Niamh Advice (Mispronunciation Fears)

I wanted to hear some opinions - I have loved the name [name_f]Niamh[/name_f] for a while. I think its is so pretty and also not very common here in the US, so it would be unique for a future daughter (something I value). However, I am positive it is going to be horribly mispronounced by most people who come across it. Its pronounced like [name_m]Neev[/name_m], and there are anglicized spellings like [name_f]Neve[/name_f] or [name_f]Nieve[/name_f], but I am just so in love with the original spelling! On the other hand, I have personal experience with my name being mispronounced frequently in my childhood- its [name_f]Gillian[/name_f], pronounced like [name_f]Jillian[/name_f], but I frequently got [name_f]Gillian[/name_f] with a hard G- which ultimately wasn’t a big deal. As a kid it bothered me sometimes, but I was overall proud of my name and how it made me feel different/unique, and the spelling of my name was often a good conversation starter. But I wonder if not all kids with hard to pronounce names would feel this way- especially since mispronouncing my name is a pretty easy fix, whereas the ways [name_f]Niamh[/name_f] could be butchered are various and sometimes severe lol.
So I guess my question is, if you knew your child’s name would be frequently mispronounced but you loved the name, would you still choose it? why/why not?

I probably wouldn’t, having a name that is oft mistaken for two or three other names. But as the world expands and especially if you announce it along with her birth, I don’t think it would be a huge issue at least at first.

No, since I know it would be annoying to me. I also wouldn’t want a name that sounds so close to [name_f]Eve[/name_f] since [name_f]Eve[/name_f] is much more well known.

I actually doubt it would bug the child very much though! They might love having a unique name.

I wouldn’t just because it’s such a departure from the actual pronunciation. You’ll probably still have mispronounciation with [name_f]Neve[/name_f] though too so i maybe wouldn’t spell it [name_f]Neve[/name_f] “to avoid confusion”

i would still choose it. i actually have a dear friend named niamh, and she loves her name, because of the meaning it holds for her family. is it mispronounced often? sure, but it takes about one second to correct that, and usually people get it then! niamh is gorgeous. if you love it, use it! 🪻

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[name_f]Every[/name_f] time I see this name I am reminded how Nameberry taught me and some others in my family the pronunciation. [name_f]My[/name_f] hubby has a cousin who married a girl with this name. Up until Nameberry we all thought this name was pronounced like the word “name”.

I would go with it in its beautiful original spelling. I named my eldest daughter a pretty classic name but with a phonetic spelling to make it easier to say and everyone still gets it wrong so you won’t necessarily win trying to make it easier for people. I also asked my sister what she thought would she use an original spelling as she has a welsh name and even though it’s not long or complicated it’s always mispronounced and she said she liked her name dispite having to correct people constantly. If you love it go for it!

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I’d go for it personally. People are so much more adventurous with names they pick now that a lot of names would be unheard of to others and therefore be mispronounced or misspelled. You can’t really win unless you go with a really common, popular name. So go with what you love. I wouldn’t let it stop me.

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