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Baby names

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Original poster

Saoirse?

391 replies

NameNameNameNames · 17/09/2023 12:35

Follow on from my Isla thread, another name I have in mind is Saoirse.

Sister would still be Hazel, and there’s very little chance of the name being mispronounced

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Sparklecats · 17/09/2023 22:11

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 18:47

I don't think something being associated with republican politics is necessarily a bad thing. It's okay to want a 32 county Ireland. But I can understand someone preferring that their child have a name without any political connotations.

@Scruffington

There’s quite a difference between wanting a United Ireland…. And glorifying terrorism. A lot of people died.

https://saoirse.news/

SAOIRSE - Irish Freedom

Revolutionary Republicanism SAOIRSE - Irish Freedom, The Voice of the Republican Movement. Stands by the core values of Revolutionary Irish Republicanism bringing you news from the traditional Irish Republican perspective. Latest Issue   News from the...

https://saoirse.news/

UsingChangeofName · 17/09/2023 21:12

I think its a bit like Sara/Sarah, people with different accents will pronounce it differently

Well, no. They are 2 different names.

Sara = Sar - a ('sar' to rhyme with car, )
Sarah = Sair- a (sair to rhyme with hair)

I'm English, and I have seen it written down before (prob on a baby name thread on here) but I didn't have a clue how to pronounce it before this thread.

jays · 17/09/2023 18:57

Unless you live somewhere where everyone knows how to at least pronounce that name, for me, I wouldn’t. I have no clue how to say it, spell it …. That’s would just be a lifetime of my name being a pain in the ass for me.

defi · 17/09/2023 18:54

I love it! I think of the animated film song of the sea.

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 18:47

I don't think something being associated with republican politics is necessarily a bad thing. It's okay to want a 32 county Ireland. But I can understand someone preferring that their child have a name without any political connotations.

Minfor · 17/09/2023 18:39

I think it's a beautiful name but I'm afraid I do associate it with republican politics. I'm English, with a northern Irish (Protestant) parent.

continentallentil · 17/09/2023 18:32

I quite like it

But if you’re in Ireland is Isla all that common anyway?

caerdydd12 · 17/09/2023 16:29

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 16:17

I think pp was mixing Saoirse Ronan up with the girl who played Sansa.

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Ah they do look similar! I was racking my brains for a GOT actress lol

Gymmum82 · 17/09/2023 16:23

My friend is Saoirse she pronounces it sor-sha rather than seer-sha. She’s northern Irish so not sure if that’s the difference

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 16:17

caerdydd12 · 17/09/2023 16:04

Which actress from GOT?

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I think pp was mixing Saoirse Ronan up with the girl who played Sansa.

Gensola · 17/09/2023 16:12

I am Irish and everyone I know pronounces it Seer-sha

caerdydd12 · 17/09/2023 16:04

SleepingStandingUp · 17/09/2023 14:34

If you said, more people would likely recognise it from the actress from GOT etc, but lots of English people (Inc myself) have no idea how those letters make the sound you say it doesn. It's like Siobhan. I know what it says. I don't know why 😆

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Which actress from GOT?

SophieHope7 · 17/09/2023 16:02

It's beautiful. Use it!

SleepingStandingUp · 17/09/2023 14:34

NameNameNameNames · 17/09/2023 12:57

Sorry everyone, should have clarified I’m in Ireland. I didn’t think it was that little known outside of here though, thought it would be known enough in the UK anyway

If you said, more people would likely recognise it from the actress from GOT etc, but lots of English people (Inc myself) have no idea how those letters make the sound you say it doesn. It's like Siobhan. I know what it says. I don't know why 😆

JamSandle · 17/09/2023 14:31

It's one of my favourite names.

fruitnutz · 17/09/2023 14:20

Mispronunciations aren't a big deal anyway. You correct the person and they do their best with whatever accent they have.

Sparklecats · 17/09/2023 14:17

Focalpoint · 17/09/2023 13:55

I grew up in Belfast and have the same associations as your husband.

@Focalpoint DH Irish Catholic, has worked all over. Has a number of cousins who like to “rubber stamp” the kids with the most obscure and difficult to pronounce Irish names to make a point.

I wasn’t even allowed Saoirse for the dog!! He said you can not run about a park shouting “freedom freedom”, maybe he has a point 😂

IsadoraQuagmire · 17/09/2023 13:59

AgileLass · 17/09/2023 13:16

Sorcha is a different name

Like Sorcha Cusack. Sister to Sinéad and Niamh.

Focalpoint · 17/09/2023 13:55

I grew up in Belfast and have the same associations as your husband.

Original poster
NameNameNameNames · 17/09/2023 13:52

Sparklecats · 17/09/2023 13:10

It’s a beautiful name.

However, meaning freedom, is also the name of the monthly newspaper for the republican movement.

Depending on where you are in Ireland, people may assume political affiliations and prejudices about the child.

I know all this because I loved the name too but DH vetoed as didn’t want the baby “labelled”.

I’m in the republic but not political whatsoever. I can honestly say I’ve never looked at a child called Saoirse and thought of politics

OP posts:
Dorigen · 17/09/2023 13:52

One of my DC earnestly told me that there was a girl in her class called Saucer. We are not in Ireland.

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 13:50

Mamette · 17/09/2023 13:38

Yeah you’re probably right actually, it doesn’t make sense that a bible name would have an Irish version.

They couldn’t pin an Irish name on me, I got to keep my actual name 😂

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Lol. Good for you!

'I'll stick with Gemma thanks, someone else can use Gobnait' Grin

YewTree84 · 17/09/2023 13:38

fourelementary · 17/09/2023 12:37

Unless you’re in Ireland with people familiar with the pronunciation then no. I was nearly a Saoirse and thank my lucky stars I got another name. It doesn’t look nice written down either. Makes me think of sore arse.

I thought I was the only one! Sore arse, that's how I read it.

Love Hazel though, OP x

Mamette · 17/09/2023 13:38

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 13:24

I always think Sorcha being the Irish for Sarah was something that Coláiste na bhFiann made up because everyone had to have an Irish name when attending their courses. So Sarah would become Sorcha for the three weeks. Sarah is Hebrew though and Sorcha is the Irish word for brightness so the only thing they have in common really is the first initial.

Yeah you’re probably right actually, it doesn’t make sense that a bible name would have an Irish version.

They couldn’t pin an Irish name on me, I got to keep my actual name 😂