Saoirse

[lalaland1985]

Will I regret this name choice? Would you know how to pronounce it? Seer-sha.

We are in Scotland which I think does make a difference. DH has irish roots.

I'm just worried my child would spend her life correcting the pronunciation of her name. (And surname)

What are your thoughts mumsnetters?

I agree with Ada, Irish names are very common up here and not struggled with.

"An awful lot of English people simply do not listen".

Love it.

Saoirse Ronan is a famous actress so most people should have seen her name/interview so it may make it easier, if you want to call your dd Saoirse. I think it is a lovely Irish name. It means Freedom

Neeve or Nay-iv?

"It's basically Sarah"
No it is not. Sarah is Sorcha in Irish. Totally different name.

I like it but I am Irish and I do think she would have to spell it out A LOT even if she was living in Ireland. Maybe that doesn't matter too much. People nearly always spell my name wrong by default but it doesn't really bother me.

The OP was concerned about the name's connotations up the thread, pronunciation came up, and certainly anti-Irish prejudice feeds the 'can't be bothered to pronounce your funny name' attitude some people experience.

YY to this, and a significant factor in my decision not to give my DC Irish names.

But Sorcha isn't really Sarah either. It's an Irish name beginning with S that they make girls called Sarah call themselves for the three weeks they're in the Gaeltacht.

I've always thought that too Mitzy

I have shown my dh this thread. He is mortified that Saoirse is the name of The republican newsletter. I think it might be out now.

I like Gráinne and Caoimhe.

Do you pronounce Caoimhe: Keeva or K-wee-va? aye?

I know how to pronounce it but my accent makes it sound more like Say-sha. It's one of the few Irish names I love.

I'd say Keeva, that's how we've always said it where I live.

I've just googled and apparently that's wrong though! I stand corrected.

I wasn't correcting you Aye, just curious. I'm from the north of Ireland and it's always pronounced Keeva whereas in the south it's pronounced the other way I wrote it

OP I'm sorry we've scuppered your plans

I think it's lovely and easily pronounced once people know how however having been given a very awkwardly spelt name myself, I wouldn't inflict similar on my own child.

PalaceResident I'm glad I didn't have it completely wrong then! I know a few Caoimhes and they're all Keeva.

We're west of Scotland, easier to get to the north than the republic, I wonder if that's why?

Im not Irish and I know how to pronounce it and...I love it! Fab name.

Another Northerner who pronounces Caoimhe as Keeva (and thinks it's also a beautiful name, with less political connotations than Saoirse)

Saoirshe is a gorgeous name....I would have picked it for my daughter except my family is NI republican and I married a Protestant (who became Catholic) with one massively sectarian family (that I have never met!) My Catholic family was a whole lot more welcoming to DH than his family was to me.

They hated him for marrying a Catholic, and we didn't want to anger any more Protestants by naming our child Saoirse.....so we didn't risk it!!!

It is a beautiful name

Saoirse is the name of the girl in this amazing film, never mind the republican newsletter!!

There's a little girl at my BF group called Saoirse mum pronounces it Sairsha like Sarah. It's so pretty!