Neve
Meaning of Neve
Neve, pronounced NEEV, is the streamlined Anglo-American rendering of the Old Irish Niamh, a word denoting “radiance” or “brightness” and immortalized in medieval lore through Niamh Cinn Óir—“Niamh of the Golden Hair”—who guides the hero Oisín to the eternal realm of Tír na nÓg; by coincidence, its graphic form also echoes the Italian and Spanish term for “snow,” lending the name an additional, cool connotation in modern usage. This convergence of Celtic mythology and pan-European imagery aided Neve’s quiet migration from Ireland to wider English-speaking circles during the late twentieth century, a movement further amplified by the sustained public profile of actress Neve Campbell. In the United States the name has maintained a steady, if restrained, presence—typically ranking between the mid-800s and low-900s over the past three decades—suggesting a pattern of selective adoption among parents who value both heritage and brevity. With its single, soft syllable, absence of surplus letters, and capacity to signify both ancient luminosity and contemporary minimalism, Neve offers a concise yet culturally textured choice for a daughter.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as NEEV (/ni:v/)
Irish Gaelic
- Pronunced as NEEV (/nʲeːvʲ/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Neve
| Neve Campbell - |
| Neve McIntosh - |
