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...

Ciara is the correct spelling. I dislike just making up spellings. It's a very very pretty name and pronounced Kir-rah and the English will cope just fine with it

If you want Keira then use Kiera. I would say Ciara as key-ara

Keira is a correct spelling, as is both Kiera and Ciara. All are lovely names, just decide whether the pronunciation issues will bother you.
Ciara is probably my favourite but if I was choosing in the UK I would probably pick Keira.

Ciara looks much prettier. The Keira spelling looks a bit 90s.

Ciara is a perfectly usual and well known spelling. I would expect almost everyone to know how to pronounce this?! Chiara is a completely different Italian name.

I'm really surprised how many people would mispronounce Ciara when it's the traditional spelling. I know a few Ciaras in their 20s and 30s but most of the other younger ones I know are spelt Kiera.
I did know a girl (she'd be 50 now) growing up called Ciaran and it was pronounced see-ARR-un - everyone just assumed her parents had seen it written down and not realised that 1) it was said like Kieran and 2) it was a male name.

I'd definitely pronounce Ciara like Chiara, I had no idea people said it like Kiera. I don't really like Ciara /Keira as I feel like they were really overdone like a few years ago? And now seem really dated and a bit dull. I feel like I went to school with several Kieras. Chiara is nice though.

I think Chiara is also quite popular and, tbh, I’d have assumed it was a misspelling (parental changed spelling) of that. Niamh I recognise and know how to pronounce it. If someone told me their name was kee-ra I’d write it Kiera

I’ve got a Ciara and I’m in Australia. No Irish heritage and we pronounce it Keer-ah.

My friend has a Chiara pronounced Key-ah-rah. A catholic name.

Both girls are late teens.

I'm English. I went to school with a Ciara. People didn't have problems pronouncing it.

If someone said 'key-ara', Ciara just corrected them and that was that. People learn and people cope.

I think Ciara is prettier than Keira. I also like Chiara (which really is pronounced key-ara!)

@Champy87

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.

This. It irritates me every time I see it.

Ciara.

Ciara = Irish name, pronounced Kee-ra
Kiera = anglicised spelling of the above
Keira = alternative to Kiera
Chiara = Italian name, Italian for Clara, pronounced Key-a-ra
Any of the above pronounced “Sierra” = weird American thing probably arising from a mistake

I’d go with Ciara which is the correct spelling and really shouldn’t be too hard for people to get their heads round.

I have a Ciara so I am biased. However, it didn't occur to me just how difficult people find it to pronounce... or if you say it, you have to spell it out for people as they usually default to the Keira version.

The other day I had to pick up a prescription for her, and the same pharmacist pronounced her name no less than three different ways in the space of five minutes (Key-ar-ah, Sierra and Si-ar-ah), despite me having said her name! I was

Neave/Neev/Neve are lnot anglicised versions of Niamh.

Thanks for your comments everyone. I think I'm probably going to leave this name. If I used it, I'd want to use the original spelling, Ciara, and it seems like people really struggle with pronunciation, which is a real shame. I have an unusual name, which is spelt pretty phonetically, but people still struggle with it, so I'm not sure I'd want to inflict that on my daughter.

@JollyGreenGiantess

Neave/Neev/Neve are lnot anglicised versions of Niamh.

No? I always thought they were. What's the difference in pronunciation? Genuinely interested.

Oh shame, it's such a pretty name, doesn't take a minute to correct people or spell it out! Plus the people who will know her will pronounce it correctly!

I don't think you should be put off if you like it that much. It's a lovely name and not at all unusual. I have a Cillian and I would say 80% pronounce it incorrectly on first glance. It has been spelt Cillian, Killian, Khillian, and pronounced Sillian and even Sicilian. But that issue will fade as he gets older. Already the doctors receptionist knows his name, and when he starts school, one correction and the teacher will get it. Kids just learn from what they are told so they just say Killy-un no issues and Irish names are getting more and more popular so will be increasingly well known.

The pronunciation Kee-ah-ra is actually nice anyway so not embarrassing or anything, and you know what? If it really does cause issue she can just use the spelling Keira when she is older. That's what I will say to my Cillian if he finds it too annoying, just use Killian at school/work etc. The most important thing is that you love the name, and it really is a very pretty name, she will probably love it!
Good luck choosing.

There are two names Niamh and Naomh. Naomh has one syllable and a broad n, like Nev, often spelt Neve. It means Saint and isn't often used as a name.
Niamh has two syllables and a slender n - like Nia. It means heaven-sent or somesuch.
Hth

If you're in England, people are going to say Key-ara for Ciara. If you want Kiera as the pronunication, that's the spelling you're best off using.

Someone I know has a Ciara and when she was a baby people thought she was See-ara, Kee-ara (Chiara) or Clara.

People learn and people cope.

This, no need to think about that small group of people who for whatever reason have never come across someone with a non English name.

@zingally They really aren’t. I know lots of Ciaras and nobody seems to have any problem with people pronouncing their name incorrectly. If someone gets it wrong on first sight and is then told “actually it’s pronounced keer-ra” that’s the problem solved. Mumsnet is really odd about Irish names. Ciara is a common name among teenagers in my part of London. It’s not unusual, has a straightforward spelling and is made up of sounds that are all occur in English too.

One of my best friends is called Ciara, her family is Irish and I think it is such a beautiful name. She is a ray of sunshine. You should definitely call your daughter this, it's much nicer with a C! People mispronounce even the most ordinary names so don't be put off!

I used to live
Near a girl called Keira-Leigh and it used to crack the other neighbours up when her mum called her in

She was affectionately known as dairylea

So I wouldn't personally