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Baby names

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

Original poster

How would YOU say this name?

139 replies

3luckystars · 18/01/2016 10:25

It's a girls name, just looking for your first reaction to it if you have a minute to reply. I don't want to pick a name that would cause confusion if she lived in another country. Thanks very much.

Aoibh

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TheSecondViola · 18/01/2016 13:27

Thats an entirely different name!!

StayWithMe · 18/01/2016 13:25

Copied from IrishCentral 100 top irish names.

  1. Aoife (ee-fa)

This name means beautiful, radiant or joyful, and likely derives from the Gaelic word ‘aoibh’ meaning ‘beauty’ or ‘pleasure.’ In Irish mythology, Aoife is known as the greatest woman warrior in the world. She gave birth to the mythological hero Cuchulainn’s only son, Connlach, and was the daughter of a king ofConnacht. Legend has it, her marriage was arranged by St. Patrick himself.

I've only ever heard it pronounced ee-fa tbh. I think it's a beautiful name and I would strike with the Irish spelling as your daughter will not be the only person to have am unusual spelling unless you live in Midsummer.

EmpressOfTheVulvaCupcakes · 18/01/2016 13:18

I thought it was Eve or Eva, wasn't sure which.

Sophronia · 18/01/2016 13:13

Eve, and I'm from the south of England.

LadyMaryofDownt0n · 18/01/2016 12:46

Ah Jesus, Mary & Joseph! This is pointless.

BelleMairead2 · 18/01/2016 12:41

Eve

tbtc20 · 18/01/2016 12:33

It will cause confusion if she lives in another country, surely you don't need to ask that, but if you like the name then I wouldn't let that hold you back.

I think there is are sound reasond for giving more thought to a name when you think it's likely the child will move to a different country/language e.g. I am in the UK and (non English) couple living here gave their daughter a name which was easy to pronounce in English, German and Spanish, albeit it they sound quite different.

Another Spanish friend gave 2 of her 3 children names that English speakers simply could not pronounce properly - we could say it near enough, but impossible to get right unless you spoke proper Spanish.

TheSecondViola · 18/01/2016 12:18

Its a very old name. Couldnt be much older!

wigglesrock · 18/01/2016 12:17

Eve - my kids go to school with quite a few spelt this way - we're in NI. Fwiw my dad feels exactly the same way about it as squoosh explained. My dd went to an Aoibhs birthday party, my dad saw the card and gave a huge sigh and a mini eyeroll.

squoosh · 18/01/2016 12:16

'at least it adds some colour to the Jack/Harry/Sophie/Olivia Irish top tens...'

I suppose you're right. The Irish top ten names doesn't seem to have changed since 1994!

SevenOfNineTrue · 18/01/2016 12:13

No idea. I'd have to Google it.

TheSecondViola · 18/01/2016 12:12

No, Aoibh was the mother of the children of lir.

harrietm87 · 18/01/2016 12:10

I'm Irish (living in UK) so know it's same as Eve. Lovely spelling though - I say go for it. People will learn.

Cavaradossi · 18/01/2016 12:05

Aoife was the evil stepmother in the Children of Lir (and I think is also somewhere in the Táin, or maybe one of Cúchulainn's lovers...?) Aoibh, while it looks similar - and there is an old Irish word 'aoibh' (beauty, brightness) - has only, as Squoosh said, as far as I'm aware, fairly recently begun to be used as a girl's name.

I wouldn't call it makey-uppy, more a vocabulary word that has only recently started being used as a name in Irish.

And there are a lot of ordinary names that I think are needlessly repackaged with an Irish spelling. I've met an Archí!

Yes, it is something of a trend! But at least it adds some colour to the Jack/Harry/Sophie/Olivia Irish top tens...

ifcatscouldtalk · 18/01/2016 12:00

I wouldn't of known, whatever i tried to say sounded nothing like eve Smile

Potkettleblack2 · 18/01/2016 11:56

I like Aoibh/ Eve. But literally 5 out of the last 6 baby girls I've known to be born are Eva, Eve, Ava, Aoibh, Aoibhe or something-Eve/Ava/Eva.
But I guess that's because it's lovely!

KP86 · 18/01/2016 11:53

I would have guessed Abby, but also guessed that wasn't it!

Would never, ever have thought of Eve.

Mrsw28 · 18/01/2016 11:51

I read Eve, but I went to school with a girl called Aoife, so I used my powers of deduction to work it out! If you're Irish and like the Irish spelling, use it! People that need to know it will only ask once. People with names like Roisin and Siobhan get by alright.

squoosh · 18/01/2016 11:50

Okay I will put my hands up and say sorry for accusing Aoibh of being a 'youneek' name!

I'd still go with Eve though.

And there are a lot of ordinary names that I think are needlessly repackaged with an Irish spelling. I've met an Archí!

Wigeon · 18/01/2016 11:49

I would guess it was Irish, but would have no idea how to pronounce it (well, before this thread!) . And my dd is an Eva!

Meht · 18/01/2016 11:47

I read it as 'Aye-oh-be'

JenEric · 18/01/2016 11:44

I can tell its irishbut would have to google. I'd guess Ava or Eva if I had to.

TheSecondViola · 18/01/2016 11:41

Youneek and made up? Its from the children of Lir! Its ancient, literally.
Bloody hell.

squoosh · 18/01/2016 11:26

Thanks for the lesson Micah.

Of course I realise Gaelic is an actual language. In Scotland.

In Ireland we refer to it as plain old Irish or as Gaeilge.

What I'm saying is that there's a recent trend for Irish people to take a non Irish name, give it an Irish spelling and then pretend it's an authentic Irish name. Eve as a spelling has been around a hell of a lot longer than Aoibh. 'Aoibh' is a bit youneek for my taste.

Hellochicken · 18/01/2016 11:20

Eve, I live in NI, I doubt any of my English relatives could guess it.
I have some Irish names for dcs but in this case would choose Eve spelling personally.