Spelling of an Irish name

@AncientBallerina , Niamh Sorcha Seonadh Saoirse
I'm not Irish, and I'd say Nee'v, Sorkha , Shauna, See'rsha.
Quick search says Niamh correct, Sorcha sort of like Sarah but with a short ukh after the r, didn't find Seonadh, and Saoirse correct

@AncientBallerina , a decent stab doesn't mean they'll get it right.
I don't know how to say Caitriona - my stab at it would be Kate-ree-ona based on Caitlin is said as Kate-Lyn by all the parents-of-Caitlin/Katelyn I know, and the scottish Catriona I know is Kat-ree-ona.

A quick search says it's Kat-REE-uh-na.

@DownNative , Niamh, Neve, Naeve - all amounts to the same name, pronunciation and meaning. Not something for anyone to get bent out of shape over.
They don't though. The name is Niamh, and the pronunciation is Nee-uv (very short u in uv).
I'd say Neve as Neev and Naeve as Nayv.

In Hong Kong, the surname comes first, so Bruce Lee would have been Li Jun-fan or Lee Jun Fon, assuming the link is genuine. Bruce Lee – anniversary of his birth – 27 November 1940 | Chinese Exclusion Act Case Files (chineseexclusionfiles.com)

I wouldn't even think that Neve or Nieve was an anglicised version of Niamh. It's just all wrong to spell Niamh in that way.

I had an Irish friend whose parents spelled it Katrina...

I have heard so many people say Catreeona which hurts my ears.

Yeah maybe but it’s close to names like Caterina etc, so people can make a decent stab at it while Niamh Sorcha Seonadh Saoirse etc are unfathomable if you’re not Irish, which I am.

Either stick to the original spelling or choose another name, you will butcher it otherwise as there is no v in the irish language

Niamh is no longer such an unusual name that people in Portugal will find it impossible to remember... people nowadays are much more cosmopolitan. In your community family friends and school will all get it quickly. Name her something you love, and don't feel you have to compromise for imaginary future acquaintances.

I have an unusual name and my parents gave me an 'easy' first name but called me by my second name so I could change it readily. Actually it was never a problem and most people don't even know I have another name. Much more of a pain was having to explain that my first name on the school register, NHS appointment, passport etc wasn't actually what I thought of as my name!

With the variety of spellings for even traditional names, there are relatively few names these days that people invariably get right!

But she will be "telling people once" for the rest of her life. It's such a pain in the neck. As I said, I did it til I was 40..then gave up.

My husband is Irish and we have a Niamh. It's been fine. People only need to be told once and it's no big deal. Stick to the proper way of spelling!

I'm amused by the person upthread musing that Caitriona is more likely to be pronounced correctly!

Obviously never heard an English person mangle that one!

I would go with the spelling that works best in Portugal, for the pronunciation you love.
If Nia sounds good and is usable, that's what I might choose, but I do read the word "niamh" like "nia".

Just use the normal spelling. It annoys me when people say to me 'just call me x because you won't be able to pronounce my real name'. It's patronising. Some English names are difficult too - took me a minute to get the hang of 'St John' when I met one, but I was able to do it.

Personally I would use the Irish spelling. My daughter has an Irish name and we live in the UK. Barely anyone we meet can spell or pronounce her name without asking but she doesn't mind. It's a beautiful name.

Of course as it's online. Bruce Lee (Jun Fan Lee), so his name was Bruce Jun Fan Lee.

People change their names for all kinds of reasons, including they simply don't like the name their parents gave them. Its one of those things that's neither right nor wrong - it just is.

Niamh, Neve, Naeve - all amounts to the same name, pronunciation and meaning. Not something for anyone to get bent out of shape over.

And OP should just pick whatever she thinks would be easiest. They never know, the child that grows up to become an adult might well change it to something else entirely! It happens.

Niamh is a beautiful Irish name, please don't butcher it by spelling it wrong! What about Erin or Orla? Both lovely Irish names and easy to pronounce

I gave up much sooner. I was flogging a dead horse.

@DuchessOfSausage "I agree. I usually ask, and I can tell that they are fed up with being asked"

I was 40 when I gave up . I did try never to look fed up though!

Will she be given her father's surname and is it an Irish surname? If yes, then I'd scrap Niamh and find something else entirely. Something to represent her British heritage?

@DownNative , have you seen his birth certificate? Not that I give a shit.

I know some people from SE Asia who use an english-sounding name instead of a chinese or korean one, and you might see nothing wrong with it, but that is their decision. I can't say I agree with it, but it's their decision.

If you're going to use the name, spell it the correct/traditional way, then give her an easier middle name to use when she's older like you do.

I agree. I usually ask, and I can tell that they are fed up with being asked.
They seem to always apologise for having a silly name, when their name is lovely,

Of course, it counts - Li was anglicised to Lee for Western audiences, but his birth certificate states "Bruce Lee". This isn't the same thing as Norma Jean changing to Marilyn Monroe which was a stage name. 🤦‍♂️

But it's true that people from other cultures do and have anglicised their names. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Some previously asserted that this doesn't happen.

Some do it to save explaining pronunciation, others because it's often mispelled and others do it to blend in with the place they've moved to. It's neither wrong or right - it just is.

Niamh is a lovely name. I'm with the "spell it correctly or use a other name" camp. (Second generation Irish, for context).

@briansgardenshed , but again, it's someone adapting their own name, not their child's.