So, for the longest time I had been reading the name [name]Maeve[/name] as [name]Meave[/name] and thought it was pronounced “Meeve” and couldn’t understand why so many people on the forums loved it, but now I know!
I have really fallen in love with the name and history behind it. The only problem? We have a one syllable last name. What is the common consensus here? Is it a mistake to use a one syllable first and last name? Our last name is [name]Nguyen[/name] pronounced [name]Win[/name]. [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Nguyen[/name]. Does it sound horrible? I am pretty lucky in that a lot of the longer names sound fabulous with our last name because of how short and easy it is, aside from names like [name]Gwendolyn[/name] and [name]Imogen[/name] which just don’t work. But I really love this name! Please give me your opinion- I am getting pretty discouraged
I’m sure others may disagree but to me, it doesn’t sound bad at all! In fact I really like it. And it gives you room to play around with the middle and use a frilly 3 or 4 syllable name like [name]Arabella[/name], or a lovely long classic like [name]Elizabeth[/name] or even two middles like [name]Imogen[/name] [name]Adele[/name] or something!
I know people with 2 one syllable names and I don’t think it matters. In fact I know a little baby (an ex coworkers baby) called [name]Eve[/name] and their last name is 1 syllable too.
Good luck! [name]Do[/name] you have any middle names in mind?
The pairing of the one-syllable names doesn’t bother me as much as the strong cross-cultural element. [name]Maeve[/name] is so Irish and [name]Nguyen[/name] so characteristically Vietnamese. I think if you are both Irish and Vietnamese this could be a great pairing; if not, perhaps too powerfully at odds? But this is one of those controversial naming issues many might disagree with, and [name]Kevin[/name] and [name]Ryan[/name] are among the most popular names for [name]Asian[/name]-American boys.
Thanks for the reply. I love your suggestion of [name]Arabella[/name]- I think that is the style of middle name I would go for to make up for the short first and last name if I decide to go through with it. However we can’t use a name that starts with A or E because we want to avoid the initials [name]MAN[/name] or MEN
As far as it being an Irish first name with a Vietnamese last name- that is not something we are concerned about. We would rather use a name we both love than feel like we have to stick to a Vietnamese first name we don’t really like for the sake of it being Vietnamese. In any case, she will only be half Vietnamese and no one on his side of the family (all Vietnamese-American) have a Vietnamese name so she will fit in just fine
But does anyone else have an opinion on the whole one syllable first name and last name situation?
Sometimes one syllable first names with one syllable last names can sound choppy. For example, an announcer on our local radio station is [name]Bob[/name] [name]Bach[/name]. It sounds silly to me. [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Nguyen[/name], on the other hand has a smoother flow to it, in my mind. It’s not an alliteration and when you change the shape of your mouth to go from the “v” sound at the end of [name]Maeve[/name] to the “w” sound at the beginning of [name]Nguyen[/name], it think it creates enough of a pause to avoid the choppy sound. I actually think it’s quite pretty.
Thanks for the reply. I love your suggestion of [name]Arabella[/name]- I think that is the style of middle name I would go for to make up for the short first and last name if I decide to go through with it. However we can’t use a name that starts with A or E because we want to avoid the initials [name]MAN[/name] or MEN
As far as it being an Irish first name with a Vietnamese last name- that is not something we are concerned about. We would rather use a name we both love than feel like we have to stick to a Vietnamese first name we don’t really like for the sake of it being Vietnamese. In any case, she will only be half Vietnamese and no one on his side of the family (all Vietnamese-American) have a Vietnamese name so she will fit in just fine
But does anyone else have an opinion on the whole one syllable first name and last name situation?[/quote]
Oooo good point about the initials! I really like [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Mirabella[/name] actually but I didn’t suggets it because I think people are generally either very pro or very against alliteration in names!
And I don’t think the clash of cultures is a big deal either - I’m a big fan of clashing cultures in names actually, I think it’s a sign of how global our society has become that people of all different cultures are sharing and using each others names. My favourite names come from so many different countries and I never worry if they sound “off” with my partners typical Welsh last name!
My first reaction when I viewed your name choice of [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Nguyen[/name] was what an odd pairing (Irish-Vietnamese). Then I said the name out loud a couple of times (MEHV [name]WIN[/name]) and began to like it. I always thought that [name]Nguyen[/name] was pronounced “new-win” and even this website states this pronunciation. Well, you learn something new everyday! If you really love this name, go for it! I agree with the other posters that you should choose a longer middle name.
