Ciara / Keira?

[Nell96]

Thoughts on Ciara? Irish name, pronounced Keer-a (I believe). We're not Irish, no recent Irish heritage and we live in north-west England - would it be weird? Do you like the name? Would you go for Keira as a spelling instead? It just reminds me of Keira Knightley...

Well, if you’re in Ireland - great

If not, you (and your child) will forever need to correct people on the pronoun custom because in England at least Ciara is not Keira.

So if you want to name Keira, go for that

Perhaps... I think it's a tricky one. Ciara is an Irish name, like Niamh. If you live in England, you might prefer to use the English version, Neave, but Niamh is still a recognized spelling - you wouldn't expect people to pronounce it Nee-am?

Ciara and Keira are pronounced the same in England and Ireland. If you want to use it in England I would definitely go for the Keira spelling OP as people will get it right more often - partly because it’s more phonetic and partly Miss Knightly. It’s a reasonably well known name and if you like it go for it.

I would pronounce Ciara like Chiara, unless I knew the family were Irish, tbh. So in your situation, OP, I think I would choose Keira. Or Kira.

Fwiw Keira knightly has said publicly that her dad spelt her name incorrectly on her BC. It should have been Kiera. Her spelling has become well recognised as she’s so famous but something to consider.

I'd use Ciara - as I think people will get used to it and thats the origin of the name. Like names from other cultures in a multicultural society - people get used to names from different backgrounds.

If you're spelling it with a K it's usually Kiera. Keira Knightley's name was famously misspelled - although she raised the popularity so much that some people started using Keira.

I like Ciara best but all are fine.

I love this name! I personally would choose the Keira spelling but that's just preference! Another way of spelling it is Kira! X

I think both spellings are easily recognisable and pronounceable. It's a normal everyday pretty name with either. It is always pronounced the same as far as I know. With any spelling - like knightly.

I like Ciara, dislike the anglicisation of it with the k - a letter that doesn’t exist in Irish. But I’m in the camp where I dislike changing the spelling of long-standing names.

I'd pronounce Ciara Key-ah-rah and Keira as Key-rah

I prefer Ciara.

I am Irish and I think all spellings are fine. I went to school with a girl who spelled it Keara, a bit unique but no one really cared. I also have a relative in the UK who had a little girl and spelled it Kira. That one is more to me.i think because it looks like it. Has more of a Japanese origin

I teach in a Catholic school in England. I’ve taught dozens of Ciara’s over the years, many but not all with some Irish heritage. I’ve known anyone have a problem with pronouncing it. It’s fairly common, broadly phonetic to English eyes and always pronounced the same. If you’d suggested Aine or Saoirse, then I can see why pronunciation might be a worry in England but Ciara will be fine, honestly.

Thanks for your comments everyone. I also love the name Cara - the pronunciation would certainly be easier.

Dd goes to college with a Ciara & a Keira.

Keira is Welsh, Ciara is mixed race from the North West.

As far as I’m aware no-one has commented on either spelling or said it’s strange in England. The only issue there was was an external workshop provider misreading it as Clara on zoom!

Or Kyra like Kyra Sedgwick (married to Kevin Bacon). This version is quite popular in Canada at the moment apparently (well, it's in the top 50).

Or the two, I definitely prefer Cara - pretty, nice meaning and easy to say and generally spell (I realise in places like the US there may be more Kara's too but I don't think you'd get that problem in the UK).

Ciara is okay but will likely have spelling issues with Kiera/Keira/Kira and just isn't as nice a sound to me as Cara.

I will never understand why people are so adamant that Irish names are impossible to pronounce. No one throws their hands up in horror at other languages in the same way.

I've never learnt Irish in my life, and the limit of my exposure to it is through people's names (although I accept that as I'm from N Ireland I have more exposure to those names than most of Mumsnet) But they always follow the same rules so they're not hard to learn how to pronounce.

I would use Ciara if you like the name. I think the K versions look terrible.

I much prefer Ciara and would know how pronounce it - and I am Australian with no recent Irish heritage. If you used the K spelling the pronunciation would be no problem but you would probably get confusion between the ei/ie spelling.

I always find this one so weird - if the people who can’t pronounce Ciara saw the name Ciaran written down, would you not know how to say that either? To me that’s a really well known Irish name so I can’t see how Ciara is complicated at all.

As PP have said Keira is a misspelling so I wouldn’t go with that option. Ciara is beautiful and it’s hardly complex so once you’ve told people once how to spell/pronounce it you shouldn’t have a problem.

I have an Irish name myself, more ‘difficult’ than Ciara, and once I’ve explained it it’s never an issue.

Not keen on it. Sounds harsh.
Ciara will get See-ah-ruh and Keira will be spelt Kiera.

I have a Keira Louise! 😍

Gorgeous name! It's pretty and strong sounding and I would say works on all ages. I much prefer it spelt with a K

I'd pronounce Ciara like see - aira like the car sierra. Prefer that spelling though.
How about Clara if you like Cara?