Meaning: Its source is a Gaelic expression meaning "Old one."

Popularity: The name Shanon ranked 1335th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.

Narrative: This Irish river name and surname is especially popular in the U.S. Its meaning might refer to an ancient Celtic diety identified with the river.

Scholars speculate that Shannon may owe its American popularity to its similarity to Sharon, or to its rhyming reference to the more traditional Irish name Erin.