I actually like some Vietnamese names (Anh, Hanh, [name]Mai[/name], [name]Tam[/name], T(h)ao, Thuy) but they don’t have very many syllables, do they? Best wishes to you.
I love [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Josephine[/name]! [name]Josephine[/name] is a family name as well so that would be perfect!
That is funny about the [name]Nguyen[/name] pronunciation- I saw when I clicked on [name]Nguyen[/name] link on nameberry that they had that new-win pronunciation which I have never heard. I have never met any Vietnamese person that didn’t pronounce it as “win” and [name]Nguyen[/name] is like the [name]Smith[/name] or [name]Jones[/name] of Vietnam. So, I had to look it up!
Here is what it says on wiki "The correct Vietnamese pronunciation is [??j???n] ( listen), pronounced as one syllable. [?] is the velar nasal found at the end of the English word “sing”. Unlike Vietnamese, this consonant is never found in initial position in English. [w] is the glide found in the English word “quick”. [j??] is a rising diphthong. The sound of this diphthong is close (but not identical) to the word “yum” or the diphthong /??/ found in British English Received Pronunciation in the word “beer”. Finally, [n] is the same sound as in English.
The pronunciation of Nguy?n is commonly approximated by English speakers as “win”,[1][2] “wen”, or sometimes “nuwen”.[citation needed] Writers familiar with the “win” approximation have created puns from the pronunciation."
So I guess they are both right ! I suppose since the correct Vietnamese pronunciation is only one syllable, the more commonly used pronunciation is “win”- at least here in the south. The senator [name]Nguyen[/name] pronounces it as win as did the college football played Dat [name]Nguyen[/name]. We learn something new everyday!
I also saw this on the wiki that [name]Nguyen[/name] “is the most common Vietnamese family name. By some estimates, approximately 40 percent of Vietnamese have this surname.” WOW! :o Didn’t realize it was THAT common!
But back to the name! I am glad people seem to think it flows nicely. I was worried they mashed together too much. I had never seen the name [name]Maeve[/name] before so I didn’t know it was that distinctly Irish until you guys mentioned it so maybe I should reconsider it with our last name? I don’t know- now I am stressing about that!
My daughter has a one syllable first and last name and I like it. I agree with other posters it depends on the name as it can sound choppy. [name]Love[/name] the name!
Interesting. I like [name]Nguyen[/name] pronounced as “win” so I’ll do that in the future. [name]Don[/name]'t stress yourself out about [name]Maeve[/name]. It is very Irish but most people are a mixture of cultures anyway, don’t you think? Intermarriage between cultures and races will only increase so loads of people will have names that are pretty diverse in nature. In the name book, Beyond [name]Ava[/name] and [name]Aidan[/name], there is a section called “Mixed-Marriage Names”. Here are some the choices.
[name]Abigail[/name]
[name]Alice[/name]
[name]Anya[/name]
[name]Audrey[/name]
[name]Beatrice[/name]
[name]Celia[/name]
[name]Charlotte[/name]
[name]Chloe[/name]
[name]Claire[/name] (love this name)
[name]Daisy[/name] ([name]Daisy[/name] [name]Nguyen[/name] sounds kind of cool)
[name]Dinah[/name]
[name]Edie[/name]
[name]Eleanor[/name]
[name]Emma[/name]
[name]Eve[/name]
[name]Frances[/name] (love it)
[name]Hannah[/name]
[name]Helena[/name]
[name]Jessica[/name]
[name]Judith[/name]
[name]Julia[/name]
[name]Laila[/name]
[name]Laurel[/name]
[name]Leah[/name]
[name]Leila[/name]
[name]Lila[/name]
[name]Lily[/name]
[name]Lydia[/name]
[name]Mabel[/name] (alternative to [name]Maeve[/name]?)
