Maeve, Niamh, and names like them?

[Caimor23]

Hi all,

DH and I have fallen in love with the name Maeve for our future baby (if it's a girl, won't know until it's born!), and we also love the name Niamh. Only issue? I'm American and I know some of my American relatives will struggle to spell either of them correctly... They still don't spell my name correctly and I've been in the family for nearly 30 years now!

So, I'm wondering if any of you lovely people have any names that are similar to Maeve and Niamh that we can add to our "just in case the baby's not a Maeve" list? Relatively easy to spell and pronounce. Also, something that seems strong to appeal to the feminist in me and yet still feminine?

Big ask, I know.

TIA xx

Isn't Maeve an anglicised spelling?
I would avoid anything that could be mispronounced or misspelt.

Clodagh is beaut @sugarpiehoneyeye

So 2 of my kids have difficult to pronounce (not phonetic) Irish names. I have a very unusual (although phonetic) name that requires constant explanation. On the positive side nobody forgets my name which in a large work organization has benefits. Downside is the constant explaining but it is character building and a great conversation starter. I say go for the original spelling

So 2 of my kids have difficult to pronounce (not phonetic) Irish names.

They are phonetic, though presumably? but according to the (pretty consistent) rules of Irish phonology.

DH and I are Irish, and our English-born son has a very unusual Irish name and surname, and people manage fine. No, they generally won't know how to pronounce it the first time they encounter it, but I think you'd have to be a very fragile flower indeed to find that crushing.

I love Maeve! I'm scottish but reckon that's quite straightforward in American to say?
Orlaith is lovely too and can be spelt few ways including Orla or Orlagh.
It was on my list but my polish boyfriend struggles to pronounce it lol

Sian and Sinaed are both lovely as well and easy to pronounce x

Adult - probably correct. Just not phonetic if applying English language rules which most people try to do. I do find people do continue to mispronounce their names for quite a while but it doesn't really bother them. Or at least they don't moan to me about it. And the key people in their lives do get it right pretty swiftly.

Curious adulterousmuse about Irish phonology as a side point. When we named our daughter Maeve, we used the English spelling because we live in England (as did the person she was named after, so decision was easy.) But the name Maeve in particular is spelled a zillion ways in Irish it seems. I have met Meabh, Meadhbh, Maebh, etc. I would think it would be somewhat more consistent than that, but I haven't been able to find out the "real" spelling! Unlike Niamh which never seems to be spelled differently.

These names might be a bit dated in Ireland but not in the UK at all. Any name that is not just made up will sound dated to someone else. (E.g, Claire is not dated in the US -- it is a top 30 name there!) My name is Nicola, agree quite dated :).

(Not saying that you should use the English spelling just because you live in England, btw-- meant really that we are not Irish and live in England, so there wasn't a compelling reason to use the original spelling for us. I love the original spellings and think they are gorgeous.)

I love Fiadh. Is it getting popular?

Last Irish baby girl I knew was Oonagh and initially I was a bit mmm, but it's really grown on me.

If you like Fiadh, what about Liadh, or spell it Lia. Pronounced as it's spelt - like Leah.

You didn't specify if you're actually living in the UK as an American. Depending on where you live in the U.K., Fia could easily be understood as Thea (more well-known here) or even Fear.
Love loads of names on this thread though - alas no baby girls 😭

These are all fantastic. Thanks so much everyone! We've added some to the list like Ailish and Aoife and others (DH and I are having a "discussion" about Dara and Fiadh haha).

Might be time to give my US relatives a lesson on Irish phonetics...and test the names to see how they stick! Though my mom (American) has already tried to pronounce Niamh as nye-am-ha faceplam and she's been a teacher for 40 odd years so has seen many a name...

OrdinaryGirl we're living in Scotland at the moment so we should be okay with the majority of the original Irish spellings... It's just my relatives and when we're living in the US that I'm a bit worried about!

Also, @drinkingteawhenitshot the essay's much appreciated!! Especially since you have firsthand experience using Maeve in North America. So no need to apologise. And I agree... If you couldn't guess from my mom's pronunciation of Niamh, we mostly get the same thing when we mention it. Also, I love the name Isla. And I don't think it would be dated! It's got quite a classic ring to it. And I know a Constance who is one of the loveliest people I've ever met... You really can go wrong with any of the names you have picked out for this baby :)