Shannon ("old river") is an Irish name,

Anglicised Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...

from Sionainn. Alternative spellings include Shannen, Shanon, Shannan, Seanan, and Siannon. The variant Shanna is an Anglicisation of Sionna. ''Sionainn'' derives from the Irish name ''Abha na tSionainn'' for the

River Shannon The River Shannon ( ga, Abhainn na Sionainne, ', '), at in length, is the longest river in the British Isles. It drains the Shannon River Basin, which has an area of , – approximately one fifth of the area of the island of Ireland. The Sha ...

. Because the suffix ''ain'' indicates a

diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A ( abbreviated ) is a word-form ...

in Irish, the name is sometimes mistranslated as 'little wise one', but means 'possessor of wisdom'. Some derive the denomination of Shannon ( Irish: Sionnain) from the phrase ''sean-amhan'' or "old river." Another reported derivation is from ''Ó Seanaigh,'' "descendant of Seanach," which yielded the surnames Shanahan and Shannon.

Namesake

The name ''Sionainn'' alludes to Sionna, a goddess in

Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally oral tradition, passed down orally in the Prehistoric Ireland, prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later Early Irish ...

whose name means 'possessor of wisdom'. She is the

namesake A namesake is a person, geographic location, or other entity bearing the name of another. History The word is first attested around 1635, and probably comes from the phrase "for one's name's sake", which originates in English Bible translations ...

and matron of Sionainn, the

. The Shannon is the longest river in the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isl ...

. Sionainn is one of seven rivers of knowledge said to flow from

Connla's Well The ''Dindsenchas'' of Irish mythology give the physical origins, and etymological source of several bodies of water - in these myth poems the sources of rivers and lakes is sometimes given as being from magical wells. Connla's Well is one of a n ...

, the well of wisdom in the

Celtic Otherworld In Celtic mythology, the Otherworld is the realm of the deities and possibly also the dead. In Gaelic and Brittonic myth it is usually a supernatural realm of everlasting youth, beauty, health, abundance and joy.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture ...

(the realm of the dead). Legends vary about the creation of the river, but they all recount the drowning of the Sionna, granddaughter of the great sea god Lir, usually at an undersea well. According to the legend, nine sacred hazel (or, by some accounts,

rowan The rowans ( or ) or mountain-ashes are shrubs or trees in the genus ''Sorbus'' of the rose family, Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the Himalaya ...

) trees grow near the well, and drop their bright red fruit in it and on the ground. In the well live the Salmon of Knowledge, whose wisdom comes from eating this fruit. By eating the fruit or one of the salmon, one can share in this wisdom.

Shortened forms

Shana and Shanna are familiar diminutives or forms of Shannon or Sionna.

Popularity

In the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, the name first appeared on the

Social Security Administration The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that administers Social Security, a social insurance program consisting of retirement, disability and survivor benefits. To qualify f ...

's in 1881 for males. It later gained popularity as a feminine name in 1937. During the 1970s, American parents began to confer the name on boys and girls alike. It was during this time that the name's popularity peaked in the United States. In the 1990 United States Census, ''Shannon'' was the 317th most common name for American males. Irish emigrants may have popularized the name due to their nostalgia for Ireland. After ''Shannon'' became a popular unisex name in the United States, Irish parents, too, began to give newborn boys this name.

Women

Shannon Applegate Shannon Applegate is an American author, lecturer, and historian from the state of Oregon. Her works include ''Skookum: An Oregon Pioneer Family's History and Lore'' (1988) and ''Living Among Headstones: Life in a Country Cemetery'' (2005). She i ...

, American historian *

Shannon Ashlyn Shannon Ashlyn (born 20 February 1986) is a film and television actress, writer and director, known for her roles in the Australian horror film ''Wolf Creek 2 ''Wolf Creek 2'' is a 2013 Australian horror film co-written and directed by Greg ...

(born 1990), Australian Actress *

Shannon Bahrke Shannon Bahrke (born November 7, 1980) is an American Olympic freestyle skier and entrepreneur. Bahrke was the silver medalist in Moguls at the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City and went on to become the 2003 World Cup Champion. She ...

