NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Shoshana

A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "rose" or "lily".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Shoshana is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shoshana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4192, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 14 births.

This profile covers 240 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 36% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 239 living people in the UK are called Shoshana. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Shoshana ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2003, when 14 girls were registered as Shoshana.
  • About 239 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shoshana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4192

2024

Births in 2024

5

Latest year

Peak year

2003

14 births

Estimated living

239

2026

Meaning

What does Shoshana mean?

The name Shoshana is a Hebrew name derived from the biblical name Shoshannah, which means "rose" or "lily" in Hebrew. This name has its origins in ancient Israel and is mentioned in the Song of Songs, a book in the Hebrew Bible.

The name Shoshana is thought to have been in use since ancient times in the region of ancient Israel, which is now modern-day Israel, the Palestinian territories, and parts of surrounding countries. It was likely used by Hebrew-speaking communities in this area for centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shoshana appears in the Book of Susanna, an apocryphal addition to the Book of Daniel in the Septuagint and Vulgate versions of the Bible. In this story, Susanna is a beautiful and virtuous woman who is falsely accused of adultery.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Shoshana. In the 12th century, Shoshana Hadayanti was a Jewish poet and philosopher who lived in Spain. She wrote religious poetry and philosophical works.

In the 16th century, Shoshana Shemesh was a Jewish scholar and teacher who lived in Safed, a city in what is now northern Israel. She was known for her expertise in Jewish law and taught many students.

In the 19th century, Shoshana Persitz was a Jewish writer and educator who lived in what is now Ukraine. She wrote works on Jewish history and culture and advocated for women's education.

In the 20th century, Shoshana Damari was a famous Israeli singer and actress who was born in 1923 and died in 2006. She was known for her powerful vocals and her interpretations of traditional Israeli and Yemenite Jewish songs.

Another notable Shoshana is Shoshana Zuboff, an American author and scholar who was born in 1951. She is known for her work on surveillance capitalism and the impact of digital technologies on society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Shoshana over time

The chart below shows babies named Shoshana registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Shoshana, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 14 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Shoshana
0471114199620102024

Decades

Shoshana by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shoshana 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
2020s #3221 37 5
2010s #2754 92 10
2000s #2379 84 10
1990s #2249 27 4

Related

Names similar to Shoshana

FAQ

Shoshana: questions and answers

How popular is the name Shoshana in the UK right now?

In 2024, Shoshana was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Shoshana most popular?

The peak year on record was 2003, with 14 babies registered as Shoshana in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Shoshana?

A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "rose" or "lily".

How many people are called Shoshana in the UK?

A total of 240 babies have been registered as Shoshana across the 29 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.