UK girl's name
Shannan
A feminine name of Irish origin signifying "wise" or "old.".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Shannan is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shannan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5556, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 42 births.
This profile covers 305 England and Wales registrations across 14 recorded years from 1996 to 2009. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 7% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 389 living people in the UK are called Shannan. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2010 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Shannan ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 42 girls were registered as Shannan.
- • Shannan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #339 in 2002.
- • About 389 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shannan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5556
2009
Births in 2009
3
Latest year
Peak year
1997
42 births
Estimated living
389
2026
Meaning
What does Shannan mean?
The name Shannan is a variant spelling of the Irish name Shannon, which is derived from the name of the Shannon River, the longest river in Ireland. The name Shannon is believed to be derived from the Irish word "Sionna," meaning "old river" or "wise river."
The Shannon River has been an important part of Irish culture and history for centuries, and the name Shannon has been used as a personal name in Ireland for many generations. The earliest recorded use of the name Shannon dates back to the 16th century, when it was used as a surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shannan as a given name was in the 17th century. In 1642, a woman named Shannan O'Brien was born in County Clare, Ireland. She was a member of the influential O'Brien clan and is believed to be one of the first individuals to bear the name Shannan as a first name.
In the 18th century, the name Shannan gained popularity among Irish families, particularly those living in the regions along the Shannon River. One notable figure from this period was Shannan Keating (1713-1789), an Irish playwright and poet who was born in County Limerick.
As the Irish diaspora spread throughout the world, the name Shannan traveled with them. In the 19th century, Shannan Murphy (1823-1901) was an Irish immigrant to the United States who became a prominent businessman and philanthropist in New York City.
Another notable individual with the name Shannan was Shannan Sisk (1883-1962), an American author and journalist who was born in Tennessee. She wrote several books about the American South and was known for her vivid descriptions of rural life in the early 20th century.
In the 20th century, the name Shannan continued to be used, particularly in English-speaking countries with Irish heritage. Shannan Watts (1918-2004) was an Australian actress and singer who appeared in numerous stage productions and films throughout her career.
While the name Shannan is not as common as some other Irish names, it has a rich history and cultural significance, particularly in regions connected to the Shannon River and Irish heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Shannan over time
The chart below shows babies named Shannan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Shannan, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2009, compared with 42 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shannan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shannan was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #2129 | 157 | 10 |
| 1990s | #658 | 148 | 4 |
Geography
Where Shannan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Shannan. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Shannan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #339 in 2002.
Across the UK
Shannan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#409 in 2002
10 years of NRS records, 79 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#339 in 2002
2 years of NISRA records, 8 total registered
Related
Names similar to Shannan
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Shannan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shannan in the UK right now?
In 2009, Shannan was ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Shannan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 42 babies registered as Shannan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shannan?
A feminine name of Irish origin signifying "wise" or "old.".
How many people are called Shannan in the UK?
A total of 305 babies have been registered as Shannan across the 14 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 79 more in Scotland and 8 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Shannan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Shannan ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #339 in 2002. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.