Given name & surname
Shanna
“God is gracious”
In English use, Shanna has a related form in Shana. One Hebrew interpretation is “God is gracious.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Shanna has a related form in Shana. One Hebrew interpretation is “God is gracious.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Shanna has a related form in Shana. An origin associated with Shana is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1931. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Shanna through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 28,372
- 88 boys · 28,284 girls
- Most popular year
- 1978
- 1,855 babies
- 2025
- 7
- #12,982 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −36%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 7 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 12,982 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 35.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,845 in 1978. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 24,889 as a first name in 2020; a sample rank of No. 54,274 among surnames in 1990.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Shanna’s family of names
In English usage, Shanna has a related form in Shana.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Shanna
- Shanna MoaklerAmerican actress and modelborn 1975
- Shanna ReedAmerican actress; dancerborn 1955
- Shanna CollinsAmerican actressborn 1983
- Shanna ZolmanAmerican basketball player (born 1983)
- Shanna HoganAmerican writer1982–2020
Characters named Shanna: Shanna the She-Devil (Marvel Comics).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Shanna, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Salina
“one of a solemn, dignified character”
>99% girls
Shaina
“beautiful” · “a beautiful woman”
>99% girls
Starla
“a celestial body” · “a celestial body; as bright as a star”
>99% girls
Aja
1% boys · 99% girls
Janna
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Reena
“one who sings a joyous song”
>99% girls
Ariane
“resembling silver” · “one who is holy”
>99% girls
Susannah
“resembling a graceful white lily”
>99% girls