Girl's name
Laoise
“LEE-sha”
usually read as 'radiant girl'; sometimes linked to Laois
Why it is said that way
The ao is ee and the s sits before an e, so it is sh. LEE-sha, not lay-oh-ees.
- s before e or i → sh
- ao → ee, or ay in Munster
The story behind the name
Often used today as an Irish equivalent of Lucy, because both carry the idea of light. It may also connect to the ancient Laigis people who gave County Laois its name.
Where the name belongs
Meanings follow Ó Corráin & Maguire's Irish Names and Woulfe; pronunciations give the commonest Irish-English form. Know this name better — a dialect pronunciation, a family tradition? Tell us. · All Irish names A–Z