[name]Macy[/name]
[name]Mae[/name]
[name]Margo[/name]
[name]Marina[/name]
[name]Maya[/name]
[name]Pauline[/name]
[name]Pearl[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Ramona[/name] (love it)
[name]Rochelle[/name]
[name]Romy[/name]
[name]Rowena[/name]
[name]Sela[/name]
[name]Sophie[/name]
[name]Stella[/name]
[name]Stephanie[/name]
[name]Susanna[/name]
[name]Sylvia[/name]
[name]Willa[/name]
[name]Zoe[/name]
I don’t think it sounds bad, actually. Neither name is harsh and they aren’t hard to say together. Also, the middle sound of [name]Maeve[/name] is actually quite long compared to some other one syllable names - for example, the IH sound in [name]Bryn[/name] makes the name quick, so something like [name]Bryn[/name] [name]Smith[/name] sort of makes you stumble from name to name. [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Nguyen[/name] is different, short but not abrupt, and I think the two names actually look really nice side by side (especially as [name]Nguyen[/name] is long on paper). In my opinion the two different name ethnicities are fun side by side, too, and it doesn’t sound incongruous or bizarre to me.
[name]Maeve[/name] is beautiful, and I really hope that you go with it - good luck!
[name]Auburn[/name]
Thanks for the name suggestions! You guys are awesome. Some of my favorites were on that list
I guess the one last hurdle is whether or not the name goes with some of our other favorite girl names. We love [name]Helena[/name], [name]Ursula[/name] (I know a lot of people aren’t going to like this one!) [name]Hermione[/name], [name]Xanthe[/name], [name]Daphne[/name], [name]Calista[/name]. I guess our style is quirky Greek? I dunno!
My favorite is probably [name]Helena[/name] pronounced Heh-[name]LEN[/name]-ah and [name]Hermione[/name] but I know I have to choose just one because I am not too fond of matching first name letters. What do you guys think? The first name is always so important because for name obsessed people like us it determines what kind of “sib set” we are going to have!
My favorite off that extras list was [name]Helena[/name], but I guess I could perhaps see [name]Maeve[/name] with [name]Daphne[/name] or [name]Calista[/name]. [name]Maeve[/name] is quite Irish, and your other favorites appear to be Greek. Maybe you had some Latin ones in there? I don’t remember.
Oh, other poster, I loved the suggestion of [name]Anya[/name]. [name]Anya[/name] [name]Nguyen[/name] is beautiful! [name]Anya[/name] is such a fun name…
Ok, this is a little embarrassing but before I joined nameberry I had never heard of the name [name]Maeve[/name]. And I’m a name nerd! So i would guess that a lot of “normal” people have never heard of it either. And therefore, don’t think of it as extremely Irish. I don’t think of it as extremely Irish, even though I know it is. I think [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Nguyen[/name] flows really nicely. Sometimes two one syllable names are great together and sometimes their awful, I think this is a case of the former.
I went to school with quite a few people whose last name was [name]Nguyen[/name] and they all said it New-en at school, but they pronounced it [name]Win[/name] at home because their parents spoke Vietnamese properly, but they didn’t like to hassle with correcting the pronunciation at school all the time. There were very few Vietnamese kids at my school though and I have a feeling that’s why they just let people say New-en. When I went to college there were tons of Nguyens and every single one that I met pronounced it [name]Win[/name].
Yeah, that is my story exactly! I had never heard the name [name]Maeve[/name] so I didn’t see it as Irish.
I guess the sibset thing is going to be the deciding factor because we both really love the name but don’t know where it would fit. Am I the only one who has several different sets of sib sets? I know that sounds strange but my taste in names are all over the place! I can’t decide which of these kinds of sibsets I want to use! For instance :
I have the Greek sibset of [name]Hermione[/name], [name]Calista[/name], [name]Helena[/name], [name]Ursula[/name], [name]Xanthe[/name]
I also have a more “classic” sibset I love of [name]Augusta[/name], [name]Rosemary[/name], [name]Philippa[/name]
Then there is the more unusual/elegant sibset [name]Evangeline[/name], [name]Anastasia[/name], [name]Genevieve[/name] and [name]Adelaide[/name].
You know what I mean? Which one of these sets of sibsets do you like best?
My favs are [name]Helena[/name] and [name]Ursula[/name] with [name]Daphne[/name] coming in third. [name]Hermione[/name], [name]Xanthe[/name] and [name]Calista[/name] are ok. Yes, it appears you do like quirky Greek names so let’s see what else is out there.
