Saorla
Say it: SAIR-la
GirlIrishMeans usually explained as "noble princess"6 letters2 syllables
#304
in Ireland (2025)
#267 with spellings combined
16
babies in 2025
#240
best rank (2022)
202
babies since 1995
Up 9
10-year rank change
Saorla through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | #267 |
| 2024 | 13 | #310 |
| 2023 | 6 | #543 |
| 2022 | 18 | #240 |
| 2021 | 12 | #339 |
| 2020 | 14 | #292 |
| 2019 | 6 | #546 |
| 2018 | 9 | #434 |
| 2017 | 10 | #399 |
| 2016 | 13 | #336 |
| 2015 | 18 | #276 |
| 2014 | 14 | #336 |
| 2013 | 5 | #664 |
| 2012 | 17 | #296 |
| 2011 | 7 | #554 |
| 2009 | 4 | #742 |
| 2008 | 8 | #504 |
| 2007 | 6 | #549 |
| 2006 | 3 | #763 |
| 1995 | 3 | #516 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Saorla mean?
Usually explained as "noble princess"
Irish, a short form of Saorlaith, usually taken as saor (free, noble) and flaith (ruler, princess).
Say it right
SAIRla
Some say SEER-la, with the "ao" sound of Saoirse.
The story of Saorla
Saorla is a short form of Saorlaith. The name is usually explained as a blend of saor, free or noble, and flaith, a ruler or princess, which gives readings such as “noble princess” or “free princess”. Standard reference works say little about it, so treat that as the usual explanation rather than a settled one.
The historian Donnchadh Ó Corráin, co-author of a well-known book on Gaelic personal names, saw Saorla as a better Irish match for Sarah than Sorcha, which had long been paired with it. A letter to The Irish Times in 1997 passed on his view at a time when Sarah was one of the most popular girls’ names in Ireland. The names are not related, but their sounds are close, and Sarah is usually said to mean “princess”.
Saorla reached the CSO lists in 1995 but only became a regular choice in the 2010s. Its best rank was number 240 in 2022, counting both spellings. In 2025 there were 13 girls registered as Saorla and 3 as Saorlá.
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Sources
- The Irish Times, letter "Sarah/Saorla", 16 January 1997
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Saorla | 13 | 199 |
| Saorlá | 3 | 3 |
In Northern Ireland
#397 in 2025 with 3 babies. Best rank #193 (2023); 85 babies since 2005.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.