Using an Irish baby name

[Peony123]

DH & I have chosen Aiofe for DC1 (if it turns out to be a girl).

I foolishly told my mother who is Irish. She really objects as the baby will only be 1/4 Irish and she thinks that having a name which can't be easily pronounced/spelt is a burden (this is her experience of having an Irish name).

DH's name is a mainstream Irish name and he likes it - he isn't at all Irish.

One of my friends is Irish and has a difficult to spell name but says go for it.

My experience of non-Irish people having Irish names has been as a teacher and they were disproportionately poorly behaved and I am not sure if there is a stereotype of them being chavvy (I am really not trying to offend anyone with this).

Obviously there are plenty of other nice names out there which we could pick from... Any thoughts?

I think it's a lovely name.

Even people who are named, for example, Shaun/Sean/Sion or similarly Katherine/Katharine/Kathryn have the requirement to spell their name.

We are thinking of a possibly difficult to spell/pronouce name for DC2 if a girl, and although I am concerned about this too slightly, I think it's much more important to have a beautiful name for a beautiful girl.

Well, my children are only 50% Irish but they have English names and nobody has objected!

I really don't think you need anybody's permission to use an Irish name. Ireland is geographically part of the British Isles and the two countries are obviously very linked. It doesn't seem on the same parr as choosing a German name for example! Even though there is perhaps not much logic to that. Hans for an English boy would make me wonder, but Sean wouldn't..

I do think it's sad that Irish names seem to be perceived negatively by Mumsnetters. I say mumsnetters rather than British people, as there is a difference here!

Perhaps you could use a name such as Roisin or Clodagh? Or Diarmuid for a boy. Clodagh and Diarmuid sound posh in Ireland lol! I don't think they are going to become mainstream in the UK anytime soon. Maybe that's the key to avoiding a name that other people might label chavvy? Choose a name that isn't mainstream in the UK. If it's mainstream then it has 'baggage' already. Choose something totally fresh. The down side of that is the spelling issue, but tbh, that's a problem anyway. I think Aoife and even Caoimhe might be about to become much more popular in the UK, and they might be perceived the way Conor and Calum are (very unfair and ridiculous imo). I have seen Liam described as the C word on this board, and Liam is a form of William!!

Good luck. You don't need anybody's permission to use the name you choose.

Sorry, you do know it's spelt Aoife?

Lovely name and one I think is becoming more recognisable in the UK too.

I didn't spot that!

What about Orla oP? much easier for people in the UK to spell.

I have a Niamh, my dad is Irish and as I have lost my Irish surname since marrying DH I wanted a name to reflect that side of our family. I have had nothing but compliments when people ask what she is called, and when asked how it is spelled, almost all have said 'good - the proper Irish way!'.

I have a straightforward, fairly common (in the 80's!) name but it has 2 mainstream spellings, plus a very unusual surname, so I always have to spell my name, just one of those things you get used to.

Aoife is a lovely name so if you like it, go for it. I don't think we should have to justify the reasons for choosing our DC's names to anyone.

Aine
Ciara
Aoife
Caoimhe

You're the one having the baby. Surely it's your choice.

I think that when your child asks you why they're called whatever you've called them, it's lovely to be able to say something like because I just loved tha name or some equally beautiful reason. Much better than because everyone agreed on it including your Grandma.

I do know how to spell and am for getting it wrong - perhaps my mum has a point if I didn't even spot that myself!

Despite being over 40, I still (very occasionally) misspell my name!

it's a lovely name . I'm Irish and have a difficult to spell/pronounce correctly first name. I live in the UK and have combatted the first name prob by marring someone with a even more difficult to pronouce surname of German origin!

Giggling a bit at your mum's comments. my mum decided she didn't want our names shortened as she wanted the full irish one used. My name is soooooooo easy to shorten! And she used to shorten it all the time. Irish mums!! (Of which I am one, before I'm flamed!!)

Sorry, didn't mean to make you feel !
And I don't usually correct peoples spellings on threads, just didn't want you to use the name but spell it wrong!
But seriously, your Mum had her chance to name her own children and I'm sure she had free reign to pick what she liked! I always think the best strategy is to pick the name and then keep schtum as there will always be somebody who will want to interfere!

Aoife's one of my favourite names for a girl. I wanted to call my second daughter that, but my wife felt it sounded too similar to our first daughter (Caoimhe). I live on the other side of the Irish Sea so I'm not sure how Irish names are perceived over in Britain, but in the multi-cultural society that Britain has become, I'm sure there's plenty of names that people might not know how to spell the first time they hear them.

Chipmonkey - excellent point about my mum having had her opportunity to pick baby names!

Ooops - cover blown - was using a different name in case my mother decided to have a look at MN (I wouldn't put it past her). I blame baby brain

If you like it, use it. DS's name means 'man from Sebeste' (which is in Greece), and he isn't.

Besides, if your mother is Irish then your children will be eligible to apply for an Irish passport, which makes them......Irish! (and it's cheaper than a British one.)

Alternatively, use it as a second name and give her a more boring user-friendly first name and when she's older she can use whichever one she wants.

And don't ever, ever discuss name choices with anyone! Don't even ask for suggestions. I did and seriously regretted it. It gives the world and his dog free rein to interfere.

Aoife is a beautiful name if you and dh love it of course use it!

I think Aoife is a beautiful name,its on our shortlist along with
Eimear
Orla
Meabh
Aoibhe

Already have a DD called Niamh and we only ever receive positive comments.
English names at the moment such as katie are very popular in Ireland!

I do think all this fuss about using an Irish name when you're not Irish is a bit really. I mean most names that we use today originated elsewhere... Biblical, Greek, French, the Vikings or whatever. If you like a name and are prepared to deal with spelling issues, it's fine imho.

I'm Irish and have an Irish name that many English people struggle with.. I have lots of conversations about it. Every single day. A lot. But I've got used to that now. And it makes them remember me more.

I can confirm that I am not a chav either.

Aoife is a beautiful name, I would have liked to use it but there is an Eva in the family.
I had the exact same thing with my parents. DH is Irish and they were aghast that we were going to give DD an Irish (and therefore obviously Catholic) name.
I have a Norwegian name with an Irish surname. Spelling nightmare but I manage!
I think it's just the general way with baby names that everyone thinks they can name your baby better than you.
If you like it, use it!

PuppyMonkey - I think one of my mum's objections is that chavs have taken over Irish names and that drowns out actual Irish people (who aren't chavs) with Irish names. I think her attitude is partly "bloody English people, coming over here, stealing our names".

How do you pronounce Caoimhe?

It's Kee-va

I was going always to use Aisling (I wrote a beautiful song called this) but then that girl on Big Brother spoilt it for me...
I'd always seen it as a dreamy, shimmery kind of name, not a brassy loud one!

Still might use Roisin...

in the north of ireland its pronounce kee-va, but in the rest of the country, and more commonly, its pronounced kwee-va. in fact not such an A sound, more 'kwee-ve'

aoife's a lovely name, go for it