Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Sorcha... pronunciations?

392 replies

pinkytheshrinky · 11/09/2011 06:45

I know that for the most part this name is pronounced Sor-kha but I met a nice older lady years ago who was a Sor-sha - I do really like this name and it is top of the list for my new dc. What do you think?

I do also have two other dds with Irish names who's spellings have been Anglicised so I do have form for this....

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
SlinkingOutsideInSocks · 14/09/2011 19:35

OP - you seem to be getting a little tetchy.

Maybe this is a wee preview of what life will be like, if you choose a pronunciation that is not the default one that the majority (in its very country of origin) use. Always having to explain how it's pronounced, always saying, 'no, it's Sor-sha...'

And if you find it annoying, goodness knows what the actual owner of the name will make of it.

You did ask for opinions.

grumplestilskin · 14/09/2011 19:53

Sorcha IS Irish for Sarah

and who are you to tell people not to be unpleasant if you're responding like that?

this thread is about correct pronounciations is it not? and just because people know people pronouncing it "wrong" doesn't make it right, see mathsanxiety's post, there are ways to pronounce letters (including regional variations) that are never the way you'ld pronounce them in English

and just because people in Ireland pronounce it "wrong" doesn't make it right, I know of Irish children called what is the Irish for toothpaste and seagull because their parents thougth they were pretty sounding irishEY words and weren't bothered to look up what they meant (and they anglicise the pronounciation).

sqweegiebeckenheim · 14/09/2011 20:18

Toothpaste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I know a child whose name means 'wine' in English because again, his mother thought it sounded 'IrishEY'

+1 to Sorcha being the Irish for Sarah.

GwennieF · 14/09/2011 20:23

It's my sister's name and it is Sor-a-ka. She gives out about the fact that people mispronounce it both here and at home.

mathanxiety · 14/09/2011 20:57

It's more of a transliteration or equivalent for Sarah than a translation. Sorcha is bright (as opposed to dorcha, dark)

Hahaha at Fíon if that is the name, Squeegie.

Were the other children called Fiacla, the brand (or Téasc Fiacail the noun)? I have heard of children named Faoileán but more because of ancestors whose surname was Whelan. I remember thinking when I was about 5 and planning the details of my future family that I would name my first DD 'Bricfeasta' and her sister would be 'Dé hAoine' (no hyphen Smile).

IthinkIamUndecided · 14/09/2011 21:46

Why not call her Susan?

Milsean · 14/09/2011 21:55

The simple fact is that if you are reading the name in Irish it simply doesn't make the sound you are trying to make. CHA can not and does not make the sound SHA in Irish.
So maybe there is another variant of the name pronounced differently, but not in irish.

sqweegiebeckenheim · 14/09/2011 21:55

lol at Bricfeasta.

yep twas Fíon Mathanxiety (and what an appropriate name on this the day of the Junior Cert not-so-great Maths results). She couldn't be persuaded that it meant wine.

Milsean · 14/09/2011 21:58

Fíon with the fada as opposed to Fion without?

sqweegiebeckenheim · 14/09/2011 23:30

with the fada.

mathanxiety · 14/09/2011 23:50

Not to worry about the Junior Cert results. You really can turn things around for the Leaving.

SlinkingOutsideInSocks · 15/09/2011 02:57

If you love the sound of Sor-sha, then just call the kid Sorsha and be done with it. Ditch the 'c' and embrace the 's'.

It does what it says on the tin, it's not an Irish name (but a lovely, made-up one instead so has the added bonus of being 'unique' Grin ) so no eye-rolls from people assuming you're being ignorant (although I'm afraid I can't guarantee no eye-rolls from the anti-made-up name brigade) and no pronunciation hassles.

Everyone's a winner. [thumbs-up emoticon]

InMyPrime · 15/09/2011 03:52

There were two Sorchas in my class at school - one pronounced her name "Surr-a-cha" and the other pronounced her name "Sore-sha". We all kind of knew that "Sore-sha" was incorrect for Irish pronunciation rules but her parents had obviously preferred it for some reason. The 'ch' in Sorcha should be like in the word 'loch' and most English-speakers (except for Scottish and Irish people) can't get that sound right so maybe that's why the incorrect "Sore-sha" pronunciation started to gain ground at some point?

