Naoice Irish spelling for girl's name Nike

[Seanchailleach]

Met a grown-up with this name. Interesting.

Do you mean Naoise? Prounced Nee-sha. Means warrior or champion. Common enough name in Ireland.

In irish mythology, Naoise was the lover of Deirdre . Pronounced Deer Dra , not Deir Dree 😁. Also an ancient fabulous name contrary to mumsnet opinion.

Nope. Not Naoise. Naoice. Hard c. Gaelic transliteration of the Greek name transliterated to English as Nike.

Pronounced Nike one syllable or the Greek way with two?

The origin is Athena Nikē, goddess of victory, isn't it?

We’ll are you talking about a Greek name then? I’m confused 😐

I'd say the Greek name nee-kay but I don't know if this is correct. The Irish spelling reads nee-ka.

OP there isn't an Irish name pronounced Nee-ka. Are you sure you're not getting confused? Can you link to it being used anywhere?

Not an Irish name. The Greek name Νίκη with an Irish spelling. Used by someone with a Twitter handle at naoicea . She is a scholar of Celtic orthography (spelling) if that helps.

It slightly amuses me as the teenage Naoise I know gets called "noisy" but I imagine a Naoice would get called Nice.

I imagine a Naoice would get called Nice.

When I saw the thread title I thought you were looking for a ‘naice’ way to spell Nike!

How can she spell a Greek name using an Irish spelling…is she taking the meaning of the Greek name & taking the closest Irish meaning

Greek has its own alphabet.
Irish uses Roman letters.
She's using Irish phonics. Because English is not the only language in the world yet.

It's not an Irish spelling. It's not an Irish name. It's some weird made up version of (it appears) a Greek name.

I know that Seanchailleach…I’m fluent

As Earrings said, it’s just made up.

But tbh I don't see how she is using Irish phonics. I have come across a lot of Irish names (including several that are made up!) and I would not get 'Nike' from that spelling. I think 99% of Irish people would assume someone was mis-spelling Naoise.

Also how is it pronounced 'Nike' if you then say its pronounced 'Nee-ka'?

Is it her real name?
It'll manage to confuse almost everyone, which is a feat in itself

In irish mythology, Naoise was the lover of Deirdre . Pronounced Deer Dra , not Deir Dree 😁. Also an ancient fabulous name contrary to mumsnet opinion.

I love you MadamBatty. This is my name (very outing, I guess, but who cares? ) and it's a heartsink that the English (and Americans- I grew up in the States) have mangled such a good name... yes, contrary to what MN thinks, Deirdre IS a good name!
And it's such a great myth. I love the story... apart from the fact that I'm named after a rather sad character. But then again, people go ape for the name Ophelia, another tragic character.
Isn't Naoise a fabulous name? I'm surprised it's not used more.
Am I incorrect in thinking the original/Old Irish spelling of Deirdre is Deirdriu? Perhaps I've dreamt that up.

The River Boyne is named after Boand who is sometimes called the goddess of victory. Boann in modern Irish. Not come across anyone with that name but I bet there are some.
Bua is the ordinary word for victory, so I guess you could give a child that for a name.

Boann/Bóinn is derived from 'white cow' though isn't it, which mightn't be what you'd want for your little girl. As an aside the Milky Way is Bealach na Bó Finne, which I love.

Love the names Deirdre and Naoise too TheVanguardSix, though Naoise has gone a bit unisex these days unfortunately.

@Seanchailleach

The River Boyne is named after Boand who is sometimes called the goddess of victory. Boann in modern Irish. Not come across anyone with that name but I bet there are some. Bua is the ordinary word for victory, so I guess you could give a child that for a name.

I know a little Bua.

Naoise has gone a bit unisex these days unfortunately.

Well, I was born in the 1970s. I always knew Naoise as a boy's name, where I lived (Munster). I've heard it used more recently as a girl's name, since living in Dublin.

Still definitely know more boys than girls called Naoise (well, men & women, as they are mostly adults, not children!)

So it's not something new, and I don't agree it's unfortunate really, it's just the nature of the name.

I'd say the Greek name 'nye-key'

Perhaps you'd better check with someone in RL you know to be Greek?

@PattyPan

I imagine a Naoice would get called Nice.

When I saw the thread title I thought you were looking for a ‘naice’ way to spell Nike!

This was exactly what I was thinking and my DD2 has an Irish name using the same phonic sounds.

I guess it's no more made up than Nike, they're both attempts at translating Νίκη, right?

It looks like how Jay from the inbetweeners would say “nice” “noice”

@CakesOfVersailles

I guess it's no more made up than Nike, they're both attempts at translating Νίκη, right?

You're right CakesOfVersailles. Naoi isn't Nee in the part of Ireland I'm in though (Munster)...so Naoice would sound something more like Nay-ke around here