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Baby names

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

Original poster

Daisy, Daphne, Fiadh

163 replies

Thefinalcountup · 30/04/2026 14:55

Any views on these names?
We have been obsessing over names now for months and we really have been through pretty much every name in existence.
Our baby girl is due soon and we really need to decide.

I love the sound of Fiadh (Fee-ah) and the meaning (wild or deer), and it's link to nature.
The only thing stopping us is we live in a England and the tricky spelling. I've tried it out on a few people and I get 'oh Thea' straight away, or confused faces, which could be irksome.

Daisy has always been a favourite of mine. I know some find it twee but I don't personally see it like that. My DH is struggling to get on board with it due to the twee factor.
Daphne is a name we both like but I'm finding hard to commit to.

Not really looking for suggestions as I've discounted everything else! Thank you.

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RegalDiamondMonster · 30/04/2026 18:50

Fiadh is a beautiful name, easily the best on your list, and her friends and teachers will quickly get used to how to say it.

I'd say if you are looking for the nearest English sound Sophia is a lot nicer than Thea - but Fiadh is lovely.

HugoThatway · 30/04/2026 18:50

i think you are missing the point and I don't really care anyway.

Call the child Daphny.

Signout · 30/04/2026 17:38

HugoThatway · 30/04/2026 17:32

@Signout , it was the 'to make it easier' I was commenting on.

That was one of the aims of the Irish language spelling reform as it happens, to make it easier, for learners in particular 😁

greglet · 30/04/2026 17:33

Fiadh or Daphne; I don’t like Daisy for the same reason as your husband.

MissionImpossible3 · 30/04/2026 17:33

People in England are ridiculous about names. Fiadh is a beautiful name and I honestly wouldn’t be put off. How about Fiadh Daisy which I think sounds lovely

Original poster
Thefinalcountup · 30/04/2026 17:32

Deadringer · 30/04/2026 17:01

What do you think of Cara op? Easy to spell and say

I'm trying to avoid the letter C T and R due to siblings. Also Cara is a friend of my son's so feels a bit close.
I feel like with three siblings and a huge family so many names have been discounted!

OP posts:
HugoThatway · 30/04/2026 17:32

@Signout , it was the 'to make it easier' I was commenting on.

Signout · 30/04/2026 17:18

HugoThatway · 30/04/2026 16:53

Can you change the spelling of fiadh? To make it easier. Why? Would you suggest changing the spelling of Michael, Thomas or Matthew?

In Ireland there was a spelling reform in the 1950s and the spelling of the word fiadh was changed to fia.

So the spelling has already been changed.
Deer is spelt fia in Irish today, not fiadh. It also means wild.

Lots of people do use the older spelling for the name, even though it only started being used as a name fairly recently. Both Fia and Fiadh were first recorded as baby names in the 1990s. Fiadh is the more popular spelling now.

Scottish Gaelic still uses the older spelling, fiadh, for a deer as far as I know.

Deadringer · 30/04/2026 17:01

What do you think of Cara op? Easy to spell and say

OwlsDontGoToSchool · 30/04/2026 17:01

Surprisednotusedb4 · 30/04/2026 15:48

Would you want to be called Daisy as an adult professional?

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What a strange thing to say. Why on earth would you not? I can't imagine thinking twice if I met an "adult professional" called Daisy, or most names really. (Bambi might make me blink, unless it was the other kind of adult professional).

I like all your names OP, as an "adult professional" the name I would choose out of them to be called myself is Daisy, I think it is a lovely name, but they are all good, there are plenty of Niamhs and Aoifes and Aislings round here (South of England), also a Grainne - as you say if the name is really popular in Ireland no doubt people will learn how to spell and pronounce it.

HugoThatway · 30/04/2026 16:53

Can you change the spelling of fiadh? To make it easier. Why? Would you suggest changing the spelling of Michael, Thomas or Matthew?

WhenTheDustSettles · 30/04/2026 16:45

I have Sophia, known as Fia.

