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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Aoife in England?

86 replies

Confusedaboutnames · 08/10/2022 19:23

What do you think about using the name Aoife in England? Have you heard of it/ would you know how to pronounce it?

My partners family are Irish and we love the name, but I’m just worried it will be forever misspelt and mispronounced?

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caitlinrose · 08/10/2022 20:43

Oh and I know that Aoife is ee-fa and Eva is ee-va but I still think that people who aren't familiar with Aoife will still hear it as Eva or assume Eva simply because it's more common and the difference in sound isn't huge. I have a friend called Livia and people still always hear Olivia.

dizzydizzydizzy · 08/10/2022 20:44

I've heard of it before but no idea how to
Pronounce it.

Scautish · 08/10/2022 20:46

KirstenBlest · 08/10/2022 20:37

@Scautish and @sandytooth , this isn't relevant to the OP.

My point was that it will get misspelled and some people won't know how to say it.
At no point have I suggested that OP names her DD something easy for English people to spell.

They may not know how to pronounce it the first time they see it. But they can be told and learn.

I work with many people who have non-English names. I learn to pronounce them and if I get it wrong then I apologise and try to remember the next time. The onus is on me to learn, not in them to have an easy name.

it’s not a big ask at all.

Snugglemonkey · 08/10/2022 20:47

I would just go with it OP. Aoife is a beautiful name and people will both pronounce it and spell it properly once they learn it. My son has a traditional Gaelic name and it is grand. I am pregnant and going with either Caoimhe, Méabh or Sadhbh. I am sure people will be grand with them too once they become familiar.

BreatheAndFocus · 08/10/2022 20:51

It’s a pretty name - it was on my list but DH fussed a bit about it so we didn’t use it. I think it’s become more common since then, and once people know the pronunciation it’s not hard so won’t be an issue. The spelling is no more difficult than, say, Ieuan. Yes, needs a bit of thought to start with, but so do names like Steven (v or ph?), Jonathan (or is it Johnathon) or Katherine/Catherine/Kathryn.

sandytooth · 08/10/2022 20:58

It won't cause issues. the first time people encounter the name they might get it wrong. But that's really not an issue.

Ifiwasabird · 08/10/2022 21:00

There's an Aoifa in my Dad's class (she's 6) and there's never been a problem with pronunciation or spelling from the other kids or their parents.

sandytooth · 08/10/2022 21:02

Scautish · 08/10/2022 20:46

They may not know how to pronounce it the first time they see it. But they can be told and learn.

I work with many people who have non-English names. I learn to pronounce them and if I get it wrong then I apologise and try to remember the next time. The onus is on me to learn, not in them to have an easy name.

it’s not a big ask at all.

Show quote history

Yes!

PS. I know 1 OP. Beautiful name. Go for it.

lljkk · 08/10/2022 21:03

I am not British but lived here a long time...

If not for reading this name on MN I would never have heard of it.
I think it's said like Eva (Ayy vuh) and if I wanted it to be said like Ayy-vuh I would spell the name Eva (because I speak Spanish). I don't mind the EEE-vuh pronunciation & wouldn't be fussed if people did say EEEvuh instead of Ayyvuh.

Am fairly certain that very English adult DC & DH would have no clue whatsoever about how to say Aoife "correctly" People do get used to names, obviously, however they are spelled & said.

sandytooth · 08/10/2022 21:04

lljkk · 08/10/2022 21:03

I am not British but lived here a long time...

If not for reading this name on MN I would never have heard of it.
I think it's said like Eva (Ayy vuh) and if I wanted it to be said like Ayy-vuh I would spell the name Eva (because I speak Spanish). I don't mind the EEE-vuh pronunciation & wouldn't be fussed if people did say EEEvuh instead of Ayyvuh.

Am fairly certain that very English adult DC & DH would have no clue whatsoever about how to say Aoife "correctly" People do get used to names, obviously, however they are spelled & said.

It's not

JenniferWooley · 08/10/2022 21:09

It was on our list for DS had he been a girl and as much as it's a recognisable Irish name these days I still think it's not widely known how to pronounce it.

