Name News

I once dated someone who I realised had never heard my name said aloud before, when he introduced me to his friends for the first time as "Sineed". I was so mortified for him that I just rolled with it

A while back I posted about the baby name Siobhan, which was kicked off (in the U.S.) by Irish stage actress Siobhán McKenna in 1956. The curious part was that, in 1955, a handful of phonetic spellings of Siobhán — Shevawn, Shevon, etc. — popped up ahead of the traditional spelling.

Redmond Satran said part of the name's appeal is its soft, pretty sound, but because its pronunciation can be difficult for some, "I fully expect phonetized spellings like Seersha and Syrshah to spring up."
As for Lady Bird inspiring other new names, she says she can see the rise of Birdie happening in the near future. "I love the whole name theme of the film, how closely your name expresses your identity, how the name you choose for yourself signifies so many deep issues about...family and ambition and belonging," said Redmond Satran. She pointed out that Gerwig's mother's name is also Christine. "I think Lady Bird's acceptance of that name at the end is Greta Gerwig's way of making peace with her mother."

I love the Irish name Sadhbh. But I wonder if the traditional spelling might be difficult for most people to understand. I was wondering if the anglicized versions are ok to use? I've seen it spelled Saeve and Sive. I like both of those and I feel like the phonetic spelling will be easier. I am not Irish nor are any of my direct ancestors that I know of. Would this be offside?