Eliza or Saoirse?

[IceColdCocaCola]

Due baby number 2 in April, don't know gender. If DS was a girl then I would have definitely used Eliza, but I've noticed it creeping up in popularity which is beginning so put me off. But I have loved the name forever.
So wondering what other people opinions are..
Eliza or Saoirse?

I know a Saoirse - she gets called by an amazing variety of names, as no one knows how to pronounce it. (This is in England)

Eliza unless your are Irish or in Ireland

@nocoolnamesleft
This is the thing that makes me not 100% on Saoirse! Though I live in Scotland which I think is more familiar with Irish names than other areas of uk

How do you pronounce it?

Eliza definitely

I always say sore arse in my head at the orher.

I just think of 'sore arse' when I see that written down 😕

I know a Sorsha, in Ireland, if you want the sound but not the spelling. You would be ok with it in parts of Scotland, it's a bit of a political statement in parts of Ireland!

Eliza

I always say sore arse in my head at the other

Yep - me too I’m afraid.

Saoirse! Lovely name.

I wouldn’t know how to pronounce Saoirse (although I remember reading a book with a character with that name, pronounced it ‘say-orse’ throughout & then later being told the real pronunciation- still cant remember it though..). Eliza is a lovely & probably less challenging for her name if people are as ignorant as me!

Because Saoirse means 'freedom' it can be, as a pp says, a bit of a political statement in Ireland and I'd avoid it for that reason. You'd also have constant pronunciation issues.

Eliza is nice.

My dd was going to be Saoirse but no one knew how to pronounce it or spell it.

I'm British but my parents/grandparents on both sides are Irish and we all live in central Scotland.

Definitely Eliza

I know a wee Saoirse in Glasgow. I think it's fine in Scotland and will probably be the next Niamh or Siobhan. Lovely name.

Even living in Scotland I’d steer away from Saoirse- it has some real connotations which might lead some people to make some big assumptions about her background in the future.

There’s a republican paramilitary called Saoradh as well, which is the same kind of idea.

I’m in NI and have given my DC very very Irish names and I still wouldn’t use it.

I'd call her Elizabeth and then Eliza for short, then she's got lots of options.

I love Saoirse

I personally would choose Saoirse. I know of one in real life and she's the sweetest girl I think if Ive ever met! It's pretty, magical, unusual yet traditional. I love it!
Eliza is also pretty but just not quite as special to my mind

I like both names but personally would only use Saoirse if I had family ties to Ireland.

Saoirse is lovely. The one I know has anglicised the spelling .

Eliza - spare her years of being asked how to say it / spell it.

Perhaps Saoirse as a middle name in case she decides to use that?

Love Saoirse. Wanted it for DD, but we don't have strong enough Irish connection.

Eliza. Saoirse is horrid.