Girl's name

Síofra

“SHEE-fra”

IPA: /ˈʃiːfˠɾˠə/

'elf' or 'changeling'

Siofra

The story behind the name

A name taken from folklore: a changeling was the fairy substitute left in the cradle when a human child was stolen. Its bearers include the Irish judge Síofra O'Leary of the European Court of Human Rights.

Famous people with this name

Síofra Cléirigh Büttner (born 1995) — Irish middle-distance runner

Irish people with an English Wikipedia article whose given name is recorded as Síofra on Wikidata; descriptions from Wikidata.

Quick answers

How do you pronounce Síofra?

Síofra is pronounced “SHEE-fra” (IPA: ˈʃiːfˠɾˠə). Irish has three main dialect groups (Ulster, Connacht and Munster) and many names are said differently in each. The respellings here give the pronunciation most commonly heard in Irish English; where a well-known variant exists, both are shown.

What does the name Síofra mean?

Síofra means 'elf' or 'changeling'.

Is Síofra a boy's or a girl's name?

Síofra is traditionally a girl's name in Ireland.

How else is Síofra spelled?

Other spellings and equivalents include Siofra. Irish names were written down by English-speaking clerks for centuries, which is why so many spellings survive for one name.

Related names

Siobhán Sionann Síomón

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