See the results of this poll: Choose your favorite
Respondents: 80 (This poll is closed)
- Niamh Marguerite : 38 (48%)
- Gizelle Faustina : 11 (14%)
- Francine Anastazia : 24 (30%)
- Consuela Seraphina: 7 (9%)
I think it depends on where you live. In the US, [name]Niamh[/name] is not a common name and so I think most people would try to pronounce it as you would with English phonetics. So I do think there would be pronunciation issues, but it just depends on how important that is to you.
Nice choice! I think [name]Niamh[/name] is one of the more popular Irish names so stands a reasonable chance of being pronounced correctly. Having said that my husband has [name]Sean[/name] mispronounced surprisingly regularly given the fame of [name]Sean[/name] [name]Connery[/name]. People do learn how to say these names pretty fast, spelling them is another matter and my mother often substituted [name]Elizabeth[/name] for [name]Eilish[/name] at Starbucks etc. Eminently usable in my book.
I do think in the US you would run into A LOT of problems with people mispronouncing [name]Niamh[/name]. It may be one of the more popular Irish names, but it’s still far from popular here. I highly doubt the average person (who would not be into names!) would pronounce it correctly.
Of your names, I like [name]Francine[/name] [name]Anastazia[/name] the best, though I highly prefer [name]Anastazia[/name] with the normal second S, not the Z…
[name]Giselle[/name] [name]Faustina[/name] is really beautiful, but you HAVE to spell [name]Giselle[/name] with an S. The perennial problem with [name]Giselle[/name] is the first syllable sounding like jizz, and the Z reinforces that. Frankly it looks a little downmarket. [name]Faustina[/name] is really special.
[name]Francine[/name] [name]Anastasia[/name] is pretty, but again I would get rid of the Z.
[name]Consuela[/name] [name]Seraphina[/name] is way too long, and too many As.
I think all of these options are so, so much better than [name]Niamh[/name]. No problems pronouncing, spelling or appreciating any of them.
I went to school with a [name]Siobhan[/name] and I just meet another. I think it’s just one of those names people will stumble over but since the explanation is “it’s gaelic” I think people will warm to it quickly. I also think that because it’s uncommon (at least here in the US) it won’t be as confusing because there will be no other name that one thinks it should be.
I voted for [name]Niamh[/name] though I my second choice would have ben [name]Consuela[/name].
When I was in elementary school, there was a little [name]Niamh[/name] who always got her name pronounced wrong by the hot lunch ladies checking her off. She will have pronounciation problems. But I feel that it will not be as bad as, say, [name]Orfhlaith[/name] (prounounced [name]Orla[/name]). People will take a stab and say [name]Niam[/name] (like [name]Liam[/name] with an N), realize it’s wrong, and correct themselves.
That being said, I vote for [name]Francine[/name] [name]Anastazia[/name] because [name]Niamh[/name] [name]Marguerite[/name] and [name]Consuela[/name] [name]Seraphina[/name] rhyme, and [name]Gizelle[/name] [name]Faustina[/name] doesn’t flow as nicely.
I voted for [name]Francine[/name] [name]Anastasia[/name] (I also prefer the s). Out of your choices it give me a sense of today’s style.
[name]Niamh[/name] [name]Marguerite[/name] is pretty, but I think it could give a child a struggle with pronounciation. [name]Giselle[/name] [name]Faustina[/name] and [name]Consuela[/name] [name]Seraphina[/name] are nice, but sound more foreign and just not my style.
I have a name that was horribly hard to pronounce, even though it is a legit name. I would never give my child a name that wasn’t easily pronounced for this reason.
[name]Niamh[/name], while beautiful, will drive your daughter crazy. It makes me cringe when people I’ve known for years try to spell my name and butcher it. If you live in the US or Australia, I’d stay away from this as a first name unless you go with the phonetic Neeve/[name]Neve[/name]/[name]Nieve[/name].
