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Name Lineage

    The first name Shannon

    A unisex name from Irish.

    Pronounced /ˈʃænən/ 2 syllables Unisex Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Irish origin

    Borrowed from Irish Sionainn.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 13 girls were named Shannon, making it the 2,138th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 4,649 births (#11).

    02,5005,000 1996200020052010201520202025
    25,598
    babies named Shannon, 1996–2025
    #2,138
    rank in 2025
    1996
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Shannon with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Shannon at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 75 girls born in the United States were named Shannon, the 2,405th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1970, when 13,547 were.

    010,00020,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    348,161
    babies named Shannon since 1880
    #2,405
    rank in 2025
    1970
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Shannon in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    香農河 /香农河
    Xiāngnóng Hé
    Chinese
    An tSionainn
    Irish
    Ше́ннон
    Šénnon
    Russian

    Famous people named Shannon

    56 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Shannon Lucid
      American biochemist and retired NASA astronaut, born 1943
    • Shannon Elizabeth
      American actress, born 1973
    • Shannon Leto
      American drummer, born 1970
    • Shannon Lee
      American actress, born 1969
    • Shannon Walker
      American scientist and NASA astronaut, born 1965
    • Shannon Boxx
      American soccer player, born 1977
    • Shannon Miller
      American artistic gymnast (born 1977)
    • Shannon Tweed
      Canadian actress and model (born 1957)
    • Shannon Purser
      American actress, born 1997
    • Shannon Brown
      American basketball player (born 1985)
    • Shannon Lucio
      American actress, born 1980
    • Shannon Hoon
      American singer-songwriter, 1967–1995

    More Irish unisex names

    All 142 names of Irish origin

    Questions

    What does the name Shannon mean?
    Borrowed from Irish Sionainn.
    What is the origin of the name Shannon?
    Borrowed from Irish Sionainn.
    How popular is the name Shannon?
    In 2025, 13 girls born in England and Wales were named Shannon, ranking 2,138th. Its peak was 1996, with 4,649 births.
    Is Shannon a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 348,161 US babies named Shannon since 1880, 85% were girls and 15% boys.
    When was Shannon most popular?
    1970 in the United States, when 13,547 babies were named Shannon, its highest rank at 22nd.
    How do you pronounce Shannon?
    Shannon is /ˈʃænən/, 2 syllables.
    Is Shannon also a surname?
    Yes. Shannon is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.