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Baby names

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

Original poster

Do you have to be Irish to use the name Niamh?

42 replies

esmeraldasmith · 18/08/2008 13:28

I'd love to know what the consensus on this is.
I think yes.

OP posts:
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mummc2 · 19/08/2008 10:43

my niece is niamh and i love it, not too many around and its lovely wether your 3 or 33

zazen · 19/08/2008 10:33

Knee-av is how the Gaeilge pronunciation would go. But I'm sure that ornery old Neeve will do!!
Blimey I think Niamh is lovely! Go for it!

wellbalanced · 19/08/2008 10:28

I know someone called Niamh with no irish connections.
If you like it go for it

PuppyMonkey · 19/08/2008 06:44

How do you pronounce it Waynetta???

PilgrimSoul · 18/08/2008 22:58

Rubbish, Neve or Neeeve are perfectly OK pronunciations.

My dd goes to a gael-scoil (school taught in Irish), student's names are Irish, Jewish, German, Greek etc.

WaynettaSlob · 18/08/2008 13:51

yes, or at least pronounced properly, ie not Neve / neeeve

aGalChangedHerName · 18/08/2008 13:50

My dd1 is Niamh and we are not Irish.

Don't see why you would have to be Irish.

bikerunski · 18/08/2008 13:44

... but the thing is "Zoe" is a Greek name and nobody ever questions that. My own name is considered to be a traditional English name and is very often raised as a "favourite girl's name" on this forum, but is actually an old German name. Adam, Eve, Sarah, Samuel, Michael and all those Old Testament names are Hebrew and nobody ever questions if you have to be Jewish to use them....

Isn't the world a global village now?

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 18/08/2008 13:37

my dd has a welsh name and there is no welsh connection in our family. i dont think she has the welsh spelling though, i think i may have made up a spelling all on my own as i have never seen her name spelled my way the end of her name is gaelic i think.

Original poster
esmeraldasmith · 18/08/2008 13:37

Is the Anglicised spelling Neve?

OP posts:
thefunkypea · 18/08/2008 13:34

Nice name but go for anglicised spelling if no Irish connection

PuppyMonkey · 18/08/2008 13:33

I dunno why, but I think yes too. Seems odd to have that specific delicious Irish spelling without having any connection to Ireland at all. Unless you went for "Neave" or something....

Hopeysgirlwasntbig · 18/08/2008 13:33

My daughter is called Niamh, my Grandparents on my mother's side were irish. But honestly, I don't think there needs to be any irish connection, it's such a beautiful name.

hellebores · 18/08/2008 13:32

yes agree with belgo - imo this applies to all names not just irish ones

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 18/08/2008 13:31

i have neice called niamh not irish at all. i think its a lovely name though i am wondering why dh would not let me call dd2 anya because its not an english name when my neice is niamh.

katiepotatie · 18/08/2008 13:30

No, I know of two that are not Irish. What a boring old world it would be if we all stuck to names only from our own nationality

belgo · 18/08/2008 13:29

yes, or at least have a very strong irish connection.