Fiadh or Aoife in the UK

What part does the "DH" play in the pronunciation?

(Which shows how confusing Irish diphthongs are to non-speakers) 🤷🏻‍♀️

FWIW, I instantly recognised Aoife, although I’ve heard Eva, eefer, and efer pronunciations used by Aoifes in London. Fiadh I have never seen before and was trying to work out the pronunciation based on “claddagh” until I read your explanation.

I have a Fiadh, nearly 7 now. Its #1 girls name in ireland for 2021. Our English relatives have had no issue with learning or saying her name. It's a bit ridiculous to suggest that a 2 syllable name is unlearnable.

Fia is modern Irish OP, Fiadh an older spelling. Both are equally correct as names, though Fiadh is more popular. It's like Órla vs Órlaith, or Dónal vs Domhnall.

I’ve known several Aoife’s over the years, and know how to pronounce it, but haven’t come across the name Fiadh before, and would have to ask.

I love these threads they always boil down to a number of people saying essentially “no English people will be able to say the name at first reading so don’t bother”. Is everyone supposed to abandon names from their own (or spouses) culture in favour of Oliver and Olivia so lazy people don’t have to make the effort to pronounce different names correctly?

Aoife not uncommon.

The other one I haven't heard of and don't know how to say!

I wouldn’t use Aoife just because it blurs with the 3 million Eve/Eva/Evie/Ava/Evelyns

Fiadh I do think will end up as fear

I wouldn’t with these two, but not because of the spellings.

@SeanChailleachean, if you are in a multicultural area the names will be mixed with many different names like
Naevaeh
Naomi
Naoko
Naoise

it might get tricky

I know how to pronounce Aoife but not Fiadh. Prefer Aoife because where I live people say 'F' as a 'Th' so if I only heard 'Fia', I would assume her name was 'Thea' and I'd do an inward judgy eye roll!

I went to school with a Caoimhe and a Saoirse in the early 00s and people quickly learned how to pronounce both.

I think Aoife is probably more well known in the UK than Fiadh, especially in London. But both are easy to learn.

The popularity of Mia and how well known Nia, Tia, Pia and Zia are, mean people will get used to Fiadh.

Slight preference for Aoife for me as I live somewhere where Fiadh would get called fear - I know a Nia who gets called near. They're both beautiful names though.

Lovely names.
On this board people focus on reading the name. In the real world you will be saying the name a lot. Here in South East England "Fiadh" will be heard as "Thea" quite a lot, and "Aoife" as "Eva". Really no big deal, both easy to say.
My DD has a Méabh, a Caoimhe and a Naoise in her year. (Not a Catholic school). Naoise does answer to "noise". The other two are used to a variety of interesting guesses. Fiadh will just get a d on the end and Aoife will get Effie which isn't a million miles away. In a Catholic school with more Irish kids/teachers i imagine all these are well known

Adore Aoife

I know Aoife is Ee-fa but I wasn't sure about the other one. I thought of Niamh so tried Feev, then Feed-uh then have up and read the comments to find the answer. I'm in the south east. I'd definitely say it as fear with two syllables.

Both names are fine but there will be pronunciation and spelling issues with both.

Fiadh will get spelt Thea, Fia etc and will be said as Fie-adh ...
Aoife will get all sorts, maybe Efa (pron Evvah), Eefa, ...

It should be ok if once you correct someone but it's a lifetime of correcting people

I love Aoife, i much prefer it to Fiadh

I love the name Aoife. I think there are a fair few in UK now, so plenty of people will know how to spell it. I would shy away if your surname begins with an E though as it will sound a bit sesame street: E for Ellis.

Both are lovely. I've a Ria (in London) and no-one pronounces it to rhyme with rear (Fiadh and fear...). Also have a Niamh that many people here couldn't pronounce initially, but no big deal once they were told.

My friends just had a baby Fiadh and she’s Irish living in Scotland. It’s a lovely sounding name and easy to pronounce once told. I have to spell out my fairly common surname all the time and it’s no bother really.

I love Aoife!

Literally no-one will know how to pronounce Fiadh

"Literally no one" really? 😂

I’m English and know how to pronounce both of these names - I think they’re both fairly popular/mainstream.

Agree that Fiadh sounds the same as fear to a lot of accents, and the same as Thea for others - which isn’t ideal.

Fiadh is now the number 1 girls name in Ireland, it was just in the news today! I would go with Aoife as I can see how Fiadh could be prounanced fear with an English accent.