Nimue?

[KellyLorraine]

Which spelling though? Nimue or Nymue?

Nimue

For me i would give a short i sound (as in give) and y a long one "eye"

I have no idea how the name is pronounced though!

Love the name. I've only seen it spelt nimue and think it looks lovelt

I think yes probably Nimue, but to me Nymue looks prettier.

Thank you!

Nimue I vaguely recognise from Arthurian legend - so I'd say "NIM-you-eh".

Nymue I wouldn't have a clue what to do with, and would err hesitantly towards "NY-mew".

I've only come across it in Merlin, and if I hadn't heard it said in that programme, I don't think I would have pronounced it right (nim-yoo-eh, fairly even stress)

I think you'll have to tell people how it's said regardless of how you spell it - though of course as Merlinseems to be on perpetual repeat at the moment, you might have a head start right now

Even though Nimue is quite an uncommon name and will need a lot of explanation in regards to pronunciation, it is a very special name for my husband and I.

I love unusual names and love the look of Nymue, but do agree we should probably go with Nimue as it is more recognisable.

Thank you!

OP Agree that Nimue would be better.

Nymue would - if you follow normal English spelling/pronounciation - rhyme with 'thyme' and Lyme (as in the disease). It would also rhyme with rhyme!!

If you called her Nimue (which is lovely), but pronounced it Ny-mew, people would think you were an idiot, sorry.

Just as if you'd called her Penelope but pronounced it Pen -eh - loap.

I like it. I have just been watching a TV series with a Nimue in
They pronounce it Nim u way - with the emphasis on the U. It is a Spanish show though
Poor kid will spend her life having to spell it though and lots of people will get it wrong

Nimue appears medieval re-tellings of legands about King Arthur. She's a Lady of the Lake. (There are several of such enchantresses.)
It's a French - or English - version of a Welsh/Breton name that was written down in a dazzling variety of different spellings from the middle ages onwards: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_of_the_Lake

In spite of those, I still think that - bearing in mind today's spelling conventions - Nimue is the best modern spelling.

That is actually the first time I've seen someone ask about a real (not made up) name that I have never heard of! It is lovely op!

A lifetime of spelling it out

@Timeforatincture

If you called her Nimue (which is lovely), but pronounced it Ny-mew, people would think you were an idiot, sorry.

Just as if you'd called her Penelope but pronounced it Pen -eh - loap.

Nobody's suggesting this. I said that Nymue could be mispronounced that way by others.

I love Nimue. Or Nymue. I may know one...
I coach a Penelope who is Pen-eh-loap. (Well used to).
When I used to coach kids, the set up was such that I always heard the name before seeing it. I think on this forum we overthink the spelling. There are maybe dozens of kids whose names I have never seen written except in my notes.

From the mists of Avalon?!

I think Nimue looks better and presumably you say it Nim-you so it makes sense?

It’s pretty for a child, but a bit wet for an adult, so would give her a more grown up middle name.

@bourbonne

Its nim-uh-way not nim-you-eh

It's a skincare brand. Pronounced Nee-mway

Oh, I always thought it was pronounced Nim-way, rather than Nim-uh-way?

I'd go for Nimue. I think Nymue looks like you've thrown a y in just to be unique. It's an unusual enough name as it is.

@Fufumuji

Pretty sure the Arthurian legend outdates the skincare brand.

[quote WhereverIGoddamnLike]@Fufumuji

Pretty sure the Arthurian legend outdates the skincare brand.[/quote]
I must've missed the part where that poster said the skincare brand predates the legend...can you point it out?

@SionnachRua

People are talking about where the name comes from and someone rocks up and goes "it's a skincare brand". Might be, but that's not where the name comes from and not what people associate it with or think of first.

[quote WhereverIGoddamnLike]@bourbonne

Its nim-uh-way not nim-you-eh[/quote]
Well, I was going by how I heard it in a play. It's not surprising that an obscure, ambiguously spelt name from legend will have picked up slightly different pronunciations.

Lovely name