Noa/Niamh

[Randomname1234]

Noa and Niamh are my two favourite girls names. They are the only ones I absolutely love (and I’ve looked at so many names, so many times).

My concern about Noa is the popularity of the boys name Noah. When a name is really, really popular it sort of puts me off anyway but I’m also wondering whether she would would find it annoying having a name that is confused for a boys name? Is Noa getting more popular as a girls name anyway? Would love to hear from other people who have a Noa what their experience has been! It’s just such a beautiful, perfect name to me.

Another option would be to use the girls name Elinoa, with Noa as a nickname. But Elinoa is basically unheard of in the UK (O think?) and I don’t want it to seem like she has a ‘made up’ name. I think it’s lovely though and would go well with our surname.

The other name I love is Niamh. But I have no Irish connections and therefore it doesn’t feel quite right to use an Irish name. Also concerned about people not knowing the spelling.

There are other names I quite like but I don’t love them in the same way.

Any thoughts/experiences appreciated.

I love Noa for a girl, but I understand the concern. I'd probably use it anyway, I think it's lovely!

Niamh is okay - I'd spell Neve. Not a personal favourite though.

You can spell Niamh differently if you don't want people to jump on the Irish spelling, but I know a few girls called Niamh and it isn't a big problem.

Personally I would avoid Noa because the male version is so popular. What about Nova or Nora?

Niamh is fine, and the spelling is well known. Definitely don’t spell it Neve.
I am less keen on Noa. It’s not as known as Niamh, but is becoming more so, and I think Rachel Riley has a Noa. People will muddle it with Noah and that would be annoying to me.

We have a baby Noa in the family, I quite like it but most people were confused as just thought Noah was a boys name.

Noa (for girls) is pretty common in the Jewish community here in North London. If you named your little girl Noa, I would assume you were Jewish.

Similarly I would probably guess Irish ancestry if you used Niamh.

Does any of this matter? Not really.

I know a very cute baby Noa - I think both names are gorgeous and you can’t go wrong!

Dont spell it Neve. I know three girls with that spelling and they all pronounce it Ne-ve, which is a completely different name.

There is a female singer called Noa. I like Elinoa, it's beautiful.

Ultimately, call your child whatever appeals to you. It's your gift to her, and you should follow your instinct.

Good luck!

Noa is a beautiful Israeli name. Niamh is a beautiful Irish name. Depends if either of those bother you. I adore Noa, it’s the prettiest name, Rachel Riley does have a Noa as does that girl Kate who was in big brother but Rachel is Jewish and Kate’s partner is Israeli. But as I say, that doesn’t really matter just does reflect the little girls backgrounds

Niamh is okay - I'd spell Neve. Not a personal favourite though.
Ugh! Why would you bastardise the beautiful Gaelic spelling?!?

Noa is beautiful and feminine!

I don't like the look or sound of Niamh at all

Just pick the name you love :) who cares about what others think / difficulty spelling pronouncing

i have an aisling in the uk and people always think I say Ashley - when it’s randoms in the playground I just leave it and let them use Ashley - but anyone we see regularly I correct them once and then it’s never a problem again.

I'd say the vast majority know how to spell Niamh these days to be honest. It was really popular at one point and a lovely name.

I have a daughter called Brodie and, here in Scotland, it is a really popular boy's name. It is obvious a unisex name but far more popular with boys. I didn't think it would annoy me so much but people constantly assume she's a boy (mostly on phone calls etc). I think you should be OK with noa as it's at least a different spelling from the male version. Also, my advice would be to give her a really feminine middle name, therefore when people see her full name written down, they wont presume male.

I really like them both. We almost used Noa for our second but it ended up not really suiting her!

I'd agree with keeping the spelling niamh, and a more feminine middle name for Noa

Don't spell Niamh as Neeve, that's not a name and absolutely butchers it.

It's like spelling Julie as Jooly

I know several baby Noas (well, on instagram) - so my take is that it's very trendy, while Niamh is more classic. Perhaps in part due to the popularity of Noah for boys, but it's definitely on the up for girls. The older ones I know irl are all Jewish, as a pp said. If you're not worried about trendiness I'd use it.

I would share your slight discomfort of using Niamh without any Irish connections though, however it's probably silly and posters on MN love to say cultural appropriation doesn't exist.

They are both shooting up in popularity, if that bothers you. I don’t think not being Jewish/Irish is an issue because of this, and I think people are getting used to the spelling of Niamh

I like Noa a bit better personally, but the popularity thing, and mix up with the boys name would put me off.

Either is fine. Or for less popular options:

Naomi - I’d really consider this
Naima (Hindi I think)
Nadia
Natalia
Nimue (Arthurian)
Niniane (ditto)

Oona or Orla might work also?

I don’t think people on mumsnet would say cultural appropriation doesn’t exist - people often comment on it - but both these names have moved into the UK mainstream now, so for most people it wouldn’t now apply.

But I don’t understand why you’d worry about the cultural appropriation of Niamh and not Noa?

If you love them then go for it. Both are lovely names. Just out of interest, do you like Nia at all?

I have a Niamh. We've had no issues with spelling - 95% of people know it. I have a few foreign colleagues who asked initially, but obviously it's simple to remember.

It was in the top 100 for a while, but isnt now.

We have no regrets at all in choosing this beautiful name.

Noa is a lovely name

I've heard of Noa as a girl's name in Spain. I've never thought of it as being a Jewish name before, but perhaps in the UK it is mainly used by the Jewish community.

I've never encountered Elinoa before, ever.

I don't live in England but Niamh is very common in the Irish community so I'd expect a lot of people to be familiar with it.

Another option is the Welsh Nia.

Love Noa! But as it's a fairly obscure biblical name, I'd assume you were Christian or Jewish.

Niamh is nice but I know a couple so less excited by it than I used to be.

Noa will have a lifetime of explaining she is not a he and, no, it's not spelled Noah.
Don't inflict this on your child

Both names will have their mini challenges. People not having heard of Noa as a girls' name and people not having the first clue how Niamh is pronounced. Flip a coin, Noa being heads and Niamh being tails, and see if you feel disappointed where it lands.

I'm Irish and find Niamh a bit boring, the way an English person might regard Sarah or Sophie. So I'd probably go for Noa.