Monday, May 16, 2011

Neveah and Friends

The name Nevaeh, or "heaven" spelled backwards has been popular since the early 2000's when Christian rocker Sonny Sandoval of the band P.O.D. gave it to his daughter. The whole point of the name seems to be that the name is "heaven" backwards. Otherwise, why the weird spelling? People aren't entirely sure how to pronounce it-- some say /nev EYE ah/, some say /nev AY ah/ and I've even heard /neh VAY/ and /neh VYE/ (I think the most common pronunciation is /nev EYE ah/.

Anyway, like most name trends, this one has spawned a number of spin-offs, alternate spellings and the like. What's funny is that there's only one way to spell "heaven." Thus, all these other names spell something else backwards. Let's take a look at some of them that appeared in the USA in 2010. Some are a bit strange, but I guess they're still better than Lleh or Yrotagrup. Actually, Obmil might be kinda cute.

Spin-offs:
Nevah = Haven (not too bad)
Evaeh = Heave (lol)
Nevaehtnes (there were 5 of these born in 2010)-- I'm assuming it's a form of "heaven sent." However, if you spell the whole thing backwards, it's "sent heaven."
Nevaen = Neaven
Nevaehmarie = I know this is kind of cheating on my part, since it's just Nevaeh + Marie, but still. Backwards it's Eiram heaven.
Kevaeh = Heavek
Levaeh = Heavel
Devaeh = Heaved (Seriously?)
Jevaeh = Heavej
Sevaeh = Heaves
Zevaeh = Heavez

Alt spellings (number given in 2010):

Neveah (295) = Haeven
Navaeh (101) = Heavan
Nevaeha (86) = Aheaven
Naveah (74) = Haevan
Navya (73) = Ayvan
Nevayah (30) = Hayaven
Navia (25) = Aivan (sounds a bit bird-like)
Naveyah (24) = Hayevan
Navaya (23) = Ayavan
Neviah (21) = Haiven
Nevaya (20) = Ayaven
Naviah (19) = Haivan
Navayah (19) = Hayavan Hay, a van! (ok, spelled wrong but still)
Navea (18) = Aevan
Neveyah (15) = Hayeven
Naviyah (15) = Hayivan Hay Ivan!
Naveya (14) = Ayevan
Nevea (9) = Aeven
Naviya (9) = Ayivan
Neviyah (7) = Hayiven
Neveaha (6) = Ahaeven- aha! Even!
Nevaha (6) = Ahaven
Neveya (6) = Ayeven
Navaeha (5) = Aheavan

So there you have it. In addition to those heavenly names, there were 979 girls named just "Heaven" (and 35 Heavyns).

There were 117 Heavenlys, 26 Heavenlees, 14 Heavenleighs, and 7 girls named Heavenli.
33 girls got the more vague name of Paradise.