Caoimhe - can England handle it?

I know an adult Caoimhe, but I still have to mentally recheck every time I send her a christmas card. It IS a difficult name to spell (and pronounce!) until you're used to it, so your dd will have a lifetime training people up in it. But you know, the UK is very multicultural - my dd is one of only two UK nationals in her nursery, and I've had to carefully learn many of the children's names because they were unfamiliar to me. So if you love it, use it.

I meant to say 'prepared to allow' not prefered to allow.

I'd say Keeva too. Kweeva is more unusual. A regional thing but I don't know what part of Ireland says it that way.

I think you should use it, but you should be prefered to allow the spelling Keeva. It is just too much for the UK imo.

I was living in the UK when I had my daughter who was almost, almost called Clodagh. A few friends (English friends) said to me, what like Claddagh?! I thought OMG! no, no, not like that urrr. That put me right off it.

In a similar vein but much more beautiful IMO is Aoife.

I mind a Keva, pronounced Kava, never heard of it before.

I like Keeva but it's abit brave due to the spelling issue.

It just looks like somebody has vomitted letters onto a page.

Well I looked at the thread title for ages trying to think how to pronounce and whether m or f and got both wrong. So, on that basis I'd have to say might give her years of difficulty and I wouldn't do it, though 'tis a shame as you love it and is relevant to your DH and his family. Sorry. (think most people have just about worked out how to pronounce Niamh so Caoimhe might be a vowel too far!)

I think the pronounciation is slightly open to interpretation - I've heard both - so go with whichever you like best. 'Kweeva' is the most usual.
I know a girl called Ciava (Keeva) which I think is nice too.

Actually I don't know why I am trying to persuade you. I love the fact her name is beautiful and yet also quite unique, so I should be putting you off using it so it remains unique!

at hunker

always heard it pronounced keeva, never kweeva.

As long as she is prepared for:

A) not knowing how to spell her name at school for ages after everyone else can do it and....

B) always spelling it when she is dealing with things over the phone immediately after saying it.

then go for it; England is fairly multicultural you know, I think they'll cope!

I have a double whammy of a difficult to spell first name and an unusual given name so speak from experience. I have a fairly normal married name, but often find myself spelling it out, out of habit!

I wouldn't put a DC through a lifetime of having to pronounce and spell it-they will be thoroughly fed up before they even get to 18yrs-they could have 100yrs of it!!!

Don't listen to people who say it sounds naff. I think if people are unfamiliar with it then it does sound a bit naff. Even my mother in law didn't like it at first but after about a year, everyone had changed their minds and now all agree it is a beautiful name. In fact most people were very offended when we gave our second DD an english name instead of another 'beautiful Irish name'.

I tbh would have had no idea how to say it, however I'm constantly having to tell people how to say my surname so I say go for it if you like it and if relevant (which with an Irish DH would be I s'pose ) I've always liked a few Irish names but wouldn't have a valid reason for using them except in my stories

I think it sounds naff (sorry). Like a character in a Lion King movie, maybe, at the very best.
You call your child what you like, never mind me .

By the way she has never been teased, yet!

I thought it was Keeva? Never heard it 'kwee-va'. Sorry, but I think kwee-va sounds awful.

And people will pronounce it "quim".

My DD1 is called Keeva. We love it. My Mum's family is Irish and it is in our family. However, we called and spellt her name, Keeva down in the south of England, so that people would know how to spell and say it. Only problem is she has now decided she would prefer to spell it the proper way and at 9 years old she is now reverting to Caoimhe!!! Beautiful name and yes the English can handle it.

Rhymes with beaver.

It is not obvious from the spelling how it is pronounced, for some reasonm I thought it said
'comehome!'
It sounds quite haarsh too

I also prefer the Keeva pronunciation. Kweeva sounds a tiny bit like what you'd do if you saw a ghost.

I know two Caoimhe's (both Irish) and they're both Keeva, I've never heard of the Kweeva pronunciation. I definitely prefer Keeva.

I like it but it will involve a lifetime of spelling it out and correcting the pronunciation.

I'd pronounce it Kee-va (I have a friend who says it that way). I think it's a very pretty name, but inevitably she will have to spell it every single time, repeat it often and people pronouncing it in lots of strange ways.

If you are extra sensitive about pronunciation, even the people who broadly know how to pronounce it, may get it wrong IYKWIM.

tbh i don't really like either pronunciation. kweeva seems especially daft.