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Baby names

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

Ayveen or Aiveen? - Irish name

46 replies

bellarosabella · 03/02/2023 07:46

I met a girl named Aiveen or Ayveen yesterday. She's Irish and said it was an Irish name. It sounded like ay-veen.

I'm probably not spelling it right, sorry about that. I didn't ask about the spelling.

Does anyone know how it's spelt correctly? Is it popular in Ireland?

Do you like it and which spelling would you pick?

Thanks.

OP posts:
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Slimjimtobe · 03/02/2023 07:47

Ay - veen is quite popular but that’s not how is spelt

aiobheen

Allytheapple · 03/02/2023 07:48

Yes Aoibhinn or Aoibheann. It is actually Eveen but it gets pronounced as aveen a lot.

Slimjimtobe · 03/02/2023 07:48

This is how it is spelt

Aoibhín
it’s very pretty

Allytheapple · 03/02/2023 07:49

And yes it is popular.

bellarosabella · 03/02/2023 07:57

Allytheapple · 03/02/2023 07:48

Yes Aoibhinn or Aoibheann. It is actually Eveen but it gets pronounced as aveen a lot.

So there are two pronunciations? Is there one that is more historically correct? Just curious.

I quite like ay-veen.

OP posts:
sorrynotathome · 03/02/2023 07:59

If you want a specific pronunciation you will need to spell it that way, otherwise how on earth will people know?

mikado1 · 03/02/2023 08:00

I would say Aoibh is Eve sound... is it Ayv sound in other dialects? Aoibhín is beautiful tho, Eve-een. I know an Aiveen, in a family if Irish names but at the time her parents thought the anglicised spelling was easier.

mikado1 · 03/02/2023 08:01

I would say Aoibh is Eve sound... is it Ayv sound in other dialects? Aoibhín is beautiful tho, Eve-een. I know an Aiveen, in a family if Irish names but at the time her parents thought the anglicised spelling was easier.

Totalwasteofpaper · 03/02/2023 08:01

Lovely lovely name.

I've seen a few diff spellings. I think whether you want the fada is a factor
I prefer it but its sometimes hard to type and fadas are not really recognised by brits in general which is a bit annoying. Despite that...

Aoibhín imy100% my fave spelling followed by Aoibheann.

The "Aoi" is def an e sound like "Aoife"
I actually think Eveen sounds nicer than aveen.

BuffaloCauliflower · 03/02/2023 08:02

I’ve got a friend with this name. It’s Aoibheann, pronounced Ayveen

Allytheapple · 03/02/2023 08:27

There really isn’t two pronunciations of Aoibh it is Eve but the bar definitely has two pronunciations. Where I come from Aoibhinn is almost always pronounced A as in abc Aveen.

Allytheapple · 03/02/2023 08:27

The name not the bar

JenniferBarkley · 03/02/2023 14:30

<weeps>

Aoibheann is Even, Aoibhínn is eeveen, but both are frequently mispronounced (particularly in NI) as ayveen.

mikado1 · 03/02/2023 15:45

JenniferBarkley · 03/02/2023 14:30

<weeps>

Aoibheann is Even, Aoibhínn is eeveen, but both are frequently mispronounced (particularly in NI) as ayveen.

Yep, have same pronunciation here (Munster) but also yes people say Ay!

mathanxiety · 03/02/2023 15:55

The correct pronunciation is approximately 'Eevan'.

That AOI combination should always be pronounced EE (the long E sound), as in Taoiseach.

However, in some Irish accents, a long E sound in English is pronounced as a long A sound, and this happens in Irish too. I have cousins in a particular part of the SE with similar names - think Caoilfhionn pronounced Kay-lin. It makes my teeth itch. However they also pronounce English words like beagle with a long A sound.

mikado1 · 03/02/2023 16:09

Isn't the Caoil error probably because of the caol root, at least? Maybe not. I've only heard it as Key-lin anyway. Gorgeous name and beautiful spelling.

Rowen32 · 03/02/2023 16:12

Yes, echoing what Jennifer says - the problem with the name/spelling is that it is mispronounced even by Irish people in Ireland so it isn't 'ay' at all..

Pseudonamed · 03/02/2023 16:13

Very popular here and I thought it was a dialect thing as pronounced differently in say Dublin compared to Offaly.

Maryquitecontrary55 · 05/02/2023 10:48

I have an Aoibheann in my class and she likes it pronounced Ayveen. East of Ireland that's how it tends to be pronounced.

mikado1 · 05/02/2023 21:40

I'd have to grit my teeth with that one! 😆

I've put fadas on Seáns in reports, tho they don't have a fada. I know I probably shouldn't but....!

JenniferBarkley · 05/02/2023 22:18

mikado1 · 05/02/2023 21:40

I'd have to grit my teeth with that one! 😆

I've put fadas on Seáns in reports, tho they don't have a fada. I know I probably shouldn't but....!

I like to point out to my FIL that when he leaves it off his name means old Grin

mikado1 · 05/02/2023 22:20

JenniferBarkley · 05/02/2023 22:18

I like to point out to my FIL that when he leaves it off his name means old Grin

Exactly! 😆 I can't in good faith leave it out!

TheDuchessOfMN · 06/02/2023 20:57

Are you considering it, OP?

I really wouldn’t, not when Irish people can’t even get it right. It is a beautiful name, and it is indeed very popular here.

A little off topic, but for anyone who’s fluent, am I incorrectly pronouncing uimhir a naoi (number 9) as nay? Should it be nee? 🤔

JenniferBarkley · 06/02/2023 21:17

I always said nee Duchess, but I'm far from a native speaker.

TheDuchessOfMN · 06/02/2023 21:20

Yes @JenniferBarkley I think it should be nee! Blush