Shannon is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Shannon means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Shannon across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Shannon has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Shannon is a girl name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “old, wise river”. from the name of Ireland's longest river.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 348,161 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 25,578 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 5,249 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 1,654 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 3,642 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 3,528 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Shannon per year, United States (1881 to 2025). United States peaked in 1970 (16,118/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (4,660/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1995 (694/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1997 (385/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (313/yr).
Shannon has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1970, when it ranked #41 nationally (given to 16,118 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1970s.
Shanon · Shannan · Shannen · Chanin · Shanan · Channon · Shanin · Shannin
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