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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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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12
HappiDaze · 17/09/2023 13:28

I thought it was pronounced

Saw - sha

It's a lovely name but the pronunciation will confuse people at first

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.

Sparklecats · 17/09/2023 13:24

AgileLass · 17/09/2023 13:16

Sorcha is a different name

^ This @WasIBad

It is pronounced Sor-ka

Rather than Siir-Sha

Kind like Bruce and Bruno, close but no cigar.

Mamette · 17/09/2023 13:18

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 13:09

it's how every Irish Saoirse I know pronounces her name.

It is “correct”- there are different dialects, it’s not one homogenous language and accent. We don’t have RP.

Sorcha is a different name, it is the Irish version of Sarah and it is pronounced Surka/ Surruka.

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 13:17

WasIBad · 17/09/2023 13:14

Someone I know named their child Sorcha which I thought was a complete bastardisation of the name.

No.

Sorcha is a proper Irish name, pronounced (roughly) surr-uh-cha. (the ch sound as in 'loch')

some idiots though have changed the pronunciation to sore-sha. irritates me greatly.

Balloonhearts · 17/09/2023 13:16

I think its a bit like Sara/Sarah, people with different accents will pronounce it differently. In Ireland it'll be fine, it's just if she lives outside of Ireland you'll get mispronounciations. But then, I have a really common name that's always getting misspelled so I think you can have trouble with most names in one way or another. I think its pretty and would use it if you live it.

AgileLass · 17/09/2023 13:16

Sorcha is a different name

WasIBad · 17/09/2023 13:14

Someone I know named their child Sorcha which I thought was a complete bastardisation of the name.

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”.

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 13:09

TomasinaTheTankEngine · 17/09/2023 13:07

Seer-sha is how it is pronounced by lots of people but it's not correct.
The aoi sound is very difficult for non Irish people to pronounce.

It's the same with Caoimhe/kee-va

it's how every Irish Saoirse I know pronounces her name.

TomasinaTheTankEngine · 17/09/2023 13:07

Seer-sha is how it is pronounced by lots of people but it's not correct.
The aoi sound is very difficult for non Irish people to pronounce.

It's the same with Caoimhe/kee-va

Ffghhhbdbfb · 17/09/2023 13:06

Gorgeous.

Blogdog · 17/09/2023 13:03

There can be regional differences in the pronunciation. I would pronounce it Seer-sha however I’ve heard many use Sayr-sha and both are acceptable.

It means Freedom, in case anyone is wondering.

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 13:02

NameNameNameNames · 17/09/2023 12:55

I live in Ireland

well then you're good to go.

loislovesstewie · 17/09/2023 13:01

Go for it, lovely name. I wanted Róisín, but as we are in England thought that might cause issues.

IsadoraQuagmire · 17/09/2023 12:59

TheWayTheLightFalls · 17/09/2023 12:50

It's Seer-sha round here. Wonder if that's correct, will wait for an Irish MNer.

That's how I pronounce it. I've read that Saoirse Ronan pronounces her name Sir-sha though.

Berlinlover · 17/09/2023 12:59

Unless you have an Irish accent it will never be pronounced correctly.

Peach27 · 17/09/2023 12:58

One of my favourite names! I’d have hesitations using it elsewhere but in Ireland it’s perfect

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

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caerdydd12 · 17/09/2023 12:57

itsmyp4rty · 17/09/2023 12:50

It's pronounced Sur- shuh. I know one, she's a complete brat. Totally puts me off the name.

It's seer-sha, or as close as I can phonetically spell it.

NameNameNameNames · 17/09/2023 12:56

caerdydd12 · 17/09/2023 12:46

Assuming it won't be mispronounced because you're also in Ireland?

Yep!

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caerdydd12 · 17/09/2023 12:56

NameNameNameNames · 17/09/2023 12:55

I live in Ireland

Sure in that case you're fine 😂

NameNameNameNames · 17/09/2023 12:55

TheWayTheLightFalls · 17/09/2023 12:50

It's Seer-sha round here. Wonder if that's correct, will wait for an Irish MNer.

Yep, exactly right

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NameNameNameNames · 17/09/2023 12:55

Scruffington · 17/09/2023 12:41

Very little chance of Saoirse being mispronounced?

Not so sure about that!

I live in Ireland

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Enko · 17/09/2023 12:54

Saoirse. Is beautiful as is Hazel

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