Home › Baby Names Directory › Shannan

Shannan

♀ Girl

Pronounced SHAN-uhn /ˈʃæn.ən/Medium

Meaning: An -an spelling of Shannon, from the River Shannon in Ireland, a name linked to an old goddess and sometimes read as 'old; wise river.' A mid-century flourish on a favorite.Low

In 30 seconds: A soft Irish-rooted name: Shannan spells Shannon (the Irish river), said 'SHAN-uhn.' Vintage and gentle.

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowIrish

MeaningAn -an spelling of Shannon, from the River Shannon in Ireland, a name linked to an old goddess and sometimes read as 'old; wise river.' A mid-century flourish on a favorite.

U.S. rank (2012)#16545 ↘ Falling

2012 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1969

Total births (all-time)≈ 5,162

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

Shannan restyles Shannon, from Ireland's River Shannon — tied to an old goddess and read as 'old, wise river.' The -an ending had a brief mid-century vogue, peaking in 1969 before yielding to Shannon (said 'SHAN-uhn').

Shannan belonged to the sixties nurseries and is rare today. Rare, soft, and vintage.

Did you know? Shannan is an -an spelling of Shannon that peaked around 1969 before the standard spelling took over.

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Shannan — Variant of Shannon; Irish river name

Variations

ShannonShanonShannen

Nicknames

ShanNonnie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Shannan…

Shannon— the name it respells

Rhiannon— a like Celtic-flavored name

Erin— a like Irish pick

Siobhan— a similarly popular pick

Shiela— another Irish name

Explore names like Shannan

By themevintage gentle 1960s irish-rooted

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Shannan mean?

Shannan is a variant of Shannon, from the River Shannon in Ireland.

How do you pronounce Shannan?

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

Is Shannan a boy or girl name?

Shannan is used here as a girl's name.

How popular is Shannan?

Shannan peaked in the late sixties and is uncommon now.