What does Saoirse mean?
Saoirse is the Irish word for “freedom” or “liberty,” popularised in the 20th century.
What does Sinead mean?
Sinéad is an Irish form of Jane/Jeanette, ultimately “God is gracious.”
Saoirse vs Sinead
Which is more popular?
Saoirse is more popular than Sinead today: about 222 US babies were given the name Saoirse in 2025, compared with 11 named Sinead.
| Saoirse | Sinead | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Freedom | God is gracious |
| Origin | Irish | Irish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | SEER-shuh | shin-AYD |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1993 | 1975 |
| Peak year | 2020 (373) | 1990 (160) |
| In 2025 | 222 | 11 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Saoirse
Sinead
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Saoirse | Sinead |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,768 | 60 |
| 2010s | 1,853 | 118 |
| 2000s | 383 | 295 |
| 1990s | 64 | 627 |
| 1980s | 0 | 182 |
| 1970s | 0 | 58 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Saoirse or Sinead more popular?
Saoirse is more popular than Sinead today: about 222 US babies were given the name Saoirse in 2025, compared with 11 named Sinead.
What is the difference between Saoirse and Sinead?
Saoirse means Freedom (Irish origin), while Sinead means God is gracious (Irish origin).
Which name is older, Saoirse or Sinead?
In US records, Saoirse first appears in 1993 and Sinead in 1975, so Sinead has the longer recorded history.