Which one is your favourite?

[caitlinrose]

These are names I've been thinking about this week. The ones with stars are names I'm considering adding to the list for our baby. Comments on the names are appreciated and also let me know which one's your favourite:

Niamh* - the one I know says it neev but the internet says nee-ev is possible too
Sophie* - husband likes this but I knew so many growing up
Summer
Alexine*
Sarah - husband likes but I have the same problem as with Sophie just that I know even more

Also, as a middle name would you prefer Aisling or Niamh? We especially love the meanings of these two but the sound as well.

Summer was a favourite of mine as a teenager and I just thought of it again this week. I still think it's nice but don't think I'd choose it (especially because my favourite season is actually not Summer). But sometimes I get nostalgic about kitschy combinations like Summer Rose (which I wanted to use for ages) or Summer Storm.

Sarah needs a resurgence. Otherwise Niamh.

Sophie or Niamh pronounced Neev

Niamh - I've only heard it pronounced Neev. Most people I know know how to say it.

Sophie - I like it but it's popularity would put me off

Summer - like

Alexine - never heard it before but I like it. Also like Andrine.

Sarah - love.

Sarah Alexine for me!

I think Niamh is a lovely name! Everyone knows how to pronounce it now. I think the other way to pronounce is just for people who have an Irish lilt in their accent.

I couldn't imagine being an adult called Summer.

Sophie. But much prefer Sophia. I don't like the others.

I'm Irish and Niamh is always Nee-uv where I am OP. As others have said the second syllable is soft. I think Nee-uv is less an Irish accent thing and more an Irish language thing. By which I mean, Niamh is never pronounced Neeve in the Irish language, but most of Ireland speaks English now so the pronunciation Neeve is used in some areas here. Neeve is not an Irish language pronunciation though, whereas Nee-uv is.

www.forvo.com/word/niamh

There's some other pretty versions of Sarah. Sara is very classic. Or Saira or sarai maybe.

Thank you!

Would you say it's wrong to say neev? Or is it acceptable? I'm not sure if I could get the nuances in nee-uv right, unfortunately.

I like Summer Aisling, Sarah Niamh and Sophie Niamh.

My personal opinion is that I would go ahead with the Neeve pronunciation (if that's the name you choose) in the awareness that the pronunciation is a somewhat modified/anglicised one. Lots of people in Ireland do use that pronunciation, especially in certain areas. And lots of Irish names have been anglicised, either in the spelling or pronunciation or both, so it's certainly not unusual.