Shannon

Oh sorry barbielovesken, I wouldn't have made that comment if I'd read the thread. I wouldn't think anything of it though. You know the way people in the UK are always obsessed with being tasteful all the time, and in Ireland it's not such a concern. I know there is a class structure, but people are more natural within it, if that makes sense. Also, I suppose I come over all mumsnetty when I'm on mumsnet, if that makes sense! but if I were to run into a little shannon in real life, I just wouldn't even notice it.

ps, just to agree with the other posters earlier, it reminds me of America.

And poor Shannon Matthews. oooh I had forgotten about her. The poor kid.

totally minging, i really hate it.

What about Anna Livia or Clodagh!? Anna Livia was what James Joyce's character Leopold Bloom nick named the liffey (I think, please set me straight anybody who knows for sure) and Clodagh is a lovely name which originates from the river Cloddy in Co Tipperary.

Oh come on! Anyone who says you cant label a name or that a name cant be common or posh is deluded surely!!

If you met someone called Darren or Wayne do you really think he would have gone to Eton?

And Tracey and Sharon? I can hardly see them coming out as Debs.

I'm not saying these names are bad in any way, only that certain names are popular in amoungst different demographics.

I really like it :)

Much nicer than the ubiquitous Orla, Niamh and so on.

OK, what I mean is, if I call my child London or Thames, I can claim it as an English name. But it's not, is it? It's not really.

That may not bother you. I'm just pointing out that names like Shannon are not Irish names, they are names of places in Ireland

Names are labels. They have meanings, connotations. If not, why would anyone bother to ask other people's opinions o theif nmae choices? You want to know what other people think, what the name you like conjures up in their minds? Well, for me, Shannon conjures up 'Oirish' e.g. not authentically Irish. but sort of thinