Irish names help!

Lovely bit in Catastrophe, the chap failing to pronounce his daughter's name, Muirrean.

[quote Neap]@spookycookies, it’s more like there being a name that is pronounced ‘Kate’, but randomly spelled ‘Andrew’ by many people even though this makes no sense phonetically (presumably based on a misunderstanding or mispronunciation that somehow became widespread, like Caitlín being pronounced ‘Kate-lynne’), and someone wanting to find an orthographically correct way of writing the sounds of ‘Kate’.

Ayveen written as Aoibheann is particularly irritating because it gets not one but two vowel clusters completely wrong.[/quote]
I accept your premise but then why try to find a spelling that works phonetically in a language for a country in which you don't live. If you don't want to spell it how it's supposed to be spelt then find an easy way to spell it rather than the hardest possible way.

@spookycookies, it’s more like there being a name that is pronounced ‘Kate’, but randomly spelled ‘Andrew’ by many people even though this makes no sense phonetically (presumably based on a misunderstanding or mispronunciation that somehow became widespread, like Caitlín being pronounced ‘Kate-lynne’), and someone wanting to find an orthographically correct way of writing the sounds of ‘Kate’.

Ayveen written as Aoibheann is particularly irritating because it gets not one but two vowel clusters completely wrong.

Eibhín?

I think that's harsh, @spookycookies. This is a name people use in Ireland, but they spell it in a way that OP doesn't want to use. She doesn't like the usual spelling because it's not conforming to Irish spelling rules. That's fair!

It's not really a name that is used in England, or spelled a certain way in England, so there's no obvious "English" spelling to use.

You've basically inventing a name and are trying to back fill a seriously difficult spelling. Just spell it phonetically for the country your child will grow up in as even if they move to Ireland people will still be more familiar with the anglicised spelling than your made up one.

Why would you give your kid a name you don't even know. This is so nonsensical. And if you can't even spell it how do you expect your child to cope. You are burdening them with a name no one will ever be able to pronounce or spell. I'm not against Irish names/spellings but since you don't even know how it's spelled I think it's selfish.

No, not ‘Ai’ for ‘any’, OP, but actually, well done on not doing the ‘Aoibheann pronounced Ayveen in contravention of all Irish rules of pronunciation’ thing.

I mean, you’re sort of inventing a name in that you’re trying to find a not-incorrect orthography, but think I agree with @ILoveStickers, that I’d go with Éabhín.

Or Éabhaoin.

I've seen ai (as in Aidan and Ailis) described as an Anglicised spelling here before. Ai as in Aisling would be how it's pronounced in Irish? But I do like it too.

Personally my best guess for what you want would be Éabhín, but someone will be along shortly, I'm sure.

Yes you’re right OP it’s definitely not Aoibheann - that’s an annoying mistake which is unfortunately really common. It would also be really tricky for English people so a nightmare all round.

I know an Aibhín.

She wants the name to sound like Ayveen though, so Aoibheann won't work, none of the vowel sounds are right.

The proper way to spell it is Aoibheann.

Í also gives an e sound in Irish, but not sure how you'd replace it.

As an Irish speaker, I'd say give her the proper name/spelling. Don't butcher it to make it fit english pronunciation. People learn to pronounce and spell plenty of foreign language names. Why not this?

Congrats on your pregnancy 😊 hope all goes well with your birth.