Girls name...should I listen to people's opinion?

[30SomethingChick]

My first baby is due in a couple of weeks, we'd decided to keep names secret until she arrives but I stupidly told my friend that my favorite name for a girl was Aoife Elizabeth (pronounced ee-fa) and her reaction was one of pure horror! She said it sounded like the poor child didn't have a first name and i was just spelling out the first letter of her middle name (e-for...) I'm quite upset, have loved this name for years and always thought if I had a girl this is what she would be called!! - do you think I need to go back to the drawing board or should I just not listen and name her what I want to name her?

My dd3 is Aoife and now 11. I still adore the name. We live in SE England with no Irish connections I just feel in love with this name and dh liked it too.

Yes people struggle to spell it - but they learn.
Yes people struggle to say it the first time they see it - but they learn.
Yes I have had parents slink up to me and in a hushed voice ask " how do you say your dd's name" However EVERY time I have told them the response has been.. "E-fa... OHHH thats so PRETTY" (and yes I agree it is)

DD3's best friend told me a while ago they had a supply teacher and when he had come to Aoife's name in register he paused and looked puzzled the entire class had gone "I'ts E-fa" and He had said " Ohh thank you" and they had gone on with their day. To dd3 it had been that much of a non issue she had forgotten about it by end of the day. BF had thought it hilarious that the TEACHER didn't know " HOW TO SAY SUCH A EASY NAME" hence the comment to me :)

Aoife Elizabeth is gorgeous and unless you plan on constantly calling her Aoife Elizabeth how often will her name be said together? My children all have mns they are rarely used. I do not recall the last time I used my own mn.

If you love the name use it..

Aoife is a lovely name, people rarely string names together so I recon if you like it, go for it.

I will go against the tide here. It sounds insubstantial. I also include it in the eve name family which is very popular. So she may be in a class with Eve, Evie, Ava, Eva.

I'd put another short middle name in there too. Or if you think you may have more children, save Elizabeth for the future?

(I've had a related dilemma, we used Elizabeth as a middle name but regret it as we're having DD2 now and wish I'd 'saved' Elizabeth and used it as a first name!)