Too Celtic?

[Champy87]

So we have a DD1 called Niamh. No Irish connection but we loved the name so we did get a few odd looks when we announced her name. As there is no connection I’m avoiding another Irish name although I love them.

I’m warming to Carys. I feel like it goes well with Niamh. In terms of our heritage, my husband is a bit welsh and I’m half Scottish but is it too much to have two distinctly Celtic names?

Not at all. They’re beautiful names!

I don't understand all this worrying about the origins of a name.
If you like the name - use it.
We never gave a moments thought to the origin of a name with our dc.
We liked the names so we used them for dc.

Both names you have chosen are lovely.

Lovely name. Im from Wales and Cerys is another option. Tends to be a younger name here. A little girl i know is called Cerys and it really suits her xx

@LadyEloise I really wasn’t concerned about the origin either and I thought Niamh was used enough that people would just understand we picked it as it’s lovely. However we still get people asking who is Irish in our family and a grandad who calls her Ni-am

DD1 is not 2 yet so I’m already concerned I’ve given her a name she’ll be explaining for the rest of her life. I didn’t want to do the same to DD2

Is it just in the UK that the origin of names like this matters? I'm in Australia and both Niamh and Carys are names used by people who like them with no reference to background.

They’re both lovely.

Pick a name you will love and never mind anyone else. Only thing I would say is that I know a Carys and lots of people seem to get a bit confused and call her Cerys, and I’m in Scotland so not sure why the Welsh version dominates.

Great choice, they go really well together.

Not at all, Carys is lovely and goes well with Niamh. I love Celtic names - Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Manx and Breton - lots of gorgeous names to choose from.

Niamh is one of my favourite Irish names, I also like Una, Orla and Aoife.

Morven and Eilidh are gorgeous Scottish names.

I'm half Welsh and there's too many gorgeous names - Eira, Nia (Welsh version if Niamh), Carys, Enfys, Seren, Morwenna (also Cornish), Esyllt etc.

Lowenna, Elowen and Merryn are lovely Cornish names.

I like Niamh and Carys together, very much.

I'm originally from NE Wales, and they are middle-aged women's names.

Niamh is an Irish name and is still quite popular. Definitely not middle aged.

It was quite popular in the 1970s in the Deeside part of Wales..

Carys was very popular at the same time as Karen, and seems frumpy.
Niamh is nice. Nia was very popular in the 1960s and 70s too, but was an old established name. I can't think of a single Carys under 50, apart from Spartacus' granddaughter.

Eira gets mentioned again and again, and it was until recently a fairly little used name, and I can only think that the recent popularity of short vowelly (Eva, Eva, Ada etc) names has made it more popular. I think it sounds unpleasant in an English accent.

I'm in Scotland and Carys is used in all younger age groups but I don't know any over 30. My DSs are very late teens and I considered it for a girl then but I wouldn't think a baby/toddler Niamh or Carys was unusual. Not loads about at all, but wouldn't stand out.

You both have a bit of Celtic blood so it wouldn't occur to me as not appropriate or only for Scots/Irish/Welsh either.