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Baby names

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

Original poster

Aoife

205 replies

namedecisionshelp · 27/04/2020 13:25

Honest opinions of this name?

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ChandlerIsTheBestFriend · 27/04/2020 16:22

it doesn't even look nice

This is total opinion! Grin not fact.

Irish is a very phonetic language. If you speak Irish you will see immediately how a word should be pronounced due to the arrangement of the letters. Unlike in English where words with the same arrangement of letter should can have different pronunciations- eg. Heard and beard- door and poor- cough and slough.

SliAnCroix · 27/04/2020 15:59

Irish is not unphonetic at all.

Original poster
namedecisionshelp · 27/04/2020 15:55

My children do have Irish citizenship and an Irish surname so fairly strong connections.

Everyone on here seemed to know how it's pronounced so hopefully that wouldn't be an issue

OP posts:
DramaAlpaca · 27/04/2020 15:46

LotusClover that's because it's not English, it's Irish, a completely different language, and follows the phonetic rules of that language.

LotusClover · 27/04/2020 15:27

I really don't like this name and can't understand why it's becoming so popular in England. It will be constantly misheard as Eva and it doesn't even look nice. It just looks like a random combination of letters. I realise it's an Irish name and generally I have nothing against using names from other places and cultures, but to me this one doesn't seem right in English.

kateybeth79 · 27/04/2020 15:07

I always forget how to pronounce it. Guarantee by tomorrow I'll have forgotten again lol

CaffiSaliMali · 27/04/2020 15:03

It's not unheard of in London. I like it a lot, it would be on my list if I had enough Irish ancestry to use it.

You may have to spell it out a few times, but it's quite well known now. Una Healy off of the Saturdays has an Aoife.

winniesanderson · 27/04/2020 14:29

I love it, has always been one of my favourite names. So pretty to say and read. But we have no Irish links whatsoever so it's been vetoed twice now :(

OnlyJudyCanJudgeMe · 27/04/2020 14:25

Getting over popular.
I know loads and know loads more!

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/04/2020 14:25

I quite like it. Not as much as Niamh if you want an Irish name.

There will be spelling/pronunciation issues though in England.

DramaAlpaca · 27/04/2020 14:22

Gorgeous name.

ploopsie · 27/04/2020 14:07

Fine if you live in Ireland. Otherwise no.

Does the same rule apply to Nigerian & Indian names? What about Polish or Japanese names?

BillyAndTheSillies · 27/04/2020 14:06

Lovely name. We are in London and DH and I both grew up with multiple Aoife's, Caoimhhe's Nuala's and Niamh's.

Shayisgreat · 27/04/2020 14:01

I love love LOVE it. If my DH would agree, I'd name any future DD this but he has vetoed it as he (British/Asian person) wasn't able to pronounce it when he read it 😞

loveisanopensore · 27/04/2020 13:59

It's a lovely name.
Use it if you like it.

I've travelled the world with an Irish name and given my two children Irish names. The only people who seem to get in a flap about phonetics are the English.

SliAnCroix · 27/04/2020 13:58

It's pronounced eefa

a woman who bullied me for over a year through the medium of totally ignoring me while being super effusively warm and friendly to everybody else around us was called Aoife. Regaoife George, that's how I think of her. So it's a no from me

Also, it's just a bit bland and too popular.

Mummyshark2018 · 27/04/2020 13:55

It's pretty well known in England imo and people will get used to it if they haven't heard it before.

ChandlerIsTheBestFriend · 27/04/2020 13:52

I’m in NI and it’s a very commonly heard name here, probably less so in England (if that’s where you are) but still far too popular for my liking.

vitajana · 27/04/2020 13:50

I think Aoife is lovely but you may get some pronunciation issues however once someone has heard it a few time’s I’m sure they’d get the hang of it

Viviennemary · 27/04/2020 13:48

Not keen. I have heard of it but wouldnt have a clue how to pronounce it. Fine if you live in Ireland. Otherwise no.

Greendayz · 27/04/2020 13:46

I knew an Aoife, Irish family but living in England. She found it hard with to be constantly having to spell it out for people (spelling out vowel sounds is particularly tricky over the phone, or to non-English speakers) or answer to people calling her "Aye -off-err" or a variety of other attempts to pronounce it. I'd choose a different name unless you live in Ireland

ploopsie · 27/04/2020 13:42

cousin in London grew up with this name is the late 80s, no issues. More common now & most people recognise it.

ScarfLadysBag · 27/04/2020 13:42

I personally don't like using names linked strongly to a specific nationality or culture when I have no connection with that culture, but that's a personal thing. I wouldn't use a very Irish name like that unless I was Irish, same way I wouldn't call my child Vladimir if I wasn't Russian or Pierre if I wasn't French. But I know that doesn't bother a lot of people, it's just something I don't like.

Sillyscrabblegames · 27/04/2020 13:39

Love this name. So pretty. The spelling wouldn't put me off.

HarrietM87 · 27/04/2020 13:38

I like it. I’m Irish so know how to pronounce it (Eefa for the pp). It’s becoming increasingly popular where I live in London, even with people with no Irish connections (like Orla) so I think people will get the pronunciation over time as it gets more common.

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