Nevaeh

Nevaeh is a modern English name created by reversing the letters of “heaven.” That construction is the meaning behind the spelling; it is not an ancient Hebrew name or a word translated from another language. The reversal lets a family keep a connection with heaven in a form that looks and sounds different from the ordinary word.

The spelling matters to that idea: N-e-v-a-e-h reverses heaven exactly, while the similar-looking Neveah does not. English speakers commonly say nuh-VAY-uh, even though the pronunciation is not obvious from the letters alone. Singer Sonny Sandoval’s use of Nevaeh for his daughter is a familiar part of its modern story. Parents may value either the wordplay or its spiritual association.