Niav in Irish: Niamh

The Irish form of Niav is Niamh, a girl's name meaning “radiance, lustre, brightness.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.

Updated September 2026

How do you say Niav in Irish?

Niav in Irish is Niamh, pronounced NEE-iv. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. It can also be said NEEV.

What does Niamh mean?

Niamh means “radiance, lustre, brightness.” Niav is one of the English forms of the name.

Read more about Niamh: its meaning, origin and stories

How popular is Niav in Ireland?

Niav is rare in Ireland. Since 1964, fewer than three baby girls a year have been registered with the name, so it doesn't appear in the Central Statistics Office's baby name tables.

Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025 and its girls' names table.

Niamh in Ogham

Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Niamh, letter by letter.

Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator

Names that go with Niav

Questions about Niav

What is Niav in Irish?

The Irish form of Niav is Niamh, pronounced NEE-iv. Niamh means “radiance, lustre, brightness.”

How do you pronounce Niamh?

Niamh is pronounced NEE-iv. Two syllables, stress on the first. There's a short video above where you can hear it said.

Is Niav a girl's name or a boy's name?

Niav is a girl's name.

Is Niav a rare name?

Yes. Fewer than three girls a year are registered as Niav in Ireland, too few to appear in the Central Statistics Office's tables.