Neice or Niece: Which Spelling Is Correct?

If you are wondering whether neice or niece is the correct spelling, the answer is simple: niece is correct. Neice is a common misspelling.

The word niece refers to the daughter of your brother or sister. It can also refer to the daughter of your spouse’s brother or sister. The spelling is the same in standard American and British English.

The confusion usually comes from the unusual vowel order. It is easy to remember the word incorrectly as neice, but the correct spelling is N-I-E-C-E.

Whether you are writing an email, school assignment, family message, resume, article, or social media post, niece is the form you should use.

Neice or Niece? (Quick Answer)

Niece is the correct spelling.

Neice is a common spelling mistake and is not the standard spelling of the family relationship.

Correct examples

• My niece is visiting us this weekend.
• I bought a birthday gift for my niece.
• My sister’s daughter is my niece.
• Her niece lives nearby.

Incorrect example

• My neice is visiting us this weekend.

The corrected version is:

My niece is visiting us this weekend.

If you only need the answer, remember this:

NIEce = correct
NEIce = incorrect

What Does Niece Mean?

A niece is the daughter of your brother or sister. The word can also refer to the daughter of your husband’s or wife’s brother or sister.

For example, if your brother has a daughter, she is your niece. If your sister has a daughter, she is also your niece.

Simple Family Examples

Consider these relationships:

• Your brother’s daughter → your niece
• Your sister’s daughter → your niece
• Your brother’s son → your nephew
• Your sister’s son → your nephew

So, if someone asks, “What do I call my sister’s daughter?” the answer is niece.

Niece in Everyday English

The word is commonly used in family conversations and ordinary writing:

My niece is starting school this year.

I am taking my niece to the park.

My niece loves reading.

We are visiting our niece this weekend.

I have one niece and two nephews.

These examples show that niece works naturally as a regular noun.

Why Do People Spell Niece as “Neice”?

The spelling neice is understandable because the vowel order can be confusing.

When people hear the word pronounced, they cannot see whether the middle letters should be ie or ei. Since English contains many words with different vowel patterns, it is easy to write the letters in the wrong order.

The standard spelling is:

N-I-E-C-E

The incorrect version is:

N-E-I-C-E

A simple way to remember it is to focus on the beginning:

NIEce

rather than:

NEIce

You do not need to apply a complicated spelling rule. Simply remember that niece uses ie.

Neice vs Niece: What’s the Difference?

There is no difference in meaning between the two forms because neice is not the standard spelling of the word.

If you see neice in a message, comment, or informal piece of writing, the writer most likely means niece.

Correct

My niece is coming over tonight.

Incorrect

My neice is coming over tonight.

For standard English, professional writing, schoolwork, and published content, use niece.

How Do You Pronounce Niece?

Niece is pronounced like “neese.”

Cambridge gives the pronunciation as /niːs/ in both UK and US English.

The pronunciation can be thought of as similar to:

• niece
• peace
• piece

These words have different meanings and spellings, but they have a similar ending sound.

Is “Neice” Pronounced Differently?

No. Neice is a misspelling rather than a standard alternative form, so it does not have a separate standard pronunciation.

When you mean the daughter of your brother or sister, say niece, pronounced like “neese.”

Is Niece American or British English?

Niece is standard in both American and British English.

Unlike some words that have different regional spellings, such as color and colour, there is no normal American-versus-British spelling change from niece to another form.

The pronunciation is also listed as /niːs/ in both UK and US English by Cambridge.

So whether your audience is in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or another English-speaking region, niece is the standard spelling.

Niece, Nieces, Niece’s, or Nieces’?

These four forms can look similar, but they serve different grammatical purposes.

Niece

Niece is the singular form. Use it when you are talking about one person.

My niece is eight years old.

I bought my niece a book.

Nieces

Nieces is the plural form. Use it when you are talking about two or more nieces.

I have two nieces.

My nieces love visiting us.

Notice that you do not need an apostrophe just to make niece plural.

Niece’s

Niece’s is the singular possessive form. Use it when something belongs to one niece.

My niece’s backpack is on the chair.

I borrowed my niece’s book.

The apostrophe followed by s shows possession by one niece.

Nieces’

Nieces’ is the plural possessive form. Use it when something belongs to more than one niece.

My nieces’ backpacks are in the hallway.

We attended both of my nieces’ performances.

Quick Comparison

This distinction is especially useful when writing emails, family histories, school assignments, or other formal text.

Niece vs Nephew: What’s the Difference?

Niece and nephew are both family terms, but they refer to different relationships.

A niece is the daughter of your brother or sister.

A nephew is the son of your brother or sister.

For example:

My brother’s daughter is my niece.

My sister’s son is my nephew.

So if you are trying to choose between niece and nephew, think about whether you are referring to a daughter or son.

Niece vs Cousin: What’s the Difference?

A niece and a cousin are different family relationships.

Generally, your brother’s or sister’s daughter is your niece, while your aunt’s or uncle’s child is your cousin.

For example:

My sister’s daughter is my niece.

My aunt’s daughter is my cousin.

Knowing the difference can help you describe family relationships accurately.

How to Use Niece in a Sentence

Seeing the word in different contexts can make both its spelling and meaning easier to remember.

Family sentences

• My niece lives in Boston.
• My sister’s daughter is my niece.
• I have one niece and two nephews.
• My niece visits us every summer.