All very beautiful names. I find the one that is truly exquisite to be [name]Francine[/name] [name]Anastazia[/name]. [name]Niamh[/name] [name]Marguerite[/name] is also beautiful, but I agree, if you’re in the US it could be difficult through the years for a child to have such a difficult name to pronounce.
I think [name]Marguerite[/name] [name]Niamh[/name] would be the best option for you. [name]Marguerite[/name] seems to fit your naming style more than [name]Niamh[/name] (which looks very odd in comparison to your other names). Using [name]Marguerite[/name] as a first name would also avoid any confusion on pronunciation that may come with [name]Niamh[/name]. Plus [name]Marguerite[/name] [name]Niamh[/name] has a really beautiful (almost ethereal-esque) overall sound that [name]Niamh[/name] [name]Marguerite[/name] does not. It sounds rather magical [name]IMO[/name].
I’m gonna keep it real right now: unless you want to suck all the class, elegance, and beauty out of the names you’ve chosen, you’ve got to get rid of those z’s.
Oh, and unless you live in Ireland, give up on Niamh. Unless you want your daughter to spend her whole life hearing people say “NIGH-am? NEE-am?”
You could always spell [name]Niamh[/name] as [name]Neve[/name] or Neeve. I prefer the neve spelling. i know a girl named [name]Neve[/name] who’s mum heard it in [name]Ireland[/name] loved it but though [name]Niamh[/name] might be too hard so spelt it [name]Neve[/name].
P.s I’m in Australia and I know a [name]Niamh[/name] and everyone pronounces that correctly most the time. I have a common name and people can’t seen to work it out.
I think I would probably keep [name]Niamh[/name] as a middle name - distinctive from all the Roses and Graces as MNs, the same one-syllable flow, and not tripped on by strangers every day forever like a FN.
I adore [name]Marguerite[/name] and would consider moving it up front.
I love [name]Giselle[/name] but hate [name]Gizelle[/name], which looks like a mix-up of [name]Giselle[/name] and [name]Grizelda[/name].
I can stand [name]Anastasia[/name] but not [name]Anastazia[/name].
I get liking z’s - I love z’s myself actually - but only where they actually go. There’s plenty of distinctive “correct z’s” - [name]Kezia[/name], [name]Beatriz[/name], [name]Zuzana[/name], [name]Raziela[/name], [name]Zephirine[/name], [name]Zakia[/name]…?
[name]Giselle[/name] [name]Faustina[/name] wins my vote. (Yes, I prefer the S spelling), [name]Faustina[/name] is really beautiful and rare.
Second choice is [name]Niamh[/name] [name]Marguerite[/name]. I love it, pretty combo.
[name]Francine[/name] [name]Anastazia[/name] is also great, but I havve to say no to [name]Consuela[/name] [name]Seraphina[/name].
I agree with blade and c@29, there’s something really special about [name]Giselle[/name] [name]Faustina[/name] (without the z)
I agree. I voted for [name]Francine[/name], but now I am rethinking due to the nickname possibilities - [name]Fran[/name] and [name]Frannie[/name], which I don’t care for.
Yep. [name]Even[/name] as a self certified name addict, I still get thrown for a loop whenever I see an Irish name. I KNOW how they’re supposed to be pronounced but I still WANT to say them phonetically.
I don’t like [name]Frannie[/name] but I find [name]Francie[/name] kinda charming.
I consider myself pretty well-versed in names (albeit, not Irish names) but I had no idea how to pronounce [name]Niamh[/name] until I saw others spell is out phonetically. Once I realised how it was pronounced, I really like it! But in the states, I think you’re going to have real problems with pronunciation. Like someone before me mentioned, when people still can’t pronounce [name]Sean[/name] correctly, I think [name]Niamh[/name] would be constantly butchered. And no one really likes having to correct people all the time. Have you thought of a more anglicized version liek Neeve or [name]Neve[/name] or [name]Nieve[/name]??? I really do like the sound of it - just not hte spelling! Your other choices are nice too - but like many have said before me, I would lose the 'z’s…