Not an English spelling, but ...

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-08-2007
Not an English spelling, but ...
15
Mon, 06-30-2008 - 3:53pm

Hello,

Although I already have some rather firm opinions on this, I'm interested in feedback from others about using a traditional, "foreign" spelling in the United States.

My husband and I love all things Irish. Our first child is Liam Patrick; we're now expecting a girl in 6 weeks, and one of the names we like is "Niamh" (pronounced "Neeve" and often adapted to "Neve" in the US). We do NOT like the spelling "Neve", but realize there are "issues" parents and the child might have to deal with, given that the traditional spelling would be confusing to most folks in US. We feel that can be overcome and that it would not be such an "unusual" thing, particularly since more and more US residents are from other countries and have beautiful names that are "difficult" for us Americans to recognize/pronounce at first.

In any case ... I'd welcome constructive, useful feedback, particularly if anyone has had experiences - positive or negative - with a "different" name spelling.

Thank you so much!
Trish

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Avatar for dr_kae
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 07-03-2008 - 3:20pm

Honestly, I think people can be taught. Yeah, most people will blunder it on the first try--but it WILL stick in their heads once they're corrected. As opposed to something that's just slightly off of ordinary...I'm Kristen, but some people will never get that it's not Christine. With Niamh, I really think they'll remember and work a little harder to get it right, because you're either right with this one or completely wrong--there's no "slightly wrong" option. I don't think it requires alteration. There are TONS of names used every day that are counterintuitive...Tina, with it's long e coming out of nowhere, Sean with no h, Stephen with its v sound...it's just that this one is uncommon.

But I really do believe that people can (by and large) be taught. It's not always easy and sometimes you get tired of it and just want to be Bob, but it's doable.




G2K Blinkie
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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-12-2008
Thu, 07-03-2008 - 4:43pm

I think you should go with the original Irish spelling.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-11-2005
Thu, 07-03-2008 - 7:23pm

This name is actually on my list, but only with the Niamh spelling, I just don't like the way it looks when people use the American phonetic spelling of it. I say go for it, a surprising number of people do know how it is pronounced, and once corrected most people will remember how to say it anyways.

My name is Sarah and I've had to correct people on how to say it (I have no clue how they didn't know) so it won't really bother me to correct people for such a beautiful correctly spelled name.











babies




Thank you for the sig Mary

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-21-2007
Fri, 07-04-2008 - 5:32pm
I will, however, add that even though using some Irish names scare me because of the spelling issues, I still say that if you're going to use an Irish name, use the Irish spelling. The phonetic spellings just look unsophisticated, unlike the original spellings.

Amber


mommy to Hazel and August


wife to Danel


Envy me

Amber

wife to Danel

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-1999
Sat, 07-05-2008 - 11:23pm

I love Niamh and I do think that people are becoming more familiar with it. It's beautiful.


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