Shannen
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- SHAN-un
- Origin
- Irish
Shannen is a girls' name of Irish origin. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Shannen mean?
Irish: spelling of Shannon
From the River Shannon, Ireland's longest river, linked in legend to the goddess Sionann.
Is Shannen a girl's or a boy's name?
Shannen is a girls' name.
How popular is Shannen in the UK?
No girls in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1996, with 65 girls.
Half of all the girls named Shannen 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.
Shannen in the UK, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 6 | #3,589 |
| 2007 | 6 | #3,396 |
| 2006 | 10 | #2,263 |
| 2005 | 10 | #2,206 |
| 2004 | 11 | #1,949 |
| 2003 | 17 | #1,369 |
| 2002 | 13 | #1,553 |
| 2001 | 25 | #955 |
| 2000 | 34 | #755 |
| 1999 | 16 | #1,298 |
| 1998 | 17 | #1,238 |
| 1997 | 50 | #588 |
| 1996 | 65 | #487 |
How popular is Shannen in the US?
No girls in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1993, with 216 girls. It first appears in the records in 1961.
Half of all the girls named Shannen in the US since 1880 were born between 1987 and 1996, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2006, 83% of the babies named Shannen in the US were girls.
Shannen in the US, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5 | #15,188 |
| 2022 | 0 | – |
| 2021 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 6 | #14,326 |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 11 | #9,706 |
| 2011 | 6 | #14,816 |
| 2010 | 6 | #14,953 |
| 2009 | 13 | #8,884 |
| 2008 | 13 | #8,961 |
| 2007 | 16 | #7,729 |
| 2006 | 35 | #4,164 |
| 2005 | 34 | #4,114 |
| 2004 | 47 | #3,220 |
| 2003 | 46 | #3,183 |
| 2002 | 25 | #4,763 |
| 2001 | 29 | #4,205 |
| 2000 | 53 | #2,736 |
| 1999 | 46 | #2,893 |
| 1998 | 52 | #2,611 |
| 1997 | 32 | #3,544 |
| 1996 | 60 | #2,226 |
| 1995 | 100 | #1,527 |
| 1994 | 163 | #1,098 |
| 1993 | 216 | #891 |
| 1992 | 179 | #1,035 |
| 1991 | 111 | #1,435 |
| 1990 | 20 | #4,689 |
| 1989 | 19 | #4,664 |
| 1988 | 56 | #2,066 |
| 1987 | 45 | #2,330 |
| 1986 | 24 | #3,552 |
| 1985 | 29 | #3,083 |
| 1984 | 18 | #4,165 |
| 1983 | 18 | #4,108 |
| 1982 | 22 | #3,646 |
| 1981 | 18 | #4,161 |
| 1980 | 20 | #3,852 |
| 1979 | 14 | #4,841 |
| 1978 | 15 | #4,459 |
| 1977 | 36 | #2,423 |
| 1976 | 24 | #3,001 |
| 1975 | 21 | #3,259 |
| 1974 | 22 | #3,110 |
| 1973 | 25 | #2,753 |
| 1972 | 23 | #2,903 |
| 1971 | 29 | #2,542 |
| 1970 | 42 | #1,986 |
| 1969 | 24 | #2,704 |
| 1968 | 22 | #2,708 |
| 1967 | 6 | #6,041 |
| 1966 | 14 | #3,399 |
| 1965 | 0 | – |
| 1964 | 5 | #6,766 |
| 1963 | 0 | – |
| 1962 | 0 | – |
| 1961 | 6 | #5,850 |
Names like Shannen
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Keira, Teagan, Raegan, Caragh, Cassidy, Aoibheann, Ffion, Caoimhe, Caitlin, Eireann, Bree, Eden
Names related to Shannen
Shannon, Sennen, Shani, Shana, Shanae, Shyanne, Shannan, Shaunie, Shayne, Shyann, Shianne, Shanna
More Irish names
Oscar, Rowan, Rory, Maeve, Finn, Aiden, Ryan, Nolan, Quinn, Orla, Cody, Erin, Ronan, Connor, Declan, Casey
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, “Shannen: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/shannen, updated 20 October 2026.