Niamh

[Nsr4u2c]

Hi, just wondering want your thoughts are. I really like the name Niamh, however I wanted Anne as a middle name after my grandma but I don't think they go, what are your thoughts?

Hi. I have a Niamh Sian. I think Niamh Anne works just fine. To be honest, we never bother with her middle name but it made mil very happy.

If you're not in Ireland I think your DD is going to spend a lot of her life correcting pronunciation and spelling of her name. Is it said "neeve"?

Surely most people know the pronunciation?

Niamh Anne is pretty but maybe a 2 syllable middle name would sound better when you say it? Anna?

I love it! I think everyone knows how it's pronounced by now, but suppose its a consideration.

How many syllables does your last name have?

Niamh Anne Smithson works better than Niamh Anne Smith, if you get my drift. If only one syllable I'd go for Niamh Anna.

I know a Niamh, it's very pretty. It's not so unusual these days, so I think the pronunciation problem is less of an issue.
And I think it goes well with Anne.

I'm a teacher. When doing the register I am apparently the only teacher in the entire school that pronounces Niamh's name properly. Even that was a lucky guess first time round she says it does her head in

I think it's too difficult to spell and pronounce. It is a nice sounding name though.

I have one, she's Niamh Elizabeth.
People do struggle with the spelling but they learn. She's eleven now and never been bothered by people getting it wrong.

beautiful name

I like it. It doesn't go especially well with Anne but I don't think middle names need to go with first names, you don't very often use them together.

I'd be very surprised if you came across any adult who didn't know how to pronounce Niamh. It's a top 100 name now in the England/Wales stats so there'll be one in most schools I imagine.

We have a Niamh and pronunciation has never been a problem, although spelling has sometimes.

Her middle name has two syllables as our surname has only one.

Despite it being quite popular, she is the only one in her year group at school.

I don't understand the "it's hard to spell/say". I thought Niamh was pretty well used all over the UK now and most people were pretty familiar with it?

Also,if people can mange to get their heads round Mohamed etc,I'm sure they'll get to grips with Niamh! Go for the name pronounced Seer-sha (there's an actress,surname Ronan) if you want to seriously confound people (it's a lovely name don't get me wrong!)

Saoirse! I loved that name, also Aoife, neither of which were chosen for lifelong spelling difficulties, or we'd have had to move across the Irish Sea!

I don't think Niamh would cause too much confusion these days. Its pretty well known. Lovely name IMO!

I have a Niamh. I love the name. Occasionally have to clarify the spelling but have had few problems, and no issue with pronunciation.

Niamh Anne is lovely, go for it.

I'd definitely have put Niamh in the Siobhan and Sinead bracket - in that they are well enough used that everyone would know how to say them. I'm seriously shocked to hear people say otherwise actually! And living in a country with a wonderful mixture of people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, little Niamh will not be the only kid in the class without an easily spelt English name, of that I'm certain.

But back to the OP, I do think Niamh Anna rolls off the tongue better, however if Anne has meaning, go for Anne. After a while the names will sound as though they have always belonged together.

Ruby22 - that's the one! I think it's lovely! But imagining English people trying to work it out makes me laugh. Rarely have i heard anything funnier than an English friend trying to say Angharad (I'm Welsh) though.

Of course not all English people struggle with names from other cultures.

Love love love Aoife!

If you're worried about Niamh OP,why not try Nia? It's the Welsh form of the same name.

I know a Niamh whose name is spelt Neve. It's a lovely name, and I think it works with Anne as a middle name.

Lovely. I'm sure you know that Niamh is a powerful and beautiful goddess in Irish mythology!

I wouldn't worry too much about he middle name "going" with her first name - once you've done the round of telling people the new baby's name, you don't tend to use them a lot.
I think - if you are English - she will still come across lots of people finding it hard to spell though.

Love it. But then I am praying for a little girl one day and have a list of Irish names as long as my arm. I also love Roisin ( ro-sheen) but have encountered people saying Royzin! Less well known at the mo. anyway that's not relevant. I think Niamh is well known enough these days.

Lots of people are saying 'surely everyone knows how to pronounce Niamh these days'. I'm sorry but I don't think they do. UK people pronounce it Neeve when it's actually meant to be pronounced NEE-uv.

It's a pet peeve of mine when it's pronounced incorrectly although I don't say anything as I'm so polite

squoosh I know what you mean. I feel the same when people pronounce Dylan - Dillan sigh