Is Saoirse too unusual, and are we allowed to `adapt` the pronunciation??!!

[Bex22]

Expecting DD3 end of June. We all like Saoirse but have been saying it Ser-shuh rather than Seer-shuh which I understand is the more authentic Irish pronunciation. Firstly, is it going to present numerous spelling difficulties from all sides, and secondly, does it matter that we are saying it in our own way so to speak??? The trouble is that my 4 year old DS and 2 year old DD are now big fans of this name, as said the wrong way, and I do think it is really pretty and would go well with Elizabeth which I want to use as a middle name after a favourite aunt. We are no stranger to slightly unusual names as DS is Seth and DD is Elwyn, so what do you all think?? Too weird or what??!!

Also my name is unusual and it ain't held me back in the workplace.

I really like Saoirse, but then I'm Irish and know how to pronounce it .

We live in the UK and DC has an Irish name which causes some consternation. If you love the name then go for it but be prepared to have to constantly spell it/pronounce for people. And please pronounce it properly!

'Saw - shah' is correct pronounciation of Sorcha!

My name is boring and I definitely blame it for why I didn't get that promotion last year

Drosophilia - re: article quoted, I simply thought it was an interesting article which related to the discussion - not necessarily my view on unusual names.

Although I do think if you spell or pronunce any name 'wrong' on purpose to be different you risk looking ignorant rather than original!

Oh Candleshoe- rather damning article. It actually made me laugh a leetle bit, cos I don't give a monkey's whether my little cherubs climb the greasy pole or not- as long as they're happy most of the time. I can see the writer means with the examples given, but surely they're names that have been spelled a weird way rather than original names which are unusual?? And I assume the study was carried out in America from the tone???

That should be 'pronounce'!

Oooh I'm glad you like Orla and Scout! I LOVE them both. I can't have Orla for reasons too long to go into on here and Scout I really love as well but we have a Scarlett so I think it share too many letters for the next bump to be a Scout if it is a girl.

Orla is easily pronounced and still unusual imo.

'Saw - shah'?? Have checked with DH and his (West of Ireland) view and my (East of Ireland) view both come out as 'Sorka'

shares not share

Anyway, HurlerontheDitch, seeing as you're from Ireland, can you clarify the possiblity of people from one end of Ireland saying Ser-sha and the other saying Seer-sha, and both of these variations being respectable alternatives?!

I always thought it as pronounced as candleshoe has said.

I'll tell my Mum - she's been saying her name wrong all these years!

Just pondering, do you think the pronounciation of the name has changed a little through the Irish regions, so maybe one way in Dublin, a different way in Cork and a slightly different way in Sligo - hence the slightly different sounds to the first syllable

I'm referring to Saoirse again, obv!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/baby_names/872229-I-need-some-advice-on-the-name-Sorcha/AllOnOnePage

An old MN thread on a similar topic!

Lots of other lovely Irish names on this thread!
Night night all!

candleshoe - break it to her gently

Bex - again, consulted the DH (he's from a more "Irishy" part of Ireland than me so I usually defer to him on this stuff!) and we both would say "Seer-sha". There are a lot of regional variations in the Irish language, so maybe that's where the difference arises. Coincidentally, I was talking to a friend today about "weird" Irish names and she brought up Saoirse as an example of a really tricky one (a girl in her DC's class at school). This girl pronounced it Ser-shah, which sounded odd to my ears, but I guess you wouldn't be setting a precedent.

x post. What MillsandDoom said

Thanks all, loads to think about, lovely chat!! Should have been off doing packing but addicted to all these interesting responses!! You might be hearing from me again! Have to see what beloved and boringly named husband thinks!

Sorcha = Sur-ih-ka where I'm from (Wesht of the Shannon). There is a woman in my office with that name from Dublin and she pronounces it Sore-sha.

Saoirse = Seer-sha. I teach in a Catholic primary where there are many Saoirses, which to London ears should be pronounced 'Ser-sha'.It's a lovely name which means 'freedom'.

Lots of name regional variations - where I'm from Caoimhe is 'Qweeva' but up north it's 'Keeva'.

My 2 ds have irish names.However we couldnt agree on an irish name for dd(dh wanted roisin and I wanted Clodagh) so she has a greek name! I like the name you have chosen but she will get asked to pronouce/ spell it ALOT. Eldest ds gets this and his not that unusual-Colm.

Haha, Bluddy, my sister is a Chloe and has the same problem- most people know there's an h in it somewhere, so they just stick one in anywhere! Fairly understandable when she was younger and it was quite an uncommon name, but it's become so popular in recent years that I think it's amazing she still gets Christmas cards addressed to... cloe, clohe, clowee, cloie, khloe, among others!

As far as Saoirse is concerned, It's seer-sha rather than ser-sha. But then, as others have said, it can depend slightly on accent. For example, if I make an effort to say 'seer'-sha so that the first syllable rhymes with 'beer', it sort of sounds like I'm putting on a (bad) fake Irish accent, whereas if I just say it naturally, it sounds more like 'sair'-sha, so that the first syllable rhymes with 'bear.' Other accents might not distinguish so much between those two sounds, though.