Fiadh

[Trexmomma]

I'm expecting my third and already have an Aoibhe at home.
Would Fiadh be OK as a sister? Or does it sound too similar? We live in Ireland so the fear pronunciation shouldn't be a problem.

NO.
just no.

I would say the English Eva and Fia are too similar

Fiadh is massively popular where I am atm, specifically Fiadh Rose but it is a beautiful name so I can see why. I don’t think it’s too similar so if you love it, I would say go ahead.

If you can’t use Niamh, I think Meabh is similar. Recently met a little Bronagh born this summer and I thought it was so refreshing to hear these days.

They look lovely together but similar when you say them together. How about Róisín?

Oh Bronagh is lovely and I haven't heard Bronagh in a while resm thank you. Aine and Meabh are lovely too, we have alot of Meabh's around us at the moment though which is why we had chosen Niamh but I think Aine could be a contender too.
But thank you for the suggestions everyone they're all appreciated for sure.

Saoirse?

Caoimhe
Aisling

Roisin?

They go together grand

Eva and fia don't sound similar to me. Very ordinary names

Based on the experience of our former neighbours, I would aim for different vowel sounds ideally in sibling names— their sons were called Jude and Luke and the neighbours complained that when they called them in from the garden or down from upstairs all that could be heard was a vague ‘Oo’ sound, so both boys assumed the other one was wanted and didn’t reply/show up. Maybe you’re unlikely to be shouting their names, but I’d assume something similar might be the case with names like Aoife, Niamh, Fiadh, Mia, Cíle etc.

Brimorion we have come to that conclusion also. I said that to DH and we carried out a little call test up the stairs he shouted Fiadh and Aoibhe came to the top of the stairs, when I floated the name past my mum she said exactly the same thing they'll either both come running or neither of them will. So unfortunately I think we have decided they're too similar 😔 but we will come up with something else. Thank you all for your help though xo

Glad to have been of use! I have one child, and it would never have occurred to me had it not been for our nice former neighbours.

I don't think they are really similar at all. But isn't Aoibhe pronounced Ava? Have you considered Ciara or Fianna? Or Cadhla, which sounds like ky-la.

Neasa (nasa) is lovely too.

Éabha is pronounced like Ava, Deadringer. I love Neasa too.
Aoibhe and Fiadh do sound a bit too similar to me OP, you're right about the vowel sounds I think.

I think you can overthink the "goes together" thing. They're not going to be processing through life as a matched pair. They'll be in different classes. Different friendship groups, different initials.

Anyway, If you call one of those names - try it - the stress is on the first syllable and they sound completely different. Go for it unless there's a name you prefer for its own sake. Both beautiful.

Also love Sadhbh, if you like Maeve or Niamh.

@LizzieAnt

Éabha is pronounced like Ava, Deadringer. I love Neasa too. Aoibhe and Fiadh do sound a bit too similar to me OP, you're right about the vowel sounds I think.

I know 3 or 4 Aoibhe's and they all pronounce it Ava, is it a Dublin thing maybe?

It's a mispronunciation thing that's caught on unfortunately. 'Aoi' is pronounced something similar to the English 'ee' in every Irish dialect.

We double checked pronunciation and spelling before we named her Aoibhe as it was between Aoibhe and Eabha, my understanding is Ea gives the A sound in Irish like Eamonn for a boy and Aoi gives the Ee sound like Aoife.
The girl we actually checked it with has studied Irish language for years and called her little girl Nancy but spelt it the Irish way Neansaí and its lovely, Neasa reminded me of it actually LizzieAnt.

Some guides list aoi pronounced ay as Munster dialect.

Agree though I'd pronounce Aoife as Eefa and Eabha as Ayva. Aoibhe as Eeva but seems Ayva is a reasonable variation so I would ask.

Naoi is the only exception I can think of off the top of my head Belleager, I was going to mention it upthread but thought it might be too much detail . Aoibh is said as eve in Munster though, at least by any Irish speaker I know.

I think they're too similar and I agree, Fiadh went from a name I'd never heard of to one I was sick of in the blink of an eye there recently so I'd be avoiding for that reason too.

Bronagh sounds nice and the one I know is fantastic, but the meaning puts me off. What about Clodagh?

@LizzieAnt

Naoi is the only exception I can think of off the top of my head Belleager, I was going to mention it upthread but thought it might be too much detail . Aoibh is said as eve in Munster though, at least by any Irish speaker I know.

Yes as far as I know too - bit of mystery really. Keep trying out aoi words in the accents of various muinteoiri I have known and it's always ee isn't it.

I've known a Feabhra and a Fachtna, OP, if you decide against Fiadh and want something similar. Feabhra is gorgeous.

@Belleager
Aoi is a dipthong, so it's not always a straightforward ee or í sound as in Aoibh or Aoibhe but it can be, depends on the word.

www.teanglann.ie/en/fuaim/aoi

www.teanglann.ie/en/fuaim/aoibh

I've never met either a Feabhra or a Fachtna I must say. I thought Fachtna was a boys' name? And isn't Feabhra February? Then again, April, May and June are names so why not I suppose