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

Is it unfair to call my baby Saoirse?

136 replies

Myname15 · 13/07/2015 18:30

Hi everyone
I'm 21 weeks pregnant with my first child. Recently found out that we're having a girl. My favourite girls name is Saoirse (pronounced sir-sha). I love the meaning (liberty) and have loved the name since i was a kid. The name's Gaelic, dp is Irish as is half my family, but I am really struggling with whether or not it's unfair to land my daughter to be with that spelling :s.
What does everyone think?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
fluffyjumpers · 03/06/2022 04:31

Go for it OP. If we only go for names the English already know, then this is the death of our cultures in action IMO.

My DC have names that reflect my heritage and DP's. The English have learnt to spell them and my DC love their names (phew!).

Incidentally, I have a perfectly normal-to-the-English-ear sounding surname, yet with an unusual spelling. I have to spell it every time I say it. Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

fluffyjumpers · 03/06/2022 04:35

Greenashb · 03/06/2022 04:03

In 2019 when we didn’t know my sons gender yet we were picking names so my husband initially came at me with the name and was like what about saaarsha!!! In crazy voice and I was like you’re crazy 😝 but then I realized he was pronouncing it way wrong when we watched song of the sea which was such a precious movie and I heard how Irish people and not my husband pronounce it haha. Anyways and so it has stuck with us since and now we are naming one of our daughters Saoirse. We are having twins in 2022 October

Song of the Sea is an absolutely beautiful film!

newbiename · 03/06/2022 04:45

Luckystar1 · 13/07/2015 18:36

Personally I would avoid as it's quite a republican name and can been seen as a bit of a statement (not in a good way). Also, English people won't have a clue how to spell or pronounce it.

I'm English, I can spell it and say it (because of the actress).

BOOTS52PollyPrissyPants · 03/06/2022 05:03

Lovely name go for it. My son has an Irish name & we lived in uk for years. So what if it sounds like a 'republican name' proud to be Irish, weird comment by that poster.

EarringsandLipstick · 03/06/2022 05:24

ZOMBIE THREAD!

Lovely name go for it.

The baby was born in 2015, and are now 7. I'd say the decision has been made.

DacwMamYnDwad · 03/06/2022 08:28

The pronunciation isn't obvious, and I think it will probably be mispronounced and misspelled, but it's quite nice

Enko · 03/06/2022 09:52

I have a dd with an Irish name people get used to how to say it.
Saoirse. Is beautiful. And as said above its becoming more known.

We moved when dd3 was almost4 so when she had her birthday we invited the entire nursery class. I had quite a few mums and dad's slide up next to me asking "how do you say her name?" So I told them and they never asked again.

TheLadyDIdGood · 03/06/2022 10:00

Go for it op, it's a beautiful name & as mentioned people can spell the names of mythical characters from GOT with little difficulty.

I spent my whole childhood being asked what the English version of my name was. My name isn't English but my teachers were obsessed about giving me an English name to make it easy for them. My name isn't hard to pronounce either as it's very phonetical but now we've gone the other way where people want unique names. Saoirse is a beautiful name, stick with it.

EarringsandLipstick · 03/06/2022 13:42

TheLadyDIdGood · 03/06/2022 10:00

Go for it op, it's a beautiful name & as mentioned people can spell the names of mythical characters from GOT with little difficulty.

I spent my whole childhood being asked what the English version of my name was. My name isn't English but my teachers were obsessed about giving me an English name to make it easy for them. My name isn't hard to pronounce either as it's very phonetical but now we've gone the other way where people want unique names. Saoirse is a beautiful name, stick with it.

ZOMBIE THREAD!! OP POSTED IN 2015!

🧟‍♀️🧟🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟🧟‍♂️

Bonheurdupasse · 03/06/2022 13:48

Greythorne · 13/07/2015 19:00

I wouldn't because I think whilst friends and teachers will rapidly get used to it once they have heard it a few times, there are lots of times in life when you meet someone just once and having a name that is pronounced very differently from the way it appears on the page is just a pain. I speak as a friend of a Siobhan which is much more common yet still causes problems.

This OP

Even more so if she moved abroad at some point. (I mean my friend is called Mariya and gets so annoyed about people not spelling or pronouncing her name properly...)

LadyEloise1 · 03/06/2022 14:27

I'd pronounce it Seersha.
It's a nice Irish name.
If you like it go for it.
It's not wildly difficult to pronounce.
Erin from Derry girls - her real name is Saoirse.

I don't associate it with the IRA or Sinn Féin but I wouldn't know either how Unionists regard it.

oakleaffy · 03/06/2022 14:30

SoupDragon · 13/07/2015 18:44

Also, English people won't have a clue how to spell or pronounce it.

Really? All English people? How about the Welsh?

Welsh people aren’t English!

toastedcat · 03/06/2022 14:38

It's a lovely name. Who gives a fuck if others can't spell it? Honestly.

Goonerz · 03/06/2022 14:45

villainousbroodmare · 13/07/2015 19:10

It's definitely SEER-sha. "aoi" is an ee sound.
(Seoirse is SHORE-sha which is George. Sorcha is Surr-kha which is Sarah).

aoi is most definitely not an ee sound.
The ee sound might be the closest many people can get but it's not the same.

PaddingtonBearStareAgain · 03/06/2022 15:07

ZOMBIE THREAD.

Pretty sure the nearly 7 year old child will have long had their name.

RuthW · 03/06/2022 15:37

I always say sore arse in my head when I see it written down.

Mosmuma · 03/06/2022 19:46

I would do with Sasha although completely different name. I first thought it has to be Gaelic - but just reading it, looks like Sea-horse - I would be worried about the child being teased. Most people really wouldn't have a clue.

If you love it and aren't sure, how about keeping it as a middle name?

PaddingtonBearStareAgain · 03/06/2022 19:47

Mosmuma · 03/06/2022 19:46

I would do with Sasha although completely different name. I first thought it has to be Gaelic - but just reading it, looks like Sea-horse - I would be worried about the child being teased. Most people really wouldn't have a clue.

If you love it and aren't sure, how about keeping it as a middle name?

I'm sure they have made the decision 7 years ago....

Mosmuma · 03/06/2022 19:57

PaddingtonBearStareAgain · 03/06/2022 19:47

I'm sure they have made the decision 7 years ago....

Show quote history

I only noticed after posting 😜

LightningStar · 03/06/2022 19:59

My neighbour has called her daughter this but doesn't pronounce it Sir- sha

KirstenBlest · 04/06/2022 13:47

@LightningStar , howdoes your neighbour say it?

Keiraoharaa · 20/01/2023 20:21

Nothing wrong with ask strong IRISH name. I hope you named your baby saoirse. Nothing wrong with an IRISH name.

JoyPeaceHealth · 20/01/2023 20:24

Don't like it.

Prefer Síofra or Shona

Luredbyapomegranate · 20/01/2023 21:37

I think it’s much better known in the UK than it used to be.

It WILL be a spelling PITA and sometimes people will say it wrong, so if you really don’t want that then find something else.

Luredbyapomegranate · 20/01/2023 21:37

Haha ZOMBIE