Niamh

[ilovemykids5]

Would you keep this spelling. I think it looks prettier as Neve.
We are not Irish but do have an Irish surname.

Work in a school.
This year we got a
Niamh
Neve
Nieve

Only Niamh seems to stick with the teachers because the other two are always spelt wrong

@SeanChailleach I have a Niamh! I like the idea she gives a good, solid hug - because she does!
No issues with pronunciation.
No cultural appropriation. I am Celtic.
Call your child what you like, but let nursery / school know how to pronounce it! Because people will get it wrong!

I think it was in the top 100 names in the uk when i was naming my dc
So not that rare.

Niamh is pronounced more like Nee-uv. Not Neve.

I think the Neve Nee-uv pronunciation is regional within Ireland so I don’t think it’s quite as simple as right and wrong..

I think it's very sad and rather telling of people to advise you to change the spelling. It's a big world out there, there are names from other lands/places/countries. If someone doesn't know it, tell them how to pronounce and move on. Would you say the same about an Indian name or a Spanish name?

@AppleKatie

I think the Neve Nee-uv pronunciation is regional within Ireland so I don’t think it’s quite as simple as right and wrong..

You're absolutely right, many Irish people do say Neve rather than Nee-uv, especially in some regions. The Irish language pronunciation of the name is never Neve though, it's simply not how that combination of letters (Niamh) is said in modern Irish. I think the Neve pronunciation may have arisen because Ireland is predominately English speaking now, not Irish speaking.

@SeanChailleach

Do scríobh Fia Niamh captures the Tir na nog other wordliness but Neve just looks like a 3rd generation American took a crack at using an Irish name. For some reason all Niamh-like people I have met are sensible shoes type of women. The sort who is on the hockey team and organises the raffle. I suppose it does mean misty and cloudy and ethereal but it feels like a lovely solid hug however it's spelled.

The Niamh I know is absolutely not a sensible shoes type of woman. She is fantastic and really quirky!

I have an Aoife (DH’s whole family are Irish but he was born in England) and, after the initial pronunciation/spelling questions, people are fine with both.

I would 100% use Niamh as the spelling because it is correct and looks much better than Neve.

I prefer traditional spellings but you could run the risk of her getting called Ny-amm (as my mother thought it was pronounced)

Irish sources for Neve
Naomh/ naoimh
Néimh as original/alternate form of Niamh
Néimh as dative of Niamh

[quote XmasSadface]@MrsFin
Those arent names from cultures that have traditionally faced discrimination in a British context though.[/quote]
What, even the Welsh and Cornish ones on the list?!

I’m Irish and I have never heard anyone pronouncing Niamh as anything other than Neeve 😀 I think the Nee-uv thing is regional therefore.
I also think it’s nonsense to say it’s appropriation to call your child Niamh in the UK. Go for it!

Neve is just wrong. Like spelling Siobhan “Chevonne”. Keep the Niamh spelling. I know a little Niamh in London, people manage to pronounce her name just fine.

Xmassadface are you Irish??
Because I am and couldn’t care less if someone not from Ireland called their child an Irish name- that’s totally ridiculous!! By that logic no one in Ireland should call their child traditional English names, or French. Catch yourself on!

@XmasSadface

I love the name but it feels like appropriation

If we go down that route then all my kids have appropriated names. On my part it was a mark of appreciation and respect for other countries. Niamh is not so uncommon as to be a problem. It's much more likely spelling than Neve (I don't know any spelled this way) so you are likely to get some issues whichever you choose. And Niamh is much prettier.

Neve hurts my eyes

This
I mean, I'm not particularly fond of the name, but if you are going to use it, then at least spell it right.

@Gensola

I’m Irish and I have never heard anyone pronouncing Niamh as anything other than Neeve 😀 I think the Nee-uv thing is regional therefore. I also think it’s nonsense to say it’s appropriation to call your child Niamh in the UK. Go for it!

Anyone who has a basic grasp of Irish can see it's a two syllable word. So I will counter your statement by saying the 101 Niamhs I know are all nee-uv

and the nee-uvs i know are from all over.

I would go with Niamh.

If you like the look of Neve, you might consider Neva, it means snow in Spanish. Great for a winter baby! I know a lovely adult Neva who runs a language school in a ski resort! Very fitting.

Neve is also an Italian name meaning snow.
It's cognate with the Irish word.
I am coming round to Nimbo as a name though.

Anyone who has a basic grasp of Irish can see it's a two syllable word

Ach i nGaeilge bíonn focail dhá shiolla mar "scéal", "éan", a dheirtear mar aon siolla amháin ó gcanúint eile.

Shki-al / shkel
i-an / en

Déanaim go ndeirtear "jeefree" do "d'fhiafraigh".
Agus cad a dhuart i mo phost níos lú. Is ionann "Niamh"agus "néimh" agus mar sin

Niamh is not an unusual name in England. There were two in my daughters class so it was the most common name!

My daughter is Neve. Pronounced N-eve. It was my grandparents surname so I am pretty sure it is a real name.

Please do use the correct spelling.
I have an Eilidh and was incredulous for a school mum to tell me she'd heard her name and rather than asked the spelling named her baby Ayley!! The misspelled versions are just silly.
Most people are familiar with Gaelic/Irish names now.