Greek/Latin
[name]Agatha[/name] (I’m one of the few people who love this vintage name)
Aglaia
[name]Alethea[/name]
[name]Anastasia[/name]
[name]Anthea[/name]
[name]Ariadne[/name]
[name]Artemisia[/name]
Aspasia
[name]Asta[/name]
[name]Athena[/name]
[name]Calliope[/name]
[name]Calypso[/name]
[name]Cassandra[/name]
[name]Charis[/name] (KAHR-is)
[name]Clio[/name] (love it)
[name]Chloris[/name]
[name]Cosima[/name]
[name]Cynthia[/name]
[name]Damaris[/name]
[name]Delphi[/name]
[name]Electra[/name]
[name]Eleni[/name]
[name]Euphemia[/name]
[name]Evadne[/name]
[name]Evangeline[/name]
[name]Eugenia[/name]
[name]Galatea[/name]
[name]Hero[/name]
[name]Ianthe[/name]
[name]Ione[/name]
[name]Irene[/name] (some people in [name]England[/name] pronoune it with three syllables: eye-ree-nee)
[name]Jocasta[/name]
[name]Junia[/name]
[name]Juno[/name] (love it)
[name]Justina[/name]
[name]Lalage[/name]
[name]Leda[/name]
[name]Lucia[/name]
[name]Marina[/name]
[name]Melania[/name]
[name]Nerissa[/name]
[name]Pandora[/name]
[name]Parthenia[/name]
[name]Pelagia[/name]
[name]Phaidra[/name]
[name]Selina[/name]
[name]Sybil[/name]
[name]Sophia[/name]
[name]Theodora[/name]
[name]Thecla[/name]
[name]Theodosia[/name]
[name]Thisbe[/name]
[name]Thetis[/name]
Tryphena
[name]Valentina[/name]
[name]Vanessa[/name]
[name]Viridis[/name]
[name]Sanchia[/name]
[name]Arcadia[/name]
[name]Candida[/name]
[name]Aurelia[/name]
[name]Estella[/name]
[name]Gala[/name]
[name]Laetitia[/name]
[name]Olimpia[/name]
[name]Regina[/name]
Alcina
[name]Alpha[/name]
[name]Anemone[/name]
[name]Angelica[/name]
[name]Atalanta[/name]
Castalia
[name]Cecilia[/name]
[name]Celeste[/name] (love it)
[name]Charmian[/name]
[name]Circe[/name] (one of my fav mythological names)
[name]Cliantha[/name]
[name]Cordelia[/name]
[name]Cornelia[/name]
[name]Cressida[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Demetria[/name]
[name]Desdemona[/name]
[name]Dido[/name]
[name]Dorothea[/name]
Dysis
[name]Echo[/name]
[name]Eulalia[/name]
Eudocia
[name]Flavia[/name]
[name]Flora[/name]
[name]Gaia[/name]
[name]Haidee[/name] (love it)
[name]Hebe[/name]
[name]Horatia[/name]
[name]Isadora[/name]
[name]Lavinia[/name]
[name]Larissa[/name]
[name]Leandra[/name]
[name]Macaria[/name]
[name]Niobe[/name]
[name]Odessa[/name]
[name]Ophelia[/name]
[name]Penelope[/name]
[name]Perdita[/name]
[name]Persephone[/name]
[name]Sabrina[/name]
[name]Sophronia[/name]
Thais
[name]Thalia[/name]
[name]Thalassa[/name]
[name]Xenia[/name]
[name]Zenobia[/name]
[name]Zinaida[/name]
I think that some of the names from your sibsets can be paired together. For example, [name]Helena[/name], [name]Ursula[/name], [name]Augusta[/name], [name]Phillipa[/name] and [name]Anastasia[/name] could be sisters. Try not to put names in a little box as it will reduce your choices and also will drive you crazy.
I love [name]Maeve[/name]. I think [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Nguyen[/name] is fine, since neither name is choppy or harsh, rather smooth and flowy. I think [name]Maeve[/name] is wonderful with the other names on your list, especially [name]Helena[/name] and [name]Calista[/name].
I had a math teacher with the last name [name]Nguyen[/name]. He told us it was pronounced ‘win’ but no one could fathom that pronunciation out of the spelling, and he was Mr. New-yin for the whole year.
I love [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Nguyen[/name]! I completely agree with the other posters that both names are smooth and flowy, so it doesn’t sound choppy or abbreviated at all.
