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Baby names

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

Original poster

Neve, Nieve or Niamh?

165 replies

orangeunicorn · 28/08/2018 23:53

Ttc at the moment but already set on a girls name. Just curious as to how people think it's best spelt Smile

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WhenTheDragonsCame · 31/08/2018 13:57

Sunflower321 my Niamh could spell her name before she started school, no issues at all.

Sunflower321 · 31/08/2018 11:19

I wonder how Niamh will learn to spell her name? Assuming she's in England. That must be very confusing.

Notquiteagandt · 31/08/2018 10:35

*spanish

Notquiteagandt · 31/08/2018 10:34

Niamh

Nieve reminds me of sieve and they are pronounced totally differantly. So nieve would confuse me on pronouciation. Thats begore throwing in the slanish way.

WhenTheDragonsCame · 31/08/2018 09:21

I have a Niamh and my exH also wanted to spell it Neve. It does need to be spelt out but then so does my traditionally English name as their are more than one version.

In fact I have known a Jayne, Anne, Rachael, Teresa, Aimee, Philip, Katherine and Caitlin who also had to spell their names due to variations in spelling.

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 31/08/2018 08:34

That’ll be because it’s spelt wrong.

MummyItsallaboutyou · 31/08/2018 06:25

My niece is Neve. They have to spell it out every time.

mathanxiety · 31/08/2018 06:11

I know two Caoilfhionns in the US - it is definitely making its way out of Ireland and will soon take over the world, hot on the heels of Saoirse (I also know a few little American Saoirses).

winterhappiness · 31/08/2018 05:41

Niamh , but also like Niav

NiamhNaomh · 30/08/2018 21:29

I think you would be well advised to stick with Niamh orange Caoilfhionn is definitely a bridge too far Grin

Original poster
orangeunicorn · 30/08/2018 21:27

I would never of thought "Caoilfhionn" would be pronounced as Keelin. God help her if she ever moves to England Grin I think I would of pronounced it "Cay Oil Shun" from just looking at it, god knows why Blush

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Original poster
orangeunicorn · 30/08/2018 21:24

After showing DH all the replies, he has finally agreed to spell it the traditional way! SuccessGrin

Not going to lie, the " pet Piamh " made us chuckle. Haha.

now wish my luck on getting pregnant guys, 4dpo!

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NiamhNaomh · 30/08/2018 21:17

Keelin in many, many guises is a very common both male and female name in Ireland. I love it but DH vetoed it on the basis of it being his ex’s name. I’d have spelt it Caoilinn, I’m still very attached to it. 😭😭

Mrbatmun · 30/08/2018 21:03

Ah, I used to know a Keelin (who was of a Irish descent) but im pretty sure she must have spelt it an Anglicised way.

Caoilfhionn is actually a lovely name, but there is no way you could use it outside of Ireland. I had to copy and paste just to use it on this thread!

Mind you I used to think that about Caoimhe and actually it's become quite popular now and I think it could cross over the Irish Sea like Niamh and Saoirse have.

NiamhNaomh · 30/08/2018 20:47

Keelin = Caoilfhionn who’d have thought?

Mrbatmun · 30/08/2018 20:39

How do you pronounce Caoilfhionn?

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 30/08/2018 19:53

No, they’re all under fourteen Grin

mathanxiety · 30/08/2018 19:51

I know a few Caoilfhionns in their 50s - met them all in Irish College. They were all real Caoilfhionns too - not names that were adopted to Gaelicise names like Kelly or Kyley for Irish College purposes.

Ohyesiam · 30/08/2018 19:45

I have a Niamh who is 14, sometimes a receptionist will check
“ Spelled NIAMH? “ but most people know it.
I’ve just asked her and she says it’s ages since she had to spelll it out for .

HildaZelda · 30/08/2018 19:41

@BlessedImelda, my friend had to give up when she moved to the UK and now spells it Keelin at work. Absolutely nobody could pronounce it and she got tired of being called "Quailfin" which is as close as most people got.

BlessedImelda · 30/08/2018 19:32

Not too many in their 50s, though, or not in my experience...?

Mrbatmun · 30/08/2018 19:23

Lol at 'pet piamh'!

But yes the only option here is Niamh.

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 30/08/2018 19:15

I know several.

BlessedImelda · 30/08/2018 19:14

I have an Irish friend called Caoilfhionn.

I wonder if we know the same one, it not being a wildly common name. She's very cool.

Redteapot67 · 30/08/2018 18:31

Yeah there’s quite a few stupid people that don’t realise Irish is actually a different language with different phenomes!

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