I need some advice on the name Sorcha

[Caitni]

Afternoon ladies

I grew up saying "Sor-sha" (it was used as the Irish for Sarah for a girl in my primary school class although even then we knew it was a name in its own right) and I love that pronunciation. But I really don't like the "proper" pronounciation of "Surr-i-ka" (am rubbish at phonectic spelling but hope you get my drift). I grew up in Cork City btw.

We've decided we'd like an Irish name if we have a girl (we're pretty much decided on the boy's name) and I've really got "Sor-sha" in my head. I'm Irish, married to an American, and we live in the UK (London). We're unlikely to ever live in Ireland, but obviously there's lots of family in Ireland, so there will a strong connection to the auld sod, iykwim.

What's the verdict on the "wrong" pronunciation? Especially when (like me) you've got quite strong feelings about not anglicising names...

And any other Irish names you love?

I should add that the following names are out: Orla, Aoibhinn and Sadbh (all used in my family), Saoirse (way too "up the IRA" for me), Caoimhe (tmi alert but sounds like a word for fanny farts in America apparently so absolutely banned by my yankee husband), Siobhan, Sinead, Ciara (I know about 15 of each).

Thanks in advance

How about Grainne? Can be translated to Grace if necessary. My dd Grace is perversely translating her name back to Grainne at the moment! (she's going through a Celtic Twilight phase!)

I think 'Seersha' is supposed to be spelt saoirse.

I gave my daughter 'Siollan' as a middle name, even though it's actually a boy's name - I just loved it and no one knows any different!

'Seersha' is Saoirse, means freedom. It is not Sorcha.

Have you seen the South Park episode with Kenny G in it ilovemydog.....think the word is queef. Dammit and I always liked the name Caoimhe.

Siofra is another nice one though.
I also like Caoilfheann, for a boy or girl, although it seems to be a really popular boys name round here now.

Brefine is also lovely.

Yes Saoirse is a completely different name.

Sorcha means light (as opposed to dark). Saoirse means freedom.

If you pronounce Sorcha with more of a c or ch sound, and without the anglicised sha ending it sounds more like it should and less like Saoirse. 'Sor' has more of a 'sur' sound too, in Irish (like in surname), as OP spelled it out Surr-i-ka.

You can pronounce Caoimhe without the Qu sound, more like Keeva, but if DH is adamant, then best to avoid.

Breiffne is a boy's name.

I know several female Breiffne's, think it can be both.
Saoirse is lovely I think but generally associated with the IRA so best avoided.

Sorcha sounds nice. I had never heard/seen it before but would pronounce it like you said. Sor-sha

Rhianne? Deirdre? Erin? Keara? (from baby name book)

I never realised they were two separate names - just thought it was an anglicised version of saoirse (which I love as a name).

mathanxiety, is the Siofra you knew an optician now?

Ilovemydog, for Caoimhe fuckerinyourhedgerow (great name btw!) is getting the reference - see here on wikipedia for a more "formal" explanation...I could try and insist that it's "keeva" but I don't like that pronounciation and my whole family would pronounce it with a q, making DH wince each time. So (sadly for me, cos I love it) Caomihe is off the list.

Mathanxiety I think I get what you mean about the soft "ch" .

Bellisima will have to check out the Caitriona thread (tis actually my Irish name but I go by Cait)

Annamam I quite like Deirdre but associate it with a very tragic Irish myth. Meaning is so important to us that I would prefer something with a happier story/meaning attached...

The Catriona debate is on the 'Creative Pronunciation' thread - beware it gets a bit insulting!

I like it. I notice that it seems to be pronounced slightly differently now than it was 30 years ago! I knew Sorchas growing up and they were Sorkas. Now the fashion seems to be to use a softer pronounciation, eg, sorsha or like mathanxiety says, a kind of gutteral sound, like the scottish loch a bit..

I like Sorcha with softer pronounciation. I also like Clodagh and Roisin and Maeve.

Raonad reminds me of that 17 year girl who went missing and was never found.

ihaveaheadache, if your friends pronounce their baby's name seersha, then they probably chose Saoirse. Not so keen on that one. Sorcha nicer. Also like Siofra. (sheefra)

Yes, loch is a better example Maggie.
Reservejudgement, I lost touch with the Siofra I knew, so she might well be an optician, but not to my knowledge.

I also came across a Seoighe in Irish college, pronounced Shoya. She said it was Joyce. And I've heard the name Giollaiosa fada on last i (Gyul-EE-uh-sa) as either a boys' or girls' name (means servant of Jesus).

Caitni I would pronounce Sorcha as "Sorka" (also from Cork City .

But I think in UK they might would say something like "Sor-cher". Or as Maggie said they might go with some scottish pronounciation...

Mind you just because a name has ambiguous pronounciations doesn't mean you shouldn't use it if YOU LIKE IT!

I dunno...I'm useless as I am not a great fan of Irish names.

My friend recently mentioned the name Realtin to me though, which I think is lovely and means "little star". I also quite like Iseult.

The only way I have heard it pronounced is the Irish way - tehy pronounce it SORIKA - I think it's lovely

mathanxiety has reminded me of another Irish name, Maeliosa,( Mwaylisa) or follower of Jesus but I suppose not great if you're a heathen like me!

I know a man called this. He says it maleesa. toooooo like melissa. When his wife was talking about Maleesa I wsa trying to figure out who or what she meant. I ws running possibiliites through my head! daughter? babysitter?

I agree with you that the proper pronunciation of Sorcha is not attractive. The pronunciation you like is not right. Ch in Irish isn't pronounced as sh in English, ever. The best valid pronunciation you could manage would be sor-ha. Either way though the o should be pronounced as a u in English.

Obviously you can pronounce a name as you please, but if it matters to you that it is right then better to just spell it sorsha and forget the Irish element altogether.

An alternative is seoirse (shorsha), which is Irish and a lot closer to the sound you like, but for a boy.

You helped me out on my Irish girls' names some months ago (still unresolved)

Also, remember that sorcha (correctly pronounced) has 3 syllables surr-u-ka

Maeliosa originally would have been a name for a monk tonsured (mael = bald) as a symbol of following Jesus, so clearly a boy's name.

Some newborn girls are pretty bald though!

Never had that problem with my DCs

I suppose it is a bit like Calvin. which means bald and has an ecclesiastical feel. (calvinist is a religion I think).

I am just ignorant Mathanxiety!! nobody else seemed to be having any trouble with the name. my excuse is that 15 years in the UK anglicised me a bit. I have re-assimilated again now!