Talk to me about Niamh!

[Honeybee79]

I'm having DC3 by planned section next week. We have a DS and a DD.

We've got a pretty brief shortlist that we've been turning over in our minds and we both really, really like Niamh. I haven't really discussed our list with other friends/relatives etc, but the couple of people I have mentioned it to have said that Niamh would just create too many problems re spelling and pronunciation.

Niamh is a name that is just outside the top 100 and is really not that unusual in my view, plus we live in London where there are so many different names from all over the world, that I don't think it will necessarily be an issue. Though DD might not always live in London of course . . .

Anyway, how much of an issue do you think this might be? Are you a Niamh or do you have a Niamh?

Love it, but don't want to create issues for DD, or introduce her to people and meet confused looks!

We also like Nina, maybe that would be easier.

Thanks.

I think Niamh is more common these days and most people would know how to pronounce it

I know two non-Irish Niamhs, it’s lovely. Worth the occasional misspelling if you love the name so much.

I do love Nina too though!

Really liked me Niamh, I think it’s well known enough not to cause problems. Nina is not nearly as nice.

I know a Neve but that causes it’s own problems as people are expecting the Irish spelling.

I know a Niamh and once you know how to pronounce it it's fine.

It’s quite old fashioned in Ireland now, I think, but seems more popular in the UK. I love it. Pretty and simple, and one of the more ‘understood’ Irish makes outsude of Ireland, Id guess.

Thanks. It's no big deal if you have to ask how to pronounce it, right? Once you've been told then really that's that. It's just so hard to judge how much of a problem it will be . . .

It's nice. Mainstream enough to not be a problem but people will try to spell it Neve, Nieve, Neave etc.
The only thing I have against it is that there are lots of Eves and variations around.
It has passed it's peak.
I like Nina because it seems quite universal.
A compromise might be Nia, which is the Welsh form of Niamh.
A very pretty name that probably peaked in the 1970s and pronounced Nee-Ah, like Nina without the n.

Niamh isn't unusual and is easy to spell although there are less usual alternatives; albeit not phonetic in English. I cannot imagine problems in pronunciation in the UK or Ireland . It is really pretty.

Hi there OP, we have a Niamh, she's 12 now and we have always loved it, it suits her down to the ground and she seems to like her name too.

I suppose we had a bit of confusion at first re pronunciation and spelling, I don't think my father-in-law called her anything for months , it still happens now and then but definitely seems to have lessened over time.

It's a beautiful name and I much prefer it with the Irish spelling rather than the more 'modern' spellings of it. We actually chose to not give her a middle name either as we just liked it so much on its own

That's really good to know, thanks @WhatTimeIsItCuckoo.

I don’t think it’s any more problematic than Siobhan (for example). Also, plenty of names have multiple ways of spelling them (plus many ways of misspelling them!)
Niamh is lovely, and quite well known I think.

Beautiful name!

Niamh is fine. I'm in London and know a couple of Niamhs - in their early 20s/late teens now.

Do your other children have lrish names? I like when they are either all lrish or none. Niamh is a very popular name in lreland and with the lrish abroad.

No, my other kids don't have Irish names.

Lovely name if you're Irish. Perhaps Nina if you aren't.

I love it.
Most people would know how to spell it I think, and as a PP has said, people called Neve tend to have their names spelt Niamh!

I think that if you are Irish, it will seem dated. I would say it compares with a name like Claire in the UK - a bit of a mum name now.
(Likewise, Nia in Wales.)

I vastly prefer Nina. I don’t like the actual sound of Niamh - sort of like a mosquito whine. Then you add in the spelling/ prononciation issues too. Sorry to be negative but you did ask - and I have known a Niamh (in London) who has had her name mangled repeatedly.
Nina is gorgeous though.
But it’s all relative!! Some people will disagree and say Niamh is far nicer than Nina! If you love it then go for it.

I love it ( Irish heritage via GP’s ). But no to Neve or any other misspelled versions. I have seen Shevaun for Siobhan which is just awful.

Hi there. Niamh is a lovely name I think but then I am irish and both my sister and a close friend are called Niamh so I am well used to it around me. I do think that Irish names are becoming increasingly popular in the UK so not that big a deal these days.

It’s a lovely name but it really makes me twitch when people pronounce it incorrectly. It is not Neeve. It’s Nee-u-ffv. The v is very soft. If you can cope with people not getting that right, you’ll be fine but it’s why I didn’t use it (Irish in the UK)

I hear Niamh is pronounced as 'Nieve'.

I don't beliamh it.

🤪

I love it - my niece is Niamh Eleanor.

Her older brother has a non Irish name, but that isnt unheard of in Ireland, if that makes sense.