Spelling: Traditional or Not...?

:sparkles: Traditional: [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] .VS. Anglicised: [name_f]Keva[/name_f] :sparkles:

Which do you prefer?? Why is that so??

I’m usually a traditionalist (example: I will always go for [name_f]Niamh[/name_f] over [name_f]Neve[/name_f] / Neev), but with this one is the original pronunciation / spelling just too hard?? Also, I quite like how [name_f]Keva[/name_f] looks as opposed to [name_f]Neve[/name_f] / Neev, which is don’t think is attractive. On the other hand, I much prefer longer names to shorter ones, and the traditional spelling has the bonus of lengthening the name out.

Curious to your thoughts, berries. :blush::blush: If you don’t like Irish names, that’s cool, but it’s part of my heritage so I’m partial to them. :heart:

I love Irish names. I am often open to Anglicized spellings, but in this case, for some reason, I really prefer [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f]. [name_f]Keva[/name_f] feels like a different name to me, even though I don’t think that about [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] and [name_f]Neve[/name_f].

2 Likes

[name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] was the fourth (difficult) Irish name that I learned (years ago) to pronounce correctly (after [name_f]Niamh[/name_f], [name_f]Aisling[/name_f] and [name_f]Saoirse[/name_f]). It is beautiful, somewhat playful and carries the magic from [name_f]Ireland[/name_f].
When I see [name_f]Keva[/name_f], I don’t think about [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f]. I would think something like “that’s [name_f]Eva[/name_f] who begins with a K”. (And kiwis (birds) comes to mind, too! That’s funny.)

But I do have the same with [name_f]Niamh[/name_f] and [name_f]Neve[/name_f]. I see them two unrelated, even when I know that [name_f]Neve[/name_f] can and is used as Anglicized spelling from [name_f]Niamh[/name_f]. I just think about it as a nn for [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] or related to [name_f]Nieve[/name_f] (snow).

3 Likes

@mirais That’s a really interesting point. I guess it could seem odd and disconnected from the original. The more I think about it, the more I lean towards the traditional spelling. I mentioned it to hubby, and he prefers [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] too.
That [name_f]Keva[/name_f] makes you think of Kiwis is so funny lol

2 Likes

I much prefer the traditional spelling. [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] just looks gentler than [name_f]Keva[/name_f], though it would certainly require a lot of patience with people who would struggle with the spelling and pronunciation.

3 Likes

I remember someone once saying “there are no difficult names, only unfamiliar names that need to be practiced”. I’ve always liked that. No name is too hard if people are willing to learn. :blush: I have all the patience if it means calling our child a name we really love haha. :grin:

2 Likes

Oh, I really like that! Very true. Using the name you love is most important, regardless of anything else, including spelling/pronunciation issues. :slight_smile:

1 Like

Personally, I would advise against the Irish spelling unless you live in [name_f]Ireland[/name_f], or an area with a lot of Irish people. I went to school with a guy names [name_u]Naoise[/name_u] (nee-shuh) and he hates how noone ever knows how to spell or pronounce it, and it usually takes several attempts to learn it as it is quote difficult for Engish speakers. [name_f]Niamh[/name_f], on the other than, is not that unheard of, but [name_f]Keva[/name_f] I have never heard of, so would recommend the anglicised spelling as it would make life easier.

1 Like

I like [name_f]Keva[/name_f] better, since it is so much simpler and more intuitive (for people in the States/UK).

1 Like

I think that the traditional spelling adds to the beauty of the name. In this case especially, I’m one hundred percent for [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f]. [name_f]Keva[/name_f] (like some other posters have said) feels like a different name to me!

2 Likes

I prefer [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] and i think with the increased awareness of [name_f]Niamh[/name_f] and [name_f]Saoirse[/name_f], i dont think it wouls be unwearable.