I used to do brownies, saw the name written down in the register so going down the list:

Amy - here
Lucy - here
Eeee-fuh - little voice pipes up "my name is pronounced Eee-vie" had to refrain from pulling the mum aside at pick up

If people using the name can't pronounce it what hope do other people have.

eltonjohnsglasses · 08/10/2022 21:12

no, people don't generally like being corrected. If I get someone's name wrong, I feel foolish when they correct me.

I'd say that's on you. I don't expect everyone to know how to say or spell my name or expect to know how to spell everyone else's name. I'm not going to give myself 100 lashes over it! Would you feel foolish for spelling Claire as Clare?

Some names have sounds that you might not be able to say if you don't speak that language

so what?

rainbowandglitter · 08/10/2022 21:12

I've never heard of it and wouldn't know how to pronounce it. Obviously I'd remember after being told how to pronounce it.

Scautish · 08/10/2022 21:22

rainbowandglitter · 08/10/2022 21:12

I've never heard of it and wouldn't know how to pronounce it. Obviously I'd remember after being told how to pronounce it.

^I think this sums it up most succinctly.

Mammed · 08/10/2022 21:25

We're Catholic (northern England) and at DD's school Aoife and Caoimhe are one of the most common names for girls.
Most people would easily know how to pronounce it.

inheritanceshiteagain · 08/10/2022 21:41

Know an English one. No issues

gretr · 08/10/2022 21:43

I have a very British surname. It’s not common, there aren’t many of us. It often pronounced wrongly. I just correct them, it’s doesn’t feel odd, nobody has been offended. It’s worse when they call my first name a nickname I don’t use - that’s just rude! Do people here not encounter people from different backgrounds? I work in an industry where people have very long surnames, first names with accents on letters that are not commonly pronounced. You just ask!! Surely people here are not that self centred?

WonderWoop · 08/10/2022 21:50

It's a beautiful name, why wouldn't you?!

I'm considering Tadhg for DS, due next year...

ellieboolou · 08/10/2022 21:51

My friend called her dd it, didn't have a clue how to pronounce it when she text me, I thought she'd misspelt Alfie, I find it a bit of an ugly name tbh but obviously my opinion

allboysherebutme · 08/10/2022 21:52

I love it. X

AnonymousArmadillo · 08/10/2022 21:57

This is my DD’s name and people have been fine with it. Occasionally, they pronounce it wrong but it only takes someone giving the correct pronunciation for them to get it.

CaffiSaliMali · 08/10/2022 22:07

I went to school with a Caoimhe and a Saoirse in about as little England an area as you can get. People managed to learn the names pretty quickly.

I'm not remotely Irish and know how to pronounce Aoife. It's quite well used in London I think. Never met one but know of a few.

It's a lovely name OP and (most) people will soon learn.

Kirsten is right though - IME some people are very rude about what they deem to be unusual names. I have a Welsh name and have had a few 'oh I'll never manage that, I'll call you X instead' and a few 'eurgh, what is that? comments. The worst are the ones who insist I should have been called 'something nice and English'.

Most people aren't like that - I'd say the majority are very complimentary and my name is a good ice breaker as I usually get asked about it but it is something to be aware of. I still have a ton of Welsh names on my list so it hasn't put me off at all!

hattie43 · 08/10/2022 22:18

I can say it but not spell it . It's one of the pronounceable Irish names but only because I know one .

JenniferBarkley · 08/10/2022 22:27

But I would avoid it at the moment, to be honest.

Eva, Eve, Evie, Evelyn, Ava, Ada are all very common right now and an Aoife will not stand out at all and always be confused with Eva.

Absolutely this. It's a lovely name in itself, but there has been a long trend of names as above (and the Ellie/Ella/Elles) that all sort of blur together for me. There's plenty of lovely Irish names to choose from.

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 08/10/2022 23:07

Before reading this thread I would have said it was a safe bet but having seen the number of posters who have confidently stated that they know exactly how to pronounce Aoife and then given a completely incorrect pronunciation… Eath-err?!?

I concur with the pp who have said that it gets muddled with Eva. It does, especially when called across a busy classroom or playground.