A soon-to-be parent has expressed frustration over their mother who refuses to take the Irish name they love seriously . Many Irish names have become popular around the world but others are more complicated and difficult to pronounce for those who don't understand how the Irish language works.
An Irish name is currently the most popular for boys in the US . Liam once again claimed the top spot as the most popular choice for parents of newborn baby boys in the US in 2023.
However, Irish names that are common in Ireland , such as Tadgh, Róisín , and Rían, are never really heard in the US because they haven't been Anglicized. The Irish language, known as Gaeilge, is vastly different from English and has a different set of rules and conventions.
So, many Irish names prove tricky for those who aren't familiar. One of those names is Saoirse.
Meaning 'freedom' , Saoirse is pronounced 'seer-sha'. It is a popular name in Ireland and has become known around the world thanks to the success of Oscar -nominated Irish actress Saoirse Ronan .
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However, many people still struggle to pronounce it. One Reddit user expressed their frustration at their mother refusing to acknowledge the name and claiming that she would call her new grandchild 'sushi' if given the name.
"My partner and I want to try for a baby, and we have two concrete names picked out," they explained. "We decided not to tell anyone the names until our baby was born and already had it on the birth certificate (because what can they say at that point?) but my mom found my list of girls’ names and spread our top choice around to the whole family who HATES it.
"My partner is Irish, and we both love the name Saoirse (Ser-Sha). There’s a famous actress with the same name so we didn’t think it would be a huge deal.
My mom has flat-out told me if I have a daughter she won’t call her by her given name and will instead call her “Sushi”. My entire family jumped on board with this and has been relentlessly harassing me about the name.
"Honestly, I know I shouldn’t stress too much as there’s a fifty-fifty chance I’ll have a baby boy anyway. But the discourse around the name has really started to aggravate me and the idea that my kid is going to be bullied by my whole family because she has an Irish name is getting under my skin.
"The last time she asked me if I’d gotten a positive pregnancy test I said no, and she goes “well let’s hope it’s not a girl because she’s Sushi to me” I flat out told my mother I don’t care for her opinion as she has shit taste in names anyway. She asked what that meant and I said I’ve always hated my own name, and I should have the ability to choose one for my child just like she did for me.
"She was extremely hurt that I didn’t like my name and the general consensus is I’m a jerk for saying so. My husband’s family of course has no issue with Saoirse. They’re Irish."
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People were quick to be supportive in their responses to the post. "I’d just tell her if she calls her Sushi it will be the last time she sees her to call her anything," one person asserted.
Another wrote: "Anyone who doesn't want to call your child by the name you choose can call your child "the child we never see because we disrespected the parents"."
A third commented: "Saoirse is a classic and beautiful Irish girl name, and quite frankly your mother is being rather culturally bigoted. Which you should point out. Repeatedly."
A fourth said: "Why wouldn't you guys want to use a traditional Irish name? That's beautiful and unique."
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