If not [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f], then I like [name_u]Keeva[/name_u] better than [name_f]Keva[/name_f]

3 Likes

I agree with this one! I do prefer [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] though. :slight_smile:

3 Likes

I agree with @Greyblue and @leafsgirl44 - I prefer [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] and then [name_u]Keeva[/name_u]. I grew up in an area of the US with strong Irish roots and knew girls that went by both [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] and [name_u]Keeva[/name_u]. [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] always had to correct teachers, but I think it can work with the right amount of patience.

2 Likes

I very much prefer the traditional spelling, as a find that the anglicised form just has the name lose its great magic and whimsy. [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] is so beautifully ‘mystical, gentle, old-world sorcery’ to me, while [name_f]Keva[/name_f] feels sharper and much more modern. I generally prefer that timeworn style, to a modern one myself.

Personally, I have long thought on [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] as an honour for my beloved father [name_m]Kevin[/name_m] (and paired with that imagery above), though I do question it often for me as though I do have some Irish heritage, it is a fairly long way back in my tree. It would most definitely be butchered in regard to pronunciation, unfortunately, so for me it is one I’d only consider for a middle. That said, if you do just adore it, I feel that ultimately, if people can learn to say and spell Beethoven & Tchaikovsky, they can learn to properly appreciate [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f].

3 Likes

[name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] is definitely much more challenging to spell and pronounce, but honestly, I feel like [name_f]Keva[/name_f] just takes so much of the magic out of it. This is partly because I’m mildly synesthetic, so [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] and [name_f]Keva[/name_f] feel like very different names to me even though the pronunciation is the same.

To let my synesthesia brain run wild for a minute -
[name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] feels longer, rounder, and more open, and gives me images of snow, cave entrances, sacred wells, a mouth making an O shape, and circular pools of water reflecting tree branches.
[name_f]Keva[/name_f] feels much shorter, sharper, and more modern, and gives me images of angular skyscrapers, black coffee, thick black lines across white canvas, and the sharp sound of stilettos on a tile floor.

2 Likes

Oh how I love your brain! That was beautiful, and quite accurate when I think about it deeply. Thank you for sharing. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

2 Likes

I feel like the traditional spelling should definitely be on the birth certificate - it’s where the magic of the name is in my eyes.

However, I don’t see why someone couldn’t introduce themselves as “[name_f]Keva[/name_f]” almost as a nn or when in Starbucks, signing off an email etc when there isn’t a chance to explain how the name should be pronounced.

Also, speaking as a teacher, most of the systems schools use allow for a preferred/ phonetic spelling of the name to be displayed alongside or instead of the birth name on the school system so there’s no reason why a child these days should have to go through school having their name butchered by every new teacher they get!

2 Likes

I was actually thinking about this, and I think it’s a great and useful option. I do this myself - I use “[name_f]Kara[/name_f]” when ordering food, making reservations, etc even though it’s not “technically” my name because it’s stops the “err, how do you spell that” drama.

2 Likes

I prefer [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f], but I’m not sure I would recommend it unless you live in [name_f]Ireland[/name_f] or in an area that has a high proportion of Irish immigrants. I’ve spoken to Irish people who immigrated to other countries and had a lot of issues with people not knowing how to pronounce their names or calling them by the wrong name. I myself like many unusual [name_u]French[/name_u] and Italian names like Azélie and [name_f]Letizia[/name_f], but I’m not sure I would ever use them in the UK because of pronunciation issues. Personally, I just wouldn’t want my child to have to correct people endlessly on how their name is supposed to be pronounced.

I think if authentic Irish names like Sinéad and Siobhán are well-known in your area, then [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f] would probably be fine. If Irish names are pretty much unknown where you live, then I would recommend [name_f]Keva[/name_f].

1 Like

I adore [name_f]Caoimhe[/name_f], it’s by far one of my favorite Irish names! I agree with others that it feels different than [name_f]Keva[/name_f], and not quite as nice.
As someone with a non-intuitive Gaelic name, I can tell you that if you do go with the traditional spelling you will be in for a fair bit of explaining on how to pronounce and spell her name, but that’s never really been something that bothered me. It’s honestly kind of fun to hear how people who have never seen my name before try and figure out how to say it :laughing:

2 Likes