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Original poster

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

114 replies

Bex22 · 08/04/2011 22:07

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??!!

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spidookly · 09/04/2011 11:45

I don't really think ser-sha is wrong, I'm sure there are Irish speakers who would pronounce the word like that.

Saw-sha is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Ch in Irish is never pronounced "sh"

sorcha = surr-uh-ka

ValiumSoltera · 09/04/2011 12:10

I don't like it. Personal associations, but because it means 'freedom' the girls I knew called Saoirse all came from families that were a bit wrap the green flag round me boys. Although that may not be the case now.

I prefer Siofra or Saedhbh

Bonsoir · 09/04/2011 12:12

If you pick a name that is not of your culture and mispronounce it, you look ignorant and you condemn your child to a life of people despising her! Why would you do this?

spidookly · 09/04/2011 12:45

I don't like it either, but a little English Saoirse would seem more likely to be inspired by Saoirse Ronan than "You'll never take our Saoirse!"

I really think pronouncing it ser-sha is fine. Dublin pronunciations are not the only ones that count. Half the time they're not even right.

spidookly · 09/04/2011 12:48

Actually thinking about it saor is definitely pronounced to sound like Sayer (as in Leo), so sehr-sha is arguably a more correct pronunciation than seer-sha.

elah11 · 09/04/2011 13:10

I am Irish myself and have heard Saoirse pronounced as both Sehr-sha and Seer-sha, so either is correct I would think! Lovely name. As for Sorcha I have only ever heard it as Sur-u-ka, not as nice imo

Minione · 09/04/2011 19:53

This is about the only girls name dh and I can agree on
! He is Irish and pronounces it ser-sha so I believe either way is acceptable!

BobbiDazzler · 09/04/2011 19:55

There are two pronunciations of Saoirse, in my experience. Seer-sha (most common) and Sare-sha (I have heard this mainly in parts of SE Ireland).

I have never heard Ser-sha or Sor-sha.

Sorcha I have always heard pronounced as Sorrica /Surrica

BobbiDazzler · 09/04/2011 19:57

God those wrap the Green flag types. How dare they be so patriotic and want to use Gaelic words to name their children, the bastards! Hmm

KenDoddsDadsDog · 09/04/2011 19:57

Saoirse was on my list for DD. DH felt it was still a bit up the RA so we crossed it off. If I ever have another DD I would railroad persuade him.

BluddyMoFo · 09/04/2011 19:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Minione · 09/04/2011 20:02

Thinking about it, I guess it is mor Sare-sha than ser-sha! A
Anyway, it's a great name!

Maryz · 09/04/2011 20:06

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pooka · 09/04/2011 20:07

I've read the name heaps while reading the thread and keep testing myself on spelling -and STILL can't 'get' it.

It may not be off-putting to you, but I'd get sick to the back teeth of having things slept wrong, and reminding a d correcting all the time. I have fairly average name but one which has maybe 2 or 3 correct spellings and it is a pain in the neck spelling out loud whenever you have to have name taken down.

Toomanyponies · 09/04/2011 20:09

Agree with spidookly :) Sorcha is definitely Sor-uh-cha (ch as in the scottish loch, not a hard K)

Maryz · 09/04/2011 20:32

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Panzee · 09/04/2011 20:36

My Irish friend Sorcha pronounces it Sarah-keh (at least that's how it sounds to my ears!)

BluddyMoFo · 09/04/2011 22:11

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CheerfulYank · 10/04/2011 04:59

I like Saoirse! I think it's very pretty. (And yes, thanks to Ms Ronan, even we Americans can pronounce it now :) )

seeker · 10/04/2011 06:14

"If you love the name then go for it but be prepared to have to constantly spell it/pronounce for people"

And remember that she'll have to do that too for the rest of her life!

spidookly · 10/04/2011 07:10

Bobbi - this week an Irish mother has had to bury her 25 year old son because of the patriotism people on this thread are seeking to distance themselves from.

That impulse to distance comes from a good place, and the "patriots" mentioned are indeed bastards.

Also the language we speak in Ireland is called Irish. Gaelic is spoken in Scotland.

Sorry to bring the thread down.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 10/04/2011 07:22

Agree spidookly.

ConstanceFelicity · 10/04/2011 08:21

But bear in mind spidookly that there are scores of Irish patriots- The vast majority- who do not want any violence done in their name. The post Bobbi was referring to was from a poster who thought that this very Irish name reminded her of the people who you are referring to- Well it's a sad state of affairs if you can't give your child an Irish name without it being a political statement.

I imagine that since the Irish word for Gaelic is "Gaeilge", it's not too much of a faux pas to use it...

ValiumSoltera · 10/04/2011 08:55

Yes, and this very Irish name does have a sort of baggage about it that other names do not have. I suggested Síofra as an alternative.

I have my own past and my own personal experiences which I'm not going to apologise for so Hmm back at bobbidazzler. The Saoirses I met growing up would have conformed to that category, which in my opinion was not just patriotic, but focused on hating the British.

ValiumSoltera · 10/04/2011 08:57

Spidookly, you didn't bring the thread down. It was naive of me to think that I could present something as being my personal experience/perception without having somebody argue with that when it is such a sensitive subject. It's a minefield.

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