Dragracer · 30/04/2026 16:40

Can you change the spelling of fiadh? To make it easier. As someone with an apparently difficult to pronounce name (it's not, every letter is it's correct sound, it's bonkers.) she will spend her life correcting people and just accepting random names to save the embarrassment.
I like Dafne, I think it's become more common this year though, I think in a few years there'll be a few in school.

Snorlaxo · 30/04/2026 16:36

People in England have become accustomed to Niamh and Fiadh has similar sounding English names like Mia, Tia etc You might have to sound it out the first time just in case people assume like it’s Fiat with a d rather than t.

Thistooshallpass. · 30/04/2026 16:24

I think care less about what other people might think of it and their problems of pronouncing it and go with what you love . Don’t play it safe for the sake of ease to everyone else . Anyone who matters will learn to pronounce it properly and better to have an unusual name with meaning .

eggandonion · 30/04/2026 16:23

I know a small Irish Daifni.
I spend a lot of time spelling my name which is spelled exactly as pronounced. Mumsnet loves my old lady name. So I roll my eyes at the problems of spelling.

Fortheloveofpizza · 30/04/2026 16:20

Fiadh is lovely. Daisy is overused and Daphne is a little too 80’s for me.

LettuceAndCarrots · 30/04/2026 16:19

I don't think Fiadh would cause that many problems. I'm south UK and know how to pronounce it. It does sound the same as fear to me but I wouldn't think twice if I met someone with this name.

Daisy is nice.

Daphne is beautiful and increasing in popularity, I know three child Daphnes. It was on my list.

I wouldn't overthink it. Maybe wait and see if you think one suits her best. You don't actually have to decide for a few weeks after birth.

I had Fiona and Fern on my list too.

allmycats · 30/04/2026 16:17

You call your child exactly the name you want. If other people can’t handle the pronunciation then they can certainly ask you, and learn. Those who won’t listen and learn are not worth your time and effort.
I love Fiadh and I live in England and have also lived in Ireland.

HugoThatway · 30/04/2026 16:17

Daisy Cooper
Daisy Lowe
Daisy May Cooper
Daisy Edgar Jones
Daisy Ridley
Daisy de Villeneuve
Daisy Buchanan...

Original poster
Thefinalcountup · 30/04/2026 16:06

VeryQuaintIrene · 30/04/2026 15:58

Will her surname be recognizably Irish? If so, Fiadh is fine because the surname will signal that it may have a not entirely obvious pronunciation.

It's an Irish surname but not recognisably so.

OP posts:
VeryQuaintIrene · 30/04/2026 15:58

Will her surname be recognizably Irish? If so, Fiadh is fine because the surname will signal that it may have a not entirely obvious pronunciation.

Poulaphooka · 30/04/2026 15:54

Thefinalcountup · 30/04/2026 15:16

To be honest this makes me like it more as it means there's a chance it will become better known here and people will then be able to pronounce it.
We go to Ireland a lot, and I hear Fiadh everywhere, but it still feels fresh to my ear as I don't hear it at all at home.

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Well, go for it, so. It's a nice name (if a bit overused in these parts), and at least everyone pronounces it correctly unlike some horrors like Aoibheann, which should be pronounced as 'EE-ven' or 'AY-ven', but instead gets pronounced 'Ay-VEEN' when the letters eann just don't make that sound. Grr.

Original poster
Thefinalcountup · 30/04/2026 15:53

Surprisednotusedb4 · 30/04/2026 15:48

Would you want to be called Daisy as an adult professional?

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Yeah I don't see why not. I know of 2 adults Daisy's already, as well as there being quite a few celebrity adult Daisys.

OP posts:
Surprisednotusedb4 · 30/04/2026 15:48

Thefinalcountup · 30/04/2026 15:46

To be honest I'm inclined to agree.
I think theres a double whammy issue. There's the issue of spelling and pronunciation that could be irritating.
Then there's the fact it's so close to Thea that everyone assumes it's Thea but unable to say my 'th's.

I'm leaning towards Daisy.

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Would you want to be called Daisy as an adult professional?