What does Saoirse mean?
Saoirse is the Irish word for “freedom” or “liberty,” popularised in the 20th century.
What does Aoife mean?
Aoife comes from the Irish for “radiant” or “beautiful,” and is borne by a great warrior of Irish legend.
Saoirse vs Aoife
Which is more popular?
Saoirse is more popular than Aoife today: about 222 US babies were given the name Saoirse in 2025, compared with 88 named Aoife.
| Saoirse | Aoife | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Freedom | Radiant, beautiful |
| Origin | Irish | Irish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | SEER-shuh | EE-fuh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1993 | 1985 |
| Peak year | 2020 (373) | 2018 (117) |
| In 2025 | 222 | 88 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Saoirse
Aoife
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Saoirse | Aoife |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,768 | 592 |
| 2010s | 1,853 | 862 |
| 2000s | 383 | 503 |
| 1990s | 64 | 201 |
| 1980s | 0 | 23 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Saoirse or Aoife more popular?
Saoirse is more popular than Aoife today: about 222 US babies were given the name Saoirse in 2025, compared with 88 named Aoife.
What is the difference between Saoirse and Aoife?
Saoirse means Freedom (Irish origin), while Aoife means Radiant, beautiful (Irish origin).
Which name is older, Saoirse or Aoife?
In US records, Saoirse first appears in 1993 and Aoife in 1985, so Aoife has the longer recorded history.