Birthday sentences

• We are planning a party for my niece.
• I bought my niece a birthday present.
• My niece’s birthday is next week.

School sentences

• My niece started school this year.
• My niece enjoys science.
• I helped my niece with her homework.

Everyday conversation

• Have you met my niece?
• My niece called me yesterday.
• We are taking our niece to the museum.
• My nieces are coming for dinner.

These examples also show the difference between niece, nieces, and niece’s in natural sentences.

Common Mistakes With Niece

Knowing the correct spelling is only part of using the word correctly. There are a few related mistakes worth watching for.

Mistake 1: Writing “Neice”

Incorrect:

My neice is visiting tomorrow.

Correct:

My niece is visiting tomorrow.

The vowel order is ie, not ei.

Mistake 2: Using an Apostrophe for the Plural

Incorrect:

I have two niece’s.

Correct:

I have two nieces.

An apostrophe is not normally used simply to make a noun plural.

Mistake 3: Confusing “Niece” and “Nephew”

Incorrect:

My brother’s daughter is my nephew.

Correct:

My brother’s daughter is my niece.

A niece is female; a nephew is male.

Mistake 4: Confusing “Nieces” and “Nieces’”

Nieces means more than one niece:

I have three nieces.

Nieces’ shows possession by multiple nieces:

My three nieces’ rooms are upstairs.

The apostrophe changes the grammatical function.

Mistake 5: Using “Niece’s” When You Mean a Plural

Incorrect:

I have three niece’s.

Correct:

I have three nieces.

Use niece’s only when showing possession by one niece.

Easy Ways to Remember the Spelling

If you frequently write neice by mistake, a small memory trick can help.

Remember “NIE”

Think:

NIE + CE = NIECE

The important part is the first three letters:

N-I-E

Not:

N-E-I

Connect It With “Piece”

You can also remember that niece and piece both contain the ie spelling pattern:

niece
piece

This is only a memory aid, not a rule that applies to every English word.

Write It Once

When you are unsure, mentally spell it:

N-I-E-C-E

After seeing and using the correct form repeatedly, the spelling becomes much easier to recall.

Is “Neice” Ever Correct?

In standard English, neice is not the accepted spelling for the family relationship.

You should use niece in:

• School assignments
• Professional emails
• Articles and websites
• Resumes and biographies
• Formal correspondence
• Applications
• Social media posts
• Personal messages

You may occasionally see neice in usernames, names, informal writing, or user-generated content, but that does not make it the standard spelling.

If you are writing the English word for your brother’s or sister’s daughter, choose niece.

What About Great-Niece?

If you are talking about the daughter of your niece or nephew, the term great-niece can be used.

For example:

My niece has a daughter, so the child is my great-niece.

Cambridge lists great-niece as a family relationship term for the daughter of a niece or nephew.

This is different from simply niece, so the two words should not be treated as interchangeable.

Niece or Niece’s: When Should You Use Each?

A quick test can make this distinction easy.

Use niece when you are simply naming the person:

My niece is here.

Use niece’s when something belongs to that person:

My niece’s coat is here.

Compare the two:

This simple distinction prevents several common grammar mistakes.

Neice or Niece: Quick Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it neice or niece?

Niece is the correct spelling. Neice is a common misspelling.

How do you spell niece correctly?

The correct spelling is N-I-E-C-E: niece.

What does niece mean?

A niece is the daughter of your brother or sister. The term can also refer to the daughter of your spouse’s brother or sister.

How do you pronounce niece?

Niece is pronounced like “neese.” Cambridge gives /niːs/ for both UK and US pronunciation.

Is niece American or British English?

Niece is standard in both American and British English. The spelling does not normally change between the two varieties.

What is the plural of niece?

The plural is nieces.

I have two nieces.

You do not need an apostrophe to make niece plural.

Is it niece’s or nieces’?

Use niece’s for something belonging to one niece:

My niece’s jacket.

Use nieces’ for something belonging to more than one niece:

My nieces’ jackets.

Is my brother’s daughter my niece?

Yes. Your brother’s daughter is your niece.

Is my sister’s daughter my niece?

Yes. Your sister’s daughter is also your niece.

What is the difference between a niece and a nephew?

A niece is the daughter of your brother or sister, while a nephew is the son of your brother or sister.

Is “neice” an alternative spelling?

No. Neice is not the standard spelling of the family relationship. Use niece in standard English.

What is a great-niece?

A great-niece is the daughter of your niece or nephew.

Conclusion

When choosing between neice or niece, always use niece. It is the standard spelling for the daughter of your brother or sister, and it is used in both American and British English.

The easiest way to remember the spelling is to focus on the first three letters: N-I-E. Write niece, not neice.

Also remember the related forms:

• niece = one person
• nieces = more than one
• niece’s = something belonging to one niece
• nieces’ = something belonging to multiple nieces

Once you remember the NIE at the beginning, this common spelling confusion becomes much easier to avoid.

Ava Collins

Ava Collins is a passionate writer who enjoys turning everyday ideas into clear, engaging, and helpful content. She loves exploring language, culture and meaningful stories that connect with readers. Ava is also the fictional author of Beneath the Silver Maple and The Last Lantern of Willow Cove. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, traveling and finding inspiration in ordinary moments.