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Baby names

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

Original poster

Aoife?

95 replies

Mummy2beexx · 18/04/2022 11:50

Expecting baby 2 this June and she is a girl :)

We already have Finn our DS, our surname is Irish due to DH’s family being Irish so we like picking Irish names to go with our surname and because I love a lot of them!

My only worry is people will constantly ask our DD (if we name her this) how to spell or pronounce her name? We live in the north of UK, not Ireland

DH assured me it’s becoming more popular so everyone by the time she gets to school will know of it and not to worry but of course it’s just on my mind!

Do any of you have an Aoife? Does she get badgered with pronunciation and spelling questions?

I really love the name it’s beautiful so I don’t think I’ll let this get in the way but it’ll be reassuring if a lot of people say that it’s quite known now

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irishfarmer · 19/04/2022 16:42

I'm Irish so no help for what you need but I think it's a beautiful name. I think once people are told it once they will know how to say it, it's not too hard to say once you hear it people might struggle at 1st if they just see written. It will be misspelt. My name is not hard, but gets misspelt a lot. It doesn't bother me and I don't correct people unless it is an official doc.

JenniferBarkley · 19/04/2022 15:59

@Luredbyapomegranate

I think it will be a bit annoying in the UK, but it’s popular enough.

I would be put off by the fact it will blur with all the Eve/Eva/Evelyn/Avas - there seem to be half a dozen in every class and it sounds so similar

This would be my only concern. Otherwise, a lovely name and I think pretty well known.
mathanxiety · 19/04/2022 15:46

Globally, people will not have a clue

Poppycock.

I've survived with an Irish name in the US for three decades.

People I went to school with live and work all over the world and amazingly, their Irish names have been no problem.

A lot of the rest of the world has a higher appreciation of all things Irish than the UK has.

mathanxiety · 19/04/2022 15:38

Yes, it's becoming popular, and only the truly thick will have problems with it after they've been told how to spell and pronounce it.

RedPanda901 · 19/04/2022 15:04

If I had another baby girl I'd call her Aoife. Go for it

comealongponds · 19/04/2022 15:02

I love Aoife

People probably will ask how to spell/pronounce it if they haven’t come across it before but it’s simple enough once told

MissyCooperismyShero · 19/04/2022 00:17

I have seen it written down but have never known how to pronounce it. But I will never forget it now as I have a cat called Ceefa

LizzieAnt · 19/04/2022 00:08

@RussianSpy101
www.forvo.com/word/caoimhe/

Jamboree01 · 18/04/2022 23:58

[quote willieversleep]@dumdumduuuummmmm it would be strange that Aoife would be spelt correct using the phonics of the English language. It's an Irish name from the Irish language. It's the same as saying a Spanish name wouldn't be pronounced correctly when sounded out in English. [/quote]
👏👏

TrashyPanda · 18/04/2022 23:47

there’s only around 30 babies a year called Aoife in Scotland, so it’s not massively popular, which could cause issues with pronounciation.

As you are in the north of Scotland, it might not be so much of an issue.

willieversleep · 18/04/2022 23:05

@dumdumduuuummmmm it would be strange that Aoife would be spelt correct using the phonics of the English language. It's an Irish name from the Irish language. It's the same as saying a Spanish name wouldn't be pronounced correctly when sounded out in English.

Luredbyapomegranate · 18/04/2022 22:49

I think it will be a bit annoying in the UK, but it’s popular enough.

I would be put off by the fact it will blur with all the Eve/Eva/Evelyn/Avas - there seem to be half a dozen in every class and it sounds so similar

Abcdefu · 18/04/2022 21:29

Lovely name I'm Irish and most families have an Aoife,very popular. Niamh maybe not as much so?

Jamboree01 · 18/04/2022 21:26

What a comment.

A beautiful name and lovely to recognise your child’s Irish roots

killwithkindness · 18/04/2022 21:18

I've never heard of it and had no clue how to pronounce it from the spelling 😬 I had to ask google to say it out loud for me 😂

RonaldMcDonald · 18/04/2022 21:14

Aoife was my first choice as a child’s name.
I didn’t use it as I wasn’t living in Ireland at the time and my friend Niamh had wanted to commit murder over being called a thousand names other than her own.
I wish I’d gone with Aoife now!

loveisanopensore · 18/04/2022 21:08

Why should everyone be named for the benefit of the English speaking world.
How boring.

English isn't even phonetic a lot of the time. Geoffrey isn't exactly obvious.

dumdumduuuummmmm · 18/04/2022 20:44

@FieryPitOfMordor

Globally, people will have not a clue

Isn’t that the case for most names, though?

Not really. Most English language names are phonetic or near to. Anyone who can speak English can have a good go at them. Aoife is not pronounced phonetically in English
Oneforposy7 · 18/04/2022 20:40

It's a lovely name. There's one in my daughter's year 1 class and none of the kids have any problems pronouncing or spelling it. Phoebe (for example) is just as tricky for the kids.

JellyMouldJnr · 18/04/2022 20:35

I have an Aoife and I'm surprised how often people don't know how to pronounce it. It's not a problem though, once you tell them once they know generally.

FieryPitOfMordor · 18/04/2022 20:19

Globally, people will have not a clue

Isn’t that the case for most names, though?

dumdumduuuummmmm · 18/04/2022 19:49

I think people who say that everyone knows how to pronounce it thinks everyone knows what they know. It is popular in parts of England but unless you intend your child to never leave the country, you are correct, people will struggle. Not a problem in my mind but if that is your concern, I agree, many people will not know how. Globally, people will have not a clue

willthatbeall · 18/04/2022 17:21

Never come across it and wouldn't have a clue how to pronounce. South east.

Toponeniceone · 18/04/2022 17:18

I didn't know how to pronounce it!! I have worked in lots of large secondary schools.

WhatIsThisPlease · 18/04/2022 17:10

My DD is at school with an Eefi which I don't really like.

I think the correct spelling of Aoife is so much prettier. It's a beautiful name.