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Baby names

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Original poster

Niamh/Neve

33 replies

boodleboot · 07/04/2010 14:57

DH has suggested this name and i actually really like it....he doesn't normally suggest names bless him, but some of my latest suggestions have prompted him to declare that we are naming a child and not a cocktail so i have agreed to be more realistic...

We have an irish surname but neither of us are irish....I would like to go with Niamh as think it is far nicer so i guess my question would be a) what does one think of this name and b) can a non irish person 'get away' with the irish spelling?

Surname is Minahan.

TIA

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ShinyAndNew · 07/04/2010 15:03

I really like it and I have non irish niece named Niamh. No one raises any eyebrows. Most people get the spelling right afaik.

BunnyLebowski · 07/04/2010 15:05

Niamh is beautiful and of course you can get away with it. With an Irish surname it will sound great.

Neve is not a name. Please don't.

scoutliam · 07/04/2010 15:11

Go for it it's lovely, but agree with Bunny re Neve and beg of you not to.

Neve is for the illiterate and americans

palacemonkey · 07/04/2010 15:17

A friend of a friend in Australia is called Niamh - except it's pronounced Niyam (like it's spelt!). Apparently her parents thought it looked pretty without hearing how it's pronounced!

BunnyLebowski · 07/04/2010 15:18

at palacemonkey's idiot friend of friend.

GAH

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 07/04/2010 15:19

I love Niamh, but it fails my "if the child will spend its life having to explain how its spelt..." test. That said, I'd have thought that in England it's not so uncommon as to be met with "...an M? Are you sure?" reaction. So I'd go for it.

muggglewump · 07/04/2010 15:22

I have a Niamh and I'm English, DD born and brought up in Scotland and her father is Australian, I picked it purposely to confuse her further

People do often ask how to spell/pronounce it and comment they've never heard it but I don't think it's that unusual really though in 8 years we've never met another.

boardbunny · 07/04/2010 15:42

I have a Niamh, get loads of comments about what a lovely name it is although obviously I'm biased as well! My dad is Irish but DH and me aren't and noone has commented on it. It does go lovely with your surname.

Please don't go down the 'Neve' route, she would still have to end up spelling it for people so she might as well have the proper name to begin with.

CurlyCasper · 07/04/2010 16:59

AFAIC Neve is pronounced Nev (like short for Neville/rhymes with Bev) It is a variation of Neva, which is latin for "snow".

Niamh is a separate name which means "brightness" or "beauty" and is pronounced Neev. You can get away with it. It is widely enough known and beautiful to boot. Go for it!

BillieJackson · 07/04/2010 17:01

Niamh is lovely and I think you are right to opt for the original spelling. Much prettier. Minahan sounds very Irish . Are you sure you haven't got some Irish roots?

mathanxiety · 07/04/2010 17:31

Niamh is lovely, poetic name and becoming more widely known, so I don't think there will be endless explanations of spelling and pronunciation. I think the original/correct spelling is the one to use too, even if you feel you're poaching the name.

< at Niyam>

muggglewump · 07/04/2010 18:07

DD got a Christmas card addressed to 'knife' last year, and one of the parents had written it, the kids pretty much always get it right now but they are in P4 so have had a few years to get used to it.

My Irish doctor always comments on it and how I spelt it correctly, he thinks Neve is a silly spelling.

Original poster
boodleboot · 07/04/2010 18:17

NIYAM...omg that is really funny....in a non judgemental way of course palacemoneky

billiejackson - i have asked DH and apparently his fathers father was Irish and married a welsh lass and moved to Wales where DH's dad was born...but DH is adopted so really we have noooo irish in us at all....{or none that we know of...}

but we won't let a little thing like that stop us eh...

brightness and beauty is a wonderful meaning....

do you know i am actually going to keep this name a secret from RL so that noone can put me off it....THATS how serious i am....

OP posts:
agalchchangedhername · 07/04/2010 18:20

I have a Niamh and we are not Irish.

Neve isn't as nice as the proper spelling!!

janeite · 07/04/2010 18:28

Love Niamh / detest Neve.

stleger · 07/04/2010 23:04

I have a customer in work (I'm in Ireland) whose surname in Minehan. (Yes, there are variations in spelling). My boss tries to correct her pronunciation of her own name. Good luck with baby Niamh!

Clary · 07/04/2010 23:09

Naimh is totally fine. Please please not Neve.

IMO Niamh is just a mainstream name by now, no need for Irish connection if you like the name.

Anyone who freaks at the spelling/can't pronounce it is just ignorant. I am amazed that people are still getting that reaction - Niamh Cusack was in top telly show Heartbeat for years!

I know at least 3 of primary age so it's hardly wacky.

Niamh Minahan sounds great actually.

Frizbe · 07/04/2010 23:14

Neve/Nieve is the spanish for snow.

Rockbird · 08/04/2010 08:52

Yes please spell it Niamh. I think it's common enough here now not to cause problems. And it sounds lovely with the surname.

bronze · 08/04/2010 08:54

Love Niamh

I have the welsh version (slightly different) but it makes me biased

5DollarShake · 08/04/2010 10:19

Niamh is a lovely name, and is one of those country-specifc names that have managed to cross-over into mainstream, e.g. Isabelle/a, Chloe, Penelope, etc, etc. I mean, no-one would expect an Isobel to be Scottish or a Helen to be Greek - would they?

muminthemiddle · 08/04/2010 10:21

I agree go with Niamh.

confusedfirsttimemum · 08/04/2010 10:48

There were 950 Niamh's in 2008 in England and Wales. It's not an 'out there' name that no one can say or spell. Go for it, with the proper spelling.

Neve as a spelling only had about 450 occurances. So actually, spelling it Neve is more likely to end up with people getting it wrong.

Have I convinced you?

skidoodly · 08/04/2010 10:53

Niamh has become much more popular in England recently so I don't think too many people will struggle with the spelling/pronunciation.

My cousin is in her 40s and was always being called nee-am or quizzed about spelling.

If you call her Niamh Minahan people will assume an Irish connection though

skidoodly · 08/04/2010 10:57

Curly is right about Neve - separate name

To bastardise the Simpsons - it is both spelled and pronounced differently

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