UK girl's name
Shanon
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "grace, favor".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Shanon is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shanon popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5785, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 23 births.
This profile covers 118 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 1996 to 2011. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 13% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 120 living people in the UK are called Shanon. 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 2012 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Shanon ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2011, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 23 girls were registered as Shanon.
- • Shanon ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #639 in 1995.
- • About 120 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shanon as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5785
2011
Births in 2011
3
Latest year
Peak year
1999
23 births
Estimated living
120
2026
Meaning
What does Shanon mean?
The name Shanon is believed to have its origins in the Irish Gaelic language, derived from the word "Seanhán" which means "old" or "ancient." It is a variation of the more common Irish name "Seán" (John in English), with the addition of the diminutive suffix "-án."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shanon can be traced back to the 16th century, when it was used as a variant spelling of the name "Seanhán" in medieval Irish manuscripts. This suggests that the name has a long history in Irish culture and tradition.
While the name Shanon does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that its roots can be traced back to early Irish folklore and oral traditions, where names often held significant cultural and symbolic meanings.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Shanon. One of the earliest recorded examples is Shanon O'Byrne, an Irish chieftain who lived in the late 16th century and was involved in the Irish Confederate Wars against English rule.
Another notable Shanon was Shanon Curry (1705-1765), an Irish-American surveyor and explorer who played a significant role in the early settlement of Pennsylvania and helped map the region's territories.
In the 19th century, Shanon Peckham (1824-1901) was an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.
The name also gained prominence in the literary world with Shanon Messenger (1891-1967), an American poet and novelist known for her works exploring themes of nature and spirituality.
More recently, Shanon Lucio (born 1975) is an American singer and songwriter who has achieved success in the country music genre, with several chart-topping hits and multiple Grammy nominations.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the name Shanon throughout history, spanning various fields and cultures.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Shanon over time
The chart below shows babies named Shanon registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Shanon, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2011, compared with 23 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shanon by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shanon 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 |
| 2000s | #3258 | 53 | 8 |
| 1990s | #1391 | 62 | 4 |
Geography
Where Shanon is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Shanon. 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.
Shanon ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #639 in 1995.
Across the UK
Shanon in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#639 in 1995
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Shanon
- 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
Shanon: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shanon in the UK right now?
In 2011, Shanon was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Shanon most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 23 babies registered as Shanon in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shanon?
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "grace, favor".
How many people are called Shanon in the UK?
A total of 118 babies have been registered as Shanon across the 13 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Shanon most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Shanon ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #639 in 1995. 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.