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Shannah

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Shannah

Pronounced SHAN-uh /ˈʃæn.ə/Medium

Meaning: Shannah varies Shana (Yiddish/Hebrew 'beautiful', or a form tied to 'God is gracious') and echoes Irish Shannon, the river name meaning 'old' or 'wise'.Low

In 30 seconds: Shannah, with its soft final -h, sits between Hebrew-Yiddish Shana ('beautiful') and Irish Shannon (the 'wise old river') — a warm, breathy girls' name that crested in the late seventies (said SHAN-uh).

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Origin MediumHebrew, Irish

MeaningShannah varies Shana (Yiddish/Hebrew 'beautiful', or a form tied to 'God is gracious') and echoes Irish Shannon, the river name meaning 'old' or 'wise'.

U.S. rank (2014)#14333 ↘ Falling

2014 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1978

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,378

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Shannah can be read two ways: as a spelling of Shana, from Yiddish and Hebrew for 'beautiful' (and related to Hannah, 'God is gracious'), or as a soft form of Shannon, the Irish river name meaning 'old' or 'wise'. The added -h gives it a gentle, biblical look.

The name grew with the Sh- girls' names of the nineteen-seventies, peaked around 1978, and thinned afterward. It has a timeless-enough sound that it does not feel as strongly dated as some peers, but it remains uncommon.

Did you know? Shannah reached its high point around 1978, riding the huge popularity of Shannon and the Shana/Shanna cluster in that decade.

Overall data confidence 62%

Behind the Name — Shannon — Irish river name; Shana/Hannah roots

Variations

ShanaShannaShannon

Nicknames

ShanShannie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Shannah…

Shana— the base Hebrew/Yiddish name it varies

Shannon— the Irish name it also echoes

Hannah— the related 'gracious' root and matching -h

Savannah— a like soft-flowing Sh/-annah girls' name

Explore names like Shannah

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Shannah mean?

Shannah is a variant of Shana, Hebrew/Yiddish for 'beautiful', also echoing Irish Shannon.

How do you pronounce Shannah?

It's said SHAN-uh /ˈʃæn.ə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Shannah a boy or girl name?

Shannah is used as a girl's name, related to Shana and Shannon.

How popular is Shannah?

Shannah is an uncommon girls' name that was most popular in the late nineteen-seventies.