Shanna

The female first name Shanna represents an English short form of the name Shannon, which is named after the longest river in Ireland. In its meaningful translation, it means "the owner of wisdom" or "the old river."

What does the name Shanna mean?

Shanna is an English short form of the name Shannon, which in turn comes from the eponymous Irish river. Its meaningful translation is "the owner of wisdom" or "the old river". The roots of this name can be found in Old Irish, where it is derived from the elements sen for "old", "antiquated" and aub or abhainn for "the river". Additionally, Shanna is also considered a shortened American form of Susanna, which traces back to the Greek Sousanna (Σουσάννα) and originally comes from the Hebrew Shoshannah. In this context, it means "the lily" or "the lotus flower". The etymological roots can be found either in the Ancient Hebrew shoshan (שׁוֹשָׁן), which means "the lily" or "the rose", or in the Ancient Egyptian sheshen or sšn for "the lotus" or "the water lily". Sometimes, Shanna is also seen as an alternative spelling of the Russian name Zhanna (Жанна), which is derived from Jeanne and originally comes from Johanna. In this case, the meaning is "God is gracious". Other variants include Shannan, Shannen, Shanon, Shannyn, Shannin, Shannyo, Shanin, Shanahan, Shannah, and Shana.

Where does the name Shanna come from?

The name Shanna has its roots in both Ancient Hebrew and Old Irish and means "the owner of wisdom" or "the lily". The etymology consists of: Old Irish sen for "old", "ancient", "wise" and aub or abhainn for "the river"; Ancient Hebrew shoshan (שׁוֹשָׁן) for "the lily", "the rose" or the Ancient Egyptian sheshen or sšn for "the lotus", "the water lily". The language is English.

How do you pronounce Shanna?

The pronunciation of Shanna is clear and compact. The name is two syllables and is usually pronounced in German as "Schan-na" [ˈʃana]. It begins with a gentle sh sound that conveys immediate accessibility. The double consonant structure in the middle provides stability, while the final "a" opens the sound and rounds it warmly. Overall, Shanna conveys a friendly and clear impression – soft, structured, and with a balanced sound effect.

When is the name day of Shanna?

Shanna is celebrated on the name days of August 11, October 17, and December 26.

Popularity

In Germany, Shanna is a rare first name. In 2023, it ranked 5,633rd in the list of the most common female first names. The highest placement was achieved in 2009 with 2,111th place. In the last ten years, Shanna has been given as a first name about 30 times, placing it 4,714th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 5,171st.

Nicknames & pet names

Shanni / Shawny

Similar first names

Famous people

• Shanna Collins (* 1983), American actress
• Shanna Compton (writer from the USA)
• Shanna Ferrigno (actress from America)
• Shanna Hogan (American writer)
• Shanna McCullough (* 1960), actress (erotic performances)
• Shanna Moakler (*1975), American actress and model
• Shanna Reed (American actress)
• Shanna Swendson (writer from America)
• Shanna Zolman (American basketball player)