(born 1980), American freestyle skier *

Shannon Baker Shannon Baker (born 30 January 1980) is a New Zealand-born English rugby union player. She played for at the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup The 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup (officially IRB Rugby World Cup 2006 Canada) took place in Edmonton, ...

(born 1980), New Zealand Rugby player *

Shannon Barnett Shannon Barnett (born 1982) is an Australian trombonist and composer who was named Young Australian Jazz Artist of the Year at the 2007 Australian Jazz Bell Awards.Shannon Bell Shannon Bell (born 5 July 1955) is a Canadian performance philosopher who lives and writes philosophy-in-action, experimental philosophy. Bell is also professor and graduate programme director in the York University Political Science Departmen ...

(born 1955), Canadian performance philosopher *

Shannon Berry ''Hunters'' is an American television drama series that aired on Syfy, created by Natalie Chaidez and executive produced by Chaidez, Emile Levisetti and Gale Anne Hurd. Based on Whitley Strieber’s best-selling novel ''Alien Hunter'', the series ...

, American actress *

Shannon Beveridge Shannon Beveridge (born March 19, 1992) is an American YouTuber, actress, photographer and LGBT advocate. Born in Texas, she started her YouTube channel, nowthisisliving', in 2012 and now has over 600,000 subscribers. In 2017, she won the best ...

(born 1992), American

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

r * Shannon Bex (born 1980), American singer *

Shannon Birchard Shannon Birchard (born May 11, 1994) is a Canadian curler from Winnipeg, Manitoba. She currently plays second on Team Kerri Einarson from Gimli, Manitoba. Currently, the Einarson team are the four-time reigning Scotties Tournament of Hearts c ...

(born 1994), Canadian curler * Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (born 1973), American politician * Shannon Bobbitt (born 1985), American basketball player *

Shannon Bolin Shannon Bolin (January 1, 1917 – March 25, 2016) was an American actress and singer. A March 10, 1941, article in The Mason City Globe-Gazette said that she was "known as 'The Lady with the Dark Blue Voice'". Early years Ione Shannon Bolin wa ...

(1917–2016), American actress and singer *

Shannon Boxx Shannon Leigh Boxx Spearman (; born June 29, 1977) is an American retired soccer player and former member of the United States women's national soccer team, playing the defensive midfielder position. She last played club soccer for the Chicago Re ...

(born 1977), American soccer player *

Shannon Bramer Shannon Bramer (born 4 October 1973) is a Canadian poet. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, she attended York University before publishing her first book, ''suitcases and other poems'', which won the Hamilton and Region Arts Council Book Award. Over the ...

(born 1973), Canadian poet * Shannon Bream (born 1970), American journalist * Shannon Brown (musician) (born 1973), American singer * Shannon Campbell (born 1996), Australian footballer * Shannon Cassidy (1961–1999), American voice actress * Shannon Chan-Kent (born 1988), Canadian voice actress * Shannon Click (born 1983), American model *

Shannon Cochran Shannon Cochran (born August 7, 1958) is an American actress. While she has numerous credits to her name, she is particularly recognizable as having played the mysterious Anna Morgan in the 2002 horror film '' The Ring''. Cochran played Pam Bee ...

(born 1958), American actress *

Shannon Conley Shannon Conley (also credited as Sonny Dey, Holly Bobbit, Ursula Conlon, Vibe Jones, Candi Washington and Deborah Zane) is an American voice actress and musician based in New York City. She has done voice work in English dubs of Japanese anime for ...

, American actress * Shannon Crawford (born 1963), Canadian rower * Shannon Cunneen (born 1977), Australian cricketer *

Shannon Curfman Shannon Marie Curfman (born July 31, 1985, Fargo, North Dakota) is an American blues-rock guitarist and singer. Career She came to prominence in 1999, at the age of 14, with the release of her first album, '' Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions'', wh ...

(born 1985), American singer * Shannon Curtis, American dreampop singer * Shannon Dawdy (born 1967), American historian * Shannon Day (1896–1977), American silent-film actress * Shannon Delany, American author * Shannen Doherty, American actress * Shannon Elizabeth (born 1973), American actress *

Shannon Flynn Shannon Flynn (born 22 August 1996) is an English actress and presenter from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, who is best known for appearing in ''Friday Download as well as Emily James in the BBC school-based drama, ''Waterloo Road''., and had ...