Anyway, "Sore-sha" is incorrect but I have come across it before. If you want to be correct and have a name like "Sore-sha" why not go for Saoirse, as in Saoirse Ronan? It's almost the same sound but means 'freedom' - and would be correct...Grin

Original poster
pinkytheshrinky · 15/09/2011 06:34

You see when I looked it up in a Celtic baby book it said it is not related to Sarah at all and that it is a common misconception - which is why I related this on the thread - I personally have no idea as I know very little about etymology (and I really do not like the name Sarah - not sure why but Michelle does the same thing to me - maybe a child of the 70's thing?)

And with Saoirse - not my thing really, I know it is close but it is not for me mainly because it is going to be more popular because of the actress and becuase it is spelt differently to how it sounds. One of my sons has a genuinely Celtic name but it is a middle name - it would be too complex as a first name.

I think InMyPrime is right about how this pronunciation has come about.. What I do not understand is how all the other pronunciations that have been ventured have been considered 'right' and only this one is wrong? The women I met was way way older than me (and I am old) so people have been getting it wrong for a good deal of time. I think there are at least 6 different pronunciations here.

OP posts:
Milsean · 15/09/2011 09:42

Thats because those letters can make several different sounds depending on what dialect you are speaking. They can't in any dialect make the SHA sound though, its simply impossible. It would be like me saying my name is Jane, spelled Jinny. It just doesn't make the sound.

Original poster
pinkytheshrinky · 15/09/2011 10:00

So I reckon that InMyPrime is right then with it being done because it was difficult to pronounce and there fore changed by people. There just seems to be a lot of them for something that is a mistake that is all.

I have to say that if I loved in Ireland I would not dare use this name - because for a start there are so many pronunciations. One of my sons has Cuchulainn as a middle name and as far as I know there are three pronunciations for it depending on where you are from.

Two people on here a while ago tried to tell me that another son's name Lucian was mis-spelt! As I don't live in Ireland I think I might risk it, this has a lot to do with the original person I mentioned at the beginning of the thread, she was great... it is a lot about her really.

OP posts:
Milsean · 15/09/2011 12:31

But the different pronounciations isn't a problem in Ireland, since we can all tell how to say a name and the differences are expected. Its when you use Irish names in the UK/elsewhere that it becomes a problem, and you really need to stick to the commonest correct pronounciation to prevent confusion.

Or you can give your child a lifetime of spelling her name out over and over and over again, which she won't thank you for, trust me...I spend half my life spelling my name to people.

Lucian is greek, lucien is french, they are etymologically distinct.

Original poster
pinkytheshrinky · 15/09/2011 12:45

Yes I had that conversation about Lucian too - in fact I ended up saying, tell that to Lucian Freud surely he knows how to spell his name.

You see in England a lot of people will see Sorcha and say Sor-sha because of Sacha - I wouldn't dream of using it incorrectly in Ireland (that would be massively taking the piss) but I do think I can get away with it here.

And my children all end up spelling their names all the time, note because they are difficult but because they are unusual. I have spent a lot of time in the past spelling my surname as it used to be Russian - it is one of those names that when you say it you can hear people panic on the end of the phone....

OP posts:
CointreauVersial · 15/09/2011 12:47

If you use the name in the UK, 99% of people will not know or care how it is pronounced in Ireland, and will pronounce the name however you tell them. In fact, Sor-sha is easier for most non-Irish.

I agree, if you lived in Ireland it would be more tricky.

Milsean · 15/09/2011 12:49

Well you can call them whatever you like, as long as you know most Irish people will look at you like this ---> Hmm

CointreauVersial · 15/09/2011 12:58

Milsean, MY DH IS IRISH!!!! (Actually, he looks at me like Hmm most of the time).

Original poster
pinkytheshrinky · 15/09/2011 13:07

Oh dear nevermind - I await the condemnation of the Irish as a nation - we do have some family in Ireland (on DH's side) but most of them in America so I think I can live with it. In the family they are all called the same as each other for generations and generations of Kathleens, Eileens and Bridgets etc. so when it comes to naming babies I am not too worried what they will have to say about it. The have Big Bridget and little Bridget and ginger Bridget (she is the one who I feel most sorry for...).They also have 'Eileen with the leg' who has a gammy leg from childhood....

You see our naming pedigree is a bit shit! Grin

OP posts:
Milsean · 15/09/2011 13:18

calling someone "Eileen with the leg" is utterly Irish. Grin

Moominsarescary · 15/09/2011 14:59

I'd pronounce it sor sha

lettinggo · 15/09/2011 17:36

GrinGrinGrin at Eileen with the leg!! Classic!