UK girl's name
Shannara
A fantastical name coined for a series of fantasy novels.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2016. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Shannara is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shannara popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2016 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5785, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 1996 to 2016. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 7 living people in the UK are called Shannara. 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 2017 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Shannara ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2016, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 4 girls were registered as Shannara.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shannara as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5785
2016
Births in 2016
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Meaning
What does Shannara mean?
The name Shannara is a relatively modern invention, likely originating from the fantasy book series "The Sword of Shannara" by American author Terry Brooks, published in 1977. While the name itself does not have any known linguistic or cultural roots, it was likely created by Brooks as a fictional name for the series' setting, the Four Lands.
In Brooks' fantasy world, the name Shannara may have been derived from a combination of existing words or constructed from scratch to evoke a sense of fantasy and mystery. However, the author has not provided any specific insights into the etymology or inspiration behind the name.
As the name Shannara is a recent literary creation, there are no known historical references or ancient texts that directly mention it. The earliest recorded instances of the name are from the publication of Brooks' novels in the late 20th century.
While the name Shannara itself does not have a long history of real-world usage, it has become synonymous with Brooks' popular fantasy series. Some notable characters bearing the name Shannara in the book series include:
1. Shea Ohmsford, the main protagonist of "The Sword of Shannara," born in the fictional year 2941 of the Third Age. 2. Wil Ohmsford, the protagonist of the later novels, such as "The Scions of Shannara," born in the fictional year 3019 of the Third Age. 3. Shannara, the ancient Elven princess and heir to the Elven kingdom, who lived during the First Age.
Outside of Brooks' fictional works, there are no known prominent historical figures or famous individuals named Shannara. The name's popularity and recognition are primarily derived from its association with the beloved fantasy book series and its subsequent adaptations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Shannara over time
The chart below shows babies named Shannara registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2016. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Shannara, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2016, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shannara by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shannara 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5785 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #3126 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Shannara
- 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
Shannara: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shannara in the UK right now?
In 2016, Shannara was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Shannara most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 4 babies registered as Shannara in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shannara?
A fantastical name coined for a series of fantasy novels.
How many people are called Shannara in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Shannara across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.