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Baby names

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

Original poster

Fíadh or Grace

87 replies

HarryPottersSecretSister · 02/05/2019 15:13

Which do you like best please?

Am Irish, living in Ireland by the way Wink
I understand that Fíadh probably won't travel well (pronounced FEE-AH or Fia?, it means 'wild' so we're considering Rose as a middle name: Wild Rose)

We were (we thought) 100% sure this baby would be Grace but now we're wobbling and I feel weird for doubting a name that I was o definite about (even when TTC) so would love your opinions.

Thanks a million Smile

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Laodamia · 03/05/2019 11:13

Isn't 'fia' the Irish for deer?

Many years since my Leaving Cert so I may be wrong! Grin

ElspethFlashman · 03/05/2019 11:11

I have to say I prefer it spelt Fia. But then I have an aversion to "dh" and "bh" names as I think you spend your whole life explaining your pronunciation and/or spelling. I have one, and it's a massive pain in the arse to this day.

ElspethFlashman · 03/05/2019 11:09

I'm in hipster Galway and I know two recent Fiadhs! 😂😂

It's definitely the next Aoibhe! 😉

Jadetreesbringluck · 03/05/2019 11:05

My daughter is Fiadh Ellen. There is no fada needed. Obviously I love the name!! It certainly suits my daughter...she is wild!!

Laodamia · 03/05/2019 11:05

However I also think Aoife,Cara and Niamh are all on the increase too!

Aoife and Niamh have been consistently popular for decades now though haven't they? I know a hundred of each and they range from 1 - 45. I think name trends move much slower in Ireland than in the UK.

Laodamia · 03/05/2019 11:00

it was ranked as #10 most popular for 2018 babies in the Irish Times. Definitely seems to be on the rise.

Wow, it certainly has become popular! The next gen of Irish names. Siún is another one of these.

Pinkkahori · 03/05/2019 10:06

That being said i do agree it is a lovely name.
Popularity of names is a strange thing anyway. I named my dd something I loved since childhood. It's not an unusual name but hadn't been in popular use for many years.
In the few years after naming dd it absolutely took off. I know many now a few years younger than my dd.

Pinkkahori · 03/05/2019 10:02

The CSO numbers are for 2017 though. The Fiadhs I know were all born in the last 12-18 months.
Not in Galway OP, somewhere completely un-hipster.

implantsandaDyson · 03/05/2019 10:00

I think it'a a lovely name. My eldest's nickname/shortened name is Fia,although from a different name so no fada. I'm in NI with a rhotic accent so there's no Thea/Fear confusion.

Honestly I know about 5 Fiadh's under the age of 4 but popularity of a name can be a funny thing. All of my daughters have popular names but there's never been more than one in their class and one of my daughters has the ubiquitous O name Grin whereas in my youngest's school year there are a few names that I haven't heard in years and there are 2 or 3 in her year.

A wee bit waffly there but the upshot is that I think its gorgeous and nicer than Grace.

GallopingGreen · 03/05/2019 09:58

Irish living in Ireland - absolutely love it - know a few though so it is becoming more popular. Gorgeous with Rose too. Go for it OP!

ILoveMaxiBondi · 03/05/2019 09:56

Fiadh is becoming very popular. I know 3 under 7 fiadhs and I don’t know a lot of children! Grin but I do like the name. The popularity would put me off but I know that doesn’t bother others.

Grace and rose are (I’m sorry) as unimaginative and boring and done to death as it can get. Particularly as middle names. I’m half expecting the registry office to stop accepting applications with grace/rose as there are enough already! Grin

Justheretosee · 03/05/2019 09:55

I think Fiadh is lovely. I’m also Irish living in Ireland and I know two people (unconnected) who have named their daughters Fiadh. However I also think Aoife,Cara and Niamh are all on the increase too!

AndItStillSaidFourOfTwo · 03/05/2019 09:48

(Actually, I rather like Fiadh Grace - 'wild grace' is a rather wonderful concept)

AndItStillSaidFourOfTwo · 03/05/2019 09:48

Fiadh is lovely. Grace is lovely too but has been done to death in recent years. Fiadh Rose is exceptionally pretty. Go for it.

Original poster
HarryPottersSecretSister · 03/05/2019 09:46

Oh @MrHaroldFry that's a way more helpful link than anything I was looking at (don't know why CSO didn't dawn on me 😐)

You're right, doesn't look overused (also noting that they use Fiadh and not Fíadh here)

Thank you!

OP posts:
MrHaroldFry · 03/05/2019 09:42

If you look at the CSO and the use of baby names, Fiadh is there but not overused.
www.cso.ie/en/interactivezone/visualisationtools/babynamesofireland/

Original poster
HarryPottersSecretSister · 03/05/2019 09:40

Ooh really @Pinkkahori ?
I don't really know any (are you in hipster Galway by any chance? 😉😬)
You could be right. Although I only know of 1 teenage Fiadh, I have noted it was ranked as #10 most popular for 2018 babies in the Irish Times. Definitely seems to be on the rise.

That said, I'm not sure I really mind if a name is popular. Names are generally popular for good reason imo.
Maybe not 'Jack' popular (love that name, really do but when there's 5 in every class it's a bit much).
I had a Kate the year KM and William were married. Loads of people advised me not to use it as they predicted a huge rise in popularity because of the new Duchess (I didn't really expect there to be here in Ireland to be fair).
Granted it is popular but my Kate is now almost 8 and I still adore her name and am so happy we used it and although I know a few Katie's (2 in my daughters school) I actually don't know another little Kate.

(We've nicknamed her Katie Scarlett as she's tough as shit! 😬)

OP posts:
LemonBreeland · 03/05/2019 09:39

Fiadh is lovely, definitely go with that.

LuluBellaBlue · 03/05/2019 09:35

Love love love it! Never heard of it before but now adding to my favourite name list Grin

Original poster
HarryPottersSecretSister · 03/05/2019 09:33

Thebulb I have an Oisín 😂😂
SHIT

OP posts:
Original poster
HarryPottersSecretSister · 03/05/2019 09:33

Lovely Mumsnetters, this has been so helpful- thanks a million for taking the time to muse over this with me. Sounds like (pretty much) a resounding yes!
I struggle most days to choose between tea and coffee - I cannot make a decision to save my life so being tasked with permanently naming a very precious person is seriously overwhelming business for me.

On the fada, good point!- it seems it can be spelled with either but I’m struggling to find which is definitely correct. I have a colleague who is a fluent Irish speaker so I’m going to drop him a line to clarify as if anyone knows, he will.
It drives me slightly insane when (Irish- others can be forgiven!) people omit the fada from Oisín (my son’s name) as it turns what’s meant to be pronounced Ush-een into Ush-IN.

Fiadh/ Fíadhs not as clear cut though.

I do know that Fia means little deer
But Fíadh/ Fiadh is old Irish and means wild/ of the wild so this spelling is important to me (and I like how it looks better anyway)

OP posts:
Pinkkahori · 03/05/2019 08:24

I'm in Ireland too. I think Fiadh is going to be the next huge name here. I know 3 baby fiadhs.

TheBulb · 03/05/2019 08:18

thatmustbenigel, go right ahead with assuring an Irish poster that a foreigner finds the Irish language ‘ugly’. I’m sure all the parents of Niamhs and Oisíns are rushing to explore deed poll options. Hmm

MondeoFan · 03/05/2019 08:13

Grace is massively over used. Go with the Irish name

TheRedFox · 03/05/2019 08:10

I really like Fiadh but when I said it out loud it did sound like I was mispronouncing Thea.

Perhaps not a problem if you're in Ireland?

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