Saoirse...

[plumpynoo]

Was wanting to see what other english people felt about this name! This is the only name me and my husband have so far agreed on for a girl, but everyone i have mentioned it to hates it. I know in Ireland no one would think it odd, but my parents have said we are cruel to inflict a name that no one knows how to spell or pronounce on our child! I genuinely dont want to burden my child with a ridiculous name, but i think its really pretty and a little different! Opinions please....

[plumpynoo]

Thanks everyone for your comments! My FIL was irish (he passed away last year) but we actually got the name from an animated film called "song of the sea" then upon looking it up found that it meant freedom. For anyone unsure how to pronounce it is either Seer-sha or Sare-sha depending on accent, but we would call her Seer-sha, just because i prefer it! I did wonder if people would have heard of Saoirse Ronan which may make things easier for her in the future.

[SingaSong12]

I wouldn't have a clue how to pronounce or spell it. I have a foreign name and do get bored spelling it. It isn't cruel just annoying, because people in other countries (not just UK) don't know how to pronounce it. On the other hand you don't have problems being distinctive. I think it might depend on how easy your surname is. If it is also unusual or hard to spell or pronounce two names like that might make life quite hard. otherwise it just depends how distinctive you want to be.

[Fwaffy]

Was just thinking of Song of the Sea! It's the most beautiful film. I seriously thought about it for DD2 for that very reason.

I'm Irish and don't think of it as having political connotations at all. I also have a very unusually spelled name (even to Irish eyes) but most people get it once I pronounce it- in UK and at home. Yeah it's a bit of hassle but I love having a name with heritage and meaning.

Plus the Saoirse in Song of the Sea is such a gorgeous gorgeous namesake! Do it!

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

D4 = Dublin 4 postcode = upper middle class

[BennyTheBall]

I don't like 'really' Irish names - they look ugly to me and most people don't know how to pronounce them.

[NuggetofPurestGreen]

I'd say Seer-sheh too OP. I don't think I know anyone that says 'sare-sheh'. What does Saoirse Ronan say?

[NatashaRomanova]

I love it. I'm Irish (Ulster) and pronounce it seer-sha. It doesn't have political connotations for me either.

[squoosh]

Saoirse Ronan rhymes her name with 'inertia'. But she's the only Saoirse I know who does!

[BennyTheBall]

What, so she pronounces it Sinertia?

If I had to guess for a week how to pronounce Saoirse, I would not come up with that.

[squoosh]

Umm, no. She pronounces it as sur-sha. To rhyme with 'inertia'.

[LaBelleOtero]

I know a Saoirse, she pronounces it Seersha with a silent 'r'. I love it!

[BennyTheBall]

Believe it or not, my parents are Irish! But they are very anglicised having lived here all their lives, so I don't have any experience of Irish names.

I am being thick.

[FoxesSitOnBoxes]

It's the name of Sinn Fein's magazine so I'd wonder if you were a republican but it's just be a passing thought. I think it's a pretty name. I'm English living in Northern Ireland

[DerelictMyBalls]

It's a lovely name for an Irish child.

[ElspethFlashman]

It's a gorgeous name but not with the Irish spelling in the UK - no way!

She'd have a life of hassle.

Just spell it Saorsha. Problem solved.

[Redlocks28]

Embarrassed now, but I've never known how to say it and in my head, read it as 'sore arse' !!

[CherishFindensRulerOfDeath]

No Elspeth, the problem is solved by people opening their ears when the child is introduced, or, if the name is written down, asking how it is pronounced.

The re-writing of Irish names because people "in the UK" (I'm guessing by that you don't mean the NI bit) find them a little bit trickier than Grace and Jack is not acceptable.

[ElspethFlashman]

I'm guessing cherish that you have not actually had to live your life with a name that's difficult to interpret written down.

I have, and I've had over 40 years of being mispronounced and I know even in my ancient years when I'm bloody 85, the nurses in the hospital will be still mispronouncing my name.

It ends up being the responsibility of the person with the name to "educate". But you didn't ask for that responsibility and it gets fucking boring, very fast.

[CherishFindensRulerOfDeath]

Actually my first name does seem to require spelling quite a bit, but I've not found it that big a deal.

For me the issue isn't about spelling, it's about the arrogance to think that someone should write their name wrongly according to the rules of their own language so that other people don't have to listen for half a second, or take a moment to observe the spelling.

We don't suggest this with Chinese names, where the vowel sounds don't follow British rules, and we don't suggest it with Polish names, where the consonants may give the English a bit of jip. Yet some MNers think it's perfectly acceptable to tell Irish people to rewrite their own names.

Is it a 'familiarity breeds contempt' thing? The Irish are near neighbours so it's fine to act like culturally oppressive twats?

[hollyisalovelyname]

It's lovely OP.
Go for it if you like it.
I am sure there are many more just as difficult to pronouce names in a multicultural UK.
On hearing D4 and Ross O' Carroll Kelly mentioned on this thread I wish there was an Irish section in Mumsnet.
Lots of regular Irish postets like Squoosh, Mathanxiety and KenDodds could contribute.
Just sayin.

[wibblewobble8]

i love this name. Its top of my list should i ever have a girl looking less likely as the years roll on . I got it from a cartoon too, think it was the same one, a little girl swimming with seals (didnt really watch it had it on for ds2) but i loved the sound of the name. Im Scottish and dont have any irish connections at all but id still be using it.

[Buttwing]

It's a beautiful Irish name. I'm English and I know how to pronounce it. No way would I change the spelling that is how it's spelt

[wibblewobble8]

And what cherish says :D I have a difficult-ish name to spell with several pronunciations. Correcting people as to spelling and pronunciation is nothing, but id be a bit if people were trying to 'correct' me. Surely that would just be rude its never happened to me and only something i have seen on mn.

[wibblewobble8]

i quite like the spelling of it too anyway! Only problem is i think i would be trying to adopt an irish accent (obv. im joking) when saying it cos it sounds just so beautiful with the irish lilt (especially the little brother who says it in the cartoon) my gutteral Scots doesn;t do it as much justice lol

[Raines100]

Absolutely love the name Saoirse! I'm boring old English, and I can spell and pronounce it no prob.

Aoife is quite popular, and the vowels are in the same order, so I think people will learn to spell it, and I really wouldn't anglicise it- you'll end up in a 'Shivawn' situation. My name is easy to spell, but you'd be amazed at the variations I get, and my surname is impossible. Do I care? Not in the slightest.