Pronunciation
Seer-sha / Sur-sha
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
Freedom, liberty
Fun fact
Saoirse means freedom or liberty in Irish. It's more modern as a name than a lot of the names here, with a connection to Ireland's independence. You'll hear Seer-sha and Sur-sha, so the pronunciation depends on the person and dialect.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Saoirse, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 176 | #17 |
| 2024 | 164 | #24 |
| 2023 | 157 | #27 |
| 2022 | 212 | #18 |
| 2021 | 190 | #23 |
| 2020 | 214 | #20 |
| 2019 | 205 | #23 |
| 2018 | 225 | #20 |
| 2017 | 281 | #15 |
| 2016 | 324 | #12 |
| 2015 | 282 | #18 |
| 2014 | 263 | #23 |
| 2013 | 264 | #22 |
| 2012 | 317 | #17 |
| 2011 | 339 | #19 |
| 2010 | 355 | #18 |
| 2009 | 275 | #25 |
| 2008 | 279 | #24 |
| 2007 | 247 | #26 |
| 2006 | 217 | #29 |
| 2005 | 186 | #36 |
| 2004 | 176 | #35 |
| 2003 | 172 | #36 |
| 2002 | 181 | #31 |
| 2001 | 192 | #28 |
| 2000 | 176 | #30 |
| 1999 | 160 | #31 |
| 1998 | 117 | #37 |
| 1997 | 142 | #44 |
| 1996 | 113 | #51 |
| 1995 | 67 | #80 |
| 1994 | 70 | #83 |
| 1993 | 41 | #129 |
| 1992 | 30 | #164 |
| 1991 | 34 | #147 |
| 1990 | 24 | #192 |
| 1989 | 6 | #377 |
| 1988 | 10 | #304 |
| 1987 | 8 | #348 |
| 1986 | 10 | #305 |
| 1985 | 9 | #325 |
| 1984 | 10 | #308 |
| 1983 | 6 | #401 |
| 1982 | 7 | #369 |
| 1981 | 6 | #386 |
| 1980 | 4 | #483 |
| 1979 | 3 | #523 |
| 1978 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1977 | 5 | #429 |
| 1976 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1975 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1974 | 6 | #374 |
| 1973 | 5 | #402 |
| 1972 | 5 | #389 |
| 1971 | 4 | #417 |
| 1970 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.