(born 1996), English actress *

, American director * Shannon Brenda Greene (born 1958), stage name Shannon, American singer *

Shannon Grove Shannon Lee Grove (née Cain; born March 18, 1965) is an American politician, who represents the 12th State Senate district, encompassing the southern Central Valley and parts of the High Desert. A Republican, she served as the minority leader ...

(born 1965), American politician from California * Shannon Jackson, American performance theorist, author of the 2004 book ''Professing Performativity'' * Shannon Lucid (born 1943) American biochemist and astronaut * Shannon Lynn (born 1985), Scottish footballer *

Shannon Magrane Shannon Renee' Magrane (born October 21, 1995) is an American singer from Tampa, Florida, who finished in eleventh place on the eleventh season of ''American Idol.'' Early life Her father is former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher and former Tam ...

(born 1995), performer on ''American Idol'' * Shannon McRandle (born 1969), model and makeup artist * Shannon Ashley Mitchell (born 1987), Canadian actress, model, entrepreneur and author * Shannon Spruill (born 1975), American professional wrestler, manager, and actor better known as Daffney * Shannon C. Stimson (born 1951), American political theorist * Shannon Tweed, (born 1957), Canadian actress * Shannon Walker (born 1965), American physicist and astronaut * Shannon Arrum Williams (born 1998), Korean pop singer * Shannon Webb (born 1999), American theatre manager * Shannon Whirry, American actor

Men

Shannon Bennett Shannon Bennett (born 23 November 1975) is an Australian chef and author. He is best known as the head chef of restaurant Vue de Monde at Melbourne's Rialto Tower. Bennett currently serves as the creative director at the restaurant and its pare ...

(born 1975), Australian chef and author *

Shannon Birchall Shannon Birchall is an Australian born musician, probably best known as the bassist for jam band the John Butler Trio. Birchall is often labeled a virtuoso by different music experts. He is also known for composing and conducting the string sec ...

, Australian born musician * Shannon Boatman (born 1984), Canadian football player * Shannon Breen (born 1989), American football player * Shannon Boyd, (born 1992), Australian football player *

Shannon Boyd-Bailey McCune Shannon Boyd-Bailey McCune (April 6, 1913 – January 4, 1993) was an American geographer. Early life and education Shannon Boyd-Bailey McCune was born in Sonchon, in what is now North Korea, as the son of Presbyterianism, Presbyterian educat ...

(1913–1993), American geographer * Shannon Briggs (born 1971), American professional boxer * Shannon Brown (born 1985), American Basketball player * Shannon Breen (born 1989), American football player * Shannon Clavelle (born 1973), American football player *

Shannon Cole Shannon Cole (born 4 August 1984) is a former professional footballer turned coach. Club career Cole's early football career saw a series of stints with NSW state league clubs, in particular APIA Leichhardt, Dulwich Hill, Rockdale City Suns a ...

(born 1984), Australian NJ football player *

Shannon Corcoran Shannon Corcoran (born 22 February 1971) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray, the Brisbane Bears and Sydney in the Australian Football League (AFL) during the 1990s. Picked with the 49th selection of the 1988 VF ...

(born 1971), American football player * Shannon Culver (born 1971), Canadian football player * Shannon Dallas (born 1977), Australian skier *

Shannon Denton Shannon Eric Denton is an American veteran storyteller and artist with credits at Cartoon Network, Warner Bros., Jerry Bruckheimer Films, NBC, Disney, Sony, ToyBiz, Marvel Entertainment, Fox Kids, Paramount Pictures, CBS, Dimension Films, DC Co ...

, American storyteller * Richard Shannon Hoon, rock musician from

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...

* Shannon Leto (born 1970), American drummer * Shannon Mitchell (born 1972), American football player * Shannon Noll (born 1975), Australian singer * Shannon Sharpe (born 1968), American football player * Shannon Charles Thomas (1971–2005), American murderer * Shannon Wheeler, American cartoonist * Shannon Zimmerman (born 1972), American politician

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shannon (given name) English unisex given names English-language unisex given names Irish unisex given names Irish-language unisex given names

Namesake

Shortened forms

Popularity

Women

Men

See also

References