Shannan
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- SHAN-un
- Origin
- Irish
Shannan is a girls' name of Irish origin. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Shannan mean?
Irish: spelling of Shannon
From the River Shannon, Ireland's longest river, linked in legend to the goddess Sionann.
Is Shannan a girl's or a boy's name?
Shannan is a girls' name.
How popular is Shannan in the UK?
No girls in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1997, with 52 girls.
Half of all the girls named Shannan in the UK since 1996 were born between 1997 and 2002. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.
Shannan in the UK, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | #7,717 |
| 2010 | 0 | – |
| 2009 | 3 | #5,801 |
| 2008 | 4 | #4,742 |
| 2007 | 10 | #2,354 |
| 2006 | 16 | #1,614 |
| 2005 | 17 | #1,451 |
| 2004 | 16 | #1,488 |
| 2003 | 14 | #1,564 |
| 2002 | 32 | #829 |
| 2001 | 29 | #871 |
| 2000 | 37 | #715 |
| 1999 | 37 | #704 |
| 1998 | 39 | #695 |
| 1997 | 52 | #567 |
| 1996 | 51 | #550 |
How popular is Shannan in the US?
No girls in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1969, with 284 girls. It first appears in the records in 1950.
Half of all the girls named Shannan in the US since 1880 were born between 1971 and 1985, the years shaded on the chart below.
Shannan in the US, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 6 | #14,956 |
| 2011 | 6 | #14,816 |
| 2010 | 6 | #14,953 |
| 2009 | 7 | #13,698 |
| 2008 | 11 | #10,080 |
| 2007 | 17 | #7,390 |
| 2006 | 15 | #7,865 |
| 2005 | 13 | #8,325 |
| 2004 | 14 | #7,823 |
| 2003 | 18 | #6,294 |
| 2002 | 25 | #4,763 |
| 2001 | 33 | #3,860 |
| 2000 | 29 | #4,180 |
| 1999 | 53 | #2,637 |
| 1998 | 40 | #3,113 |
| 1997 | 57 | #2,325 |
| 1996 | 50 | #2,506 |
| 1995 | 65 | #2,078 |
| 1994 | 85 | #1,723 |
| 1993 | 94 | #1,609 |
| 1992 | 90 | #1,669 |
| 1991 | 73 | #1,907 |
| 1990 | 62 | #2,096 |
| 1989 | 86 | #1,611 |
| 1988 | 67 | #1,835 |
| 1987 | 97 | #1,386 |
| 1986 | 81 | #1,515 |
| 1985 | 132 | #1,096 |
| 1984 | 125 | #1,103 |
| 1983 | 120 | #1,120 |
| 1982 | 159 | #938 |
| 1981 | 150 | #976 |
| 1980 | 187 | #835 |
| 1979 | 203 | #782 |
| 1978 | 196 | #780 |
| 1977 | 219 | #707 |
| 1976 | 234 | #656 |
| 1975 | 172 | #801 |
| 1974 | 164 | #818 |
| 1973 | 188 | #743 |
| 1972 | 237 | #642 |
| 1971 | 265 | #627 |
| 1970 | 283 | #612 |
| 1969 | 284 | #588 |
| 1968 | 160 | #791 |
| 1967 | 89 | #1,103 |
| 1966 | 80 | #1,201 |
| 1965 | 59 | #1,437 |
| 1964 | 46 | #1,708 |
| 1963 | 50 | #1,597 |
| 1962 | 23 | #2,538 |
| 1961 | 35 | #1,954 |
| 1960 | 20 | #2,728 |
| 1959 | 16 | #2,979 |
| 1958 | 15 | #3,084 |
| 1957 | 14 | #3,149 |
| 1956 | 15 | #3,047 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,207 |
| 1954 | 5 | #5,751 |
| 1953 | 0 | – |
| 1952 | 6 | #4,906 |
| 1951 | 0 | – |
| 1950 | 5 | #5,299 |
Names like Shannan
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Teagan, Raegan, Ffion, Caragh, Erin, Aoibheann, Keira, Caitlin, Eireann, Tegan, Cassidy, Bree
Names related to Shannan
Shannon, Shanaya, Shaan, Sianna, Shania, Sihana, Shauna, Shani, Shayna, Shaina, Shaniya, Suhana
More Irish names
Oscar, Rowan, Rory, Maeve, Finn, Aiden, Ryan, Nolan, Quinn, Orla, Cody, Ronan, Connor, Declan, Casey, Kennedy
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Shannan: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/shannan, updated 20 October 2026.