Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Fiachra - thoughts?

246 replies

pontipinemum · 09/04/2024 11:14

I'm Irish and live in Ireland.

I found out I am having a boy 🤗I already have a Pádraig, we are looking for something else Irish, and preferably not super popular. I've posted before, I have a massive family so a lot of names have been used already

What are thoughts on Fiachra? Non Irish people, would you have any idea how to say it?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Peachy2005 · 10/04/2024 17:19

Caoimhe was always closer to Queeva (not Keeva) when I was in the Gaeltacht (West of Ireland)…there are many regional differences - just look at the travesty of duolingo 😂

PlasticOno · 10/04/2024 17:17

OkPedro · 10/04/2024 17:05

Do British people have a problem pronouncing Fiona 🤔 same as Fiachra FI said FEE same as the FI in Fiona
I can't believe anyone believed it's pronounced FYE achra or is Fiona actually FYE ona 🙄

Some appear to struggle with the concept of foreign languages in general, let alone people they think of as fellow monoglot English speakers who can and do speak other languages in these islands — it’s why they’re always so vociferous on threads about Welsh people shockingly speaking Welsh in pubs and shops in Wales.

OkPedro · 10/04/2024 17:08

PlasticOno · 10/04/2024 17:05

Caoimhe pronounced ‘Queeva’ and pronounced ‘Keeva’ is a regional variant. Always Caoimhe pronounced Queeva around here. Anglicising happens — Órflaith to Órla, but using a letter that doesn’t exist in Irish does bother me.

Show quote history

Kian and Kieran come to mind

OkPedro · 10/04/2024 17:05

Do British people have a problem pronouncing Fiona 🤔 same as Fiachra FI said FEE same as the FI in Fiona
I can't believe anyone believed it's pronounced FYE achra or is Fiona actually FYE ona 🙄

PlasticOno · 10/04/2024 17:05

OkPedro · 10/04/2024 17:00

I went to school with a keeva and a qweeva both Caoimhe.. lots are now using Keeva and spelling it that way too

Show quote history

Caoimhe pronounced ‘Queeva’ and pronounced ‘Keeva’ is a regional variant. Always Caoimhe pronounced Queeva around here. Anglicising happens — Órflaith to Órla, but using a letter that doesn’t exist in Irish does bother me.

OkPedro · 10/04/2024 17:00

Maelil01 · 10/04/2024 11:36

No. Irishwoman here and it’s always been FIA-cra, (with a hard c not a g like via-gra).

That said things change… somehow Caomihe ( Kee-va, lovely) is gradually becoming Quee-va, not so lovely, at all!

Show quote history

I went to school with a keeva and a qweeva both Caoimhe.. lots are now using Keeva and spelling it that way too

CelesteCunningham · 10/04/2024 16:56

HummingbirdChandelier · 10/04/2024 16:51

Not what I said

Show quote history

It is though.

You said:

I do think it’s a bit rubbish to give a child a name that they will permanently be explaining and spelling

OP lives in Ireland, so her DS wouldn't be permanently explaining and spelling his name there. It's not super common but certainly well known enough to be very familiar to most of the population.

Presumably you meant she shouldn't use the name as it would have to be spelled and explained to people from elsewhere.

Do you apply the same to names like Catherine/Katherine/Kathryn with multiple spellings or names like Naomi and Helena with multiple pronunciations, or is it just foreign names?

HummingbirdChandelier · 10/04/2024 16:51

CelesteCunningham · 10/04/2024 16:51

Absolutely fine not to know how to say a name in another language.

Saying that someone shouldn't use a name because it isn't phonetic in your country is a different matter altogether.

Show quote history

Not what I said

CelesteCunningham · 10/04/2024 16:51

HummingbirdChandelier · 10/04/2024 16:44

The op asked specifically if non Irish people would know how to say it 🤷🏼‍♀️

Absolutely fine not to know how to say a name in another language.

Saying that someone shouldn't use a name because it isn't phonetic in your country is a different matter altogether.

Abhannmor · 10/04/2024 16:45

Well I just googled and it wasn't a church but a house bearing the saint's effigy. Fiachra protects gardeners as well as travellers.

HummingbirdChandelier · 10/04/2024 16:44

The op asked specifically if non Irish people would know how to say it 🤷🏼‍♀️

Darkherds · 10/04/2024 16:43

In any case OP lives in Ireland @HummingbirdChandelier.

CelesteCunningham · 10/04/2024 16:40

HummingbirdChandelier · 10/04/2024 16:37

Not Irish, so no idea. I do think it’s a bit rubbish to give a child a name that they will permanently be explaining and spelling

So no one who emigrates should give their DC a name from their own culture?

HummingbirdChandelier · 10/04/2024 16:37

Not Irish, so no idea. I do think it’s a bit rubbish to give a child a name that they will permanently be explaining and spelling

Abhannmor · 10/04/2024 16:34

Sex on the brain this lot. A Fiachra I know retired as a college lecturer recently. Nobody ever compared him to a treatment for erectile dysfunction , still less the sex act itself.

Btw , a taxi in Paris used to be known as a fiacre because horse drawn cabs assembled outside a hotel of that name . Which was built on the site of a church dedicated to the Saint of that name - afaik ! Just off to double check .

Octocat · 10/04/2024 15:09

user1492757084 · 10/04/2024 15:04

No, the F and ck combo could be too tempting to mispronounce by bullies.

What now?

user1492757084 · 10/04/2024 15:04

No, the F and ck combo could be too tempting to mispronounce by bullies.

TheBirdintheCave · 10/04/2024 14:59

It's really interesting to me the number of people imagining it rhymes with Viagra 🤔

I'd also never seen the name before but it starts with Fi so, in terms of names, I associated it with Fiona or Ffion (both of which are a 'fee' sound). It wouldn't have ever occurred to me to pronounce the first bit as 'feye' instead.

LifeIsHardAlways · 10/04/2024 14:47

Rhymes with viagra?

Original poster
pontipinemum · 10/04/2024 14:35

@Axx I had a quick look Michael is actually very popular, it's been consistently in the top 15 since records began here - early 60s

OP posts:
NovemberBabyMaybe · 10/04/2024 14:19

I'm in full support of Fiachra. It's a beautiful name, I'd use it for ours due later this year if there wasn't one very close by already in the family (we also have an Oisín, which I've seen you like too!). I also don't think it's the "worst" in terms of assumed pronunciation either, so not something I'd worry about in the UK.

Anabella321 · 10/04/2024 14:00

ScubaDivingSpiderMonkey · 10/04/2024 12:32

Er, different dialects exist. Caoimhe has always been Quee-va in many parts of Ireland. Kee-va is an Ulster thing.

Show quote history

Not quite Queeva though - that's a very harsh sound that isn't in the Irish language. I can't type the correct pronunciation - I'd need to do a voicenote!

Axx · 10/04/2024 12:57

I also know a Plunkett but that's a very bold choice to me.

Axx · 10/04/2024 12:55

pontipinemum · 10/04/2024 08:33

@Axx He was one one of the main leaders in the Easter Rising/ start of Irish Independance.

Tadhg is a lovely name but we have one in the family, and he's quite young so they'd be together a fair bit. Also have a Seán, not sure Mickey is an Irish name.

@Teawaster possibly myself that said it doesn't sound Irish, it sounds Portuguese to me, not that there is anything wrong with that just not what I am looking for.

Thank you, I get it now Blush

My neighbour is an Irish Mickey, full name Michael. I love that name but I'm guessing it's still very popular over there.

Good luck choosing, you've a hard job as your eldest has a good name so you need another good one to match it.

ScubaDivingSpiderMonkey · 10/04/2024 12:32

Maelil01 · 10/04/2024 11:36

No. Irishwoman here and it’s always been FIA-cra, (with a hard c not a g like via-gra).

That said things change… somehow Caomihe ( Kee-va, lovely) is gradually becoming Quee-va, not so lovely, at all!

Show quote history

Er, different dialects exist. Caoimhe has always been Quee-va in many parts of Ireland. Kee-va is an Ulster thing.