no idea! It looks like a random jumble of letters next to each other (though of course that is all any word is isnt it?)

It's a lovely name, but I wouldn't bank on many English people knowing how to say it from reading it.

Original poster
birchygoo · 22/07/2015 21:19

thank you everyone. such lovely comments. dh is called Kevin so really want to use it. I am still thinking of ideas though. so thanks for other suggestions as well.

I do want to use an Irish name - I'm not too worried about people not being able say it as people always learn spellings and there are lots of English names I still struggle to spell. plus I had a unique surname and I didn't mind having to constantly spell it and now I have a normal surname I miss it. also can't let the kids off too lightly Shock oj

dh loves tadgh - I struggled getting my tongue around that one for a while so even though I love it I'm still not overly convinced about using it

OP posts:
MissBattleaxe · 22/07/2015 21:15

I could neither say it nor spell it. If you live on mainland UK is it a fantastic idea to name your daughter this when you will have to spell it and correct people every single time?

I know you don't want criticism, but I can't help thinking it.

Diggum · 22/07/2015 21:15

Sadhbh is pronounced "sive"; rhymes with five.

It means sweet (apparently) and also happens to be the name of the sweetest little 1 year old I know. Grin