Home › Baby Names Directory › Shoshana

Shoshana

♀ Girl

Pronounced shoh-sha-NA /ʃo.ʃa.ˈna/Medium

Meaning: LilyMedium

In 30 seconds: Shoshana is a Hebrew girl's name meaning 'lily'. It is the source behind the familiar Susanna and its many cousins.
💕 Browse more names
Origin MediumHebrew
MeaningLily
U.S. rank (2024)#1796 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births112 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 5,557

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219482024

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

History & Origin

Shoshana comes from Hebrew, where it names the lily flower. It stands at the root of a wide family of flower-names, with forms that spread across languages over time. Its variations include Suzana, Sawsan, Shushan, Susanna and Syuzanna, each carrying the same floral meaning.

The repeated 'sh' sounds give Shoshana a soft, flowing quality distinctive to its Hebrew form. A real bearer is the singer Shoshana Damari (1923-2006).

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Shoshana is 'lily', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Shoshana — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

SuzanaSawsanShushanSusannaSyuzanna

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

  • ★Shoshana Damari (1923–2006)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Shoshana…

Susanna— A listed variation, the widely used form of the same lily name.
Susan— A common English form descended from the same Shoshana root.

Frequently Asked

What does the name Shoshana mean?

Shoshana is usually explained as meaning 'lily' and is most often linked with Hebrew tradition.

How do you pronounce Shoshana?

It's commonly said shoh-sha-NA /ʃo.ʃa.ˈna/.

Is Shoshana a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Shoshana is used as a girl name.

How popular is Shoshana?

In 2024, Shoshana ranked #1796 in the U.S. for girls, with 112 births recorded.