caoimhe

[birchygoo]

help from Irish ppl on how its said in your area but also keen to hear from English how difficult you would find this to say

I am from ulster currently living in England. in ulster we would say keeva. talking from friend from Dublin she mentioned they would always say qweva.

just wondering in different areas would they all be qweva? and if I did call a girl this would she have lots of issues with it in England? I do know one little caoimhe here in England already both English parents and said as keeva.

I know you are just going to say spell it keeva - but nope I'm awkward and keeva I don't like sp.

boys names I'm finding much easier as enda is one and it can be read as seen

please don't slate my names I'm not interested in if you don't like them. if we all liked same names it would be hard to tell us apart! also we will be returning home.

I'm English and I know it is said Keeva. I think the spelling Keeva is really ugly and if you are going to use it I would stick to the traditional spelling, though you will have to tell all/most English people how to pronounce it.

When I say i know - there was a girl at school with this name and that is what I was told.

I'm English and would automatically pronounce Caiomhe as Keeva.

To my English ears I've always taken my Dublin relative to be called Keeva not Queeva. People will call her whatever pronounciation you use.

The real problem will be people learning how to spell it or people shouting it out in the waiting room who are not familiar with it. But this goes for lots of names. I come across a lot of names I don't know how to pronounce especially traditional African names. But it's up to me to find out the correct pronunciation and spelling.

I don't understand why people say don't use a traditional Irish name in England, especially if there is an Irish connection. Caombhe is a beautiful name.

I was working with someone in a hotel with the name when I was younger, we called her Keeva. However customers would always call her Kay-oh-me.

Caoimhe is really popular at the moment, as is Saoirse - I'd say by the time she's leaving school they will be fairly common names here, similar to Siobhán and Sinead in the 80s. So I wouldn't worry too much about the spelling holding her back. And I say that as the owner of a fairly rare Irish name myself.

It's Kweeva to me (Munster Irish), but if I knew the parent was Northern Irish I would know it to be pronounced Keeva. I know several little Caoimhes of both pronunciations.

Munster Irish here, Kweeva; it hurts my eyes to see a gorgeous name spelled like that.
I anticipate the same problems with my two favourite girls' names, Sorcha and Sadhbh.
I think I'll use them still.
If you are still casting about for ideas though, I also love Emer and Orla for girls, which would carry no such issues.

When I first saw it I guessed at cami for pronounceation, and I'm usually quite good with Irish names though I'm English. I've only ever heard Keeva and spelt as such.

I knew a little girl called Caoimh - no e at the end. Pronounced Keev. Lovely name. In Scotland by the way. No problems with pronunciation once i'd been told. Took me a little longer to remember the spelling. Then again there are lots of names I can't spell.

How do you pronounce Sadhbh?

I must admit that I've seen Caoimhe written down but until just now would not have known how to pronounce it. Similarly I knew the spelling Siobhán from written down, and knew people with that name, and never knew it was the same name!

Depending on which part of England I suspect that she will need to tell people how to spell it a fair bit? I don't think you should let that put you off though.

I'm in Scotland. I knew a girl called Caoimh with no e at the end - pronounced Keev. No one had any difficulty pronouncing it once they'd been told. Took a little longer to learn to spell. Lovely name you should go for it.

Sadhbh is pronounced "sive"; rhymes with five.

It means sweet (apparently) and also happens to be the name of the sweetest little 1 year old I know.

I could neither say it nor spell it. If you live on mainland UK is it a fantastic idea to name your daughter this when you will have to spell it and correct people every single time?

I know you don't want criticism, but I can't help thinking it.

thank you everyone. such lovely comments. dh is called Kevin so really want to use it. I am still thinking of ideas though. so thanks for other suggestions as well.

I do want to use an Irish name - I'm not too worried about people not being able say it as people always learn spellings and there are lots of English names I still struggle to spell. plus I had a unique surname and I didn't mind having to constantly spell it and now I have a normal surname I miss it. also can't let the kids off too lightly oj

dh loves tadgh - I struggled getting my tongue around that one for a while so even though I love it I'm still not overly convinced about using it

I'm English and would have no idea! It looks like a random jumble of letters next to each other (though of course that is all any word is isnt it?)

It's a lovely name, but I wouldn't bank on many English people knowing how to say it from reading it.

My English (but Irish parents, she lives here) friend has a daughter with this name pronounce Qweeva

Im English if i had to hazard a guess how to pronounce the name I would have gone with Kay-o-me

Oh not to throw a spanner in the works but I think Tadgh is nicer than Enda. Enda is nice but if you're thinking of coming back to Ireland, I think Enda is a bit, I don't know, old fashioned maybe? Although I'm in NI, so it might just be me.

Caoimhe is lovely, I say Keeva but my friend says Queeva.

Yes I was going with something that rhymed with Naomi. I don't know any gaelic. I know Irish names are popular but there's just no way non gaelic speakers who weren't already familiar with the name could even guess at the pronunciation.

I love Cathal for a boy

Munster Irish where I live. It's usually pronounced Queeva.

Gorgeous name, as long as it's spelled properly. AFAIK, both pronunciations are correct.

For a boy I really want caolan but sis in law wanted it if she had a boy (had a girl in end up) so now not sure if I can use caolan

I do like cathal and cormac as well.

Afaik - what does this mean.

Sorry I should also probably disclose I am still only trying just got upset that I thought my favourite girl name was said differently than what I had thought and from people I know. So that reassurance means so much

I don't really care if people don't like the name (as its my choice) - would hate to call someone a made up name though

Sorry, AFAIK is short for as far as I know!

I love Caolan. I know one who goes by Cal.

I'm in Dublin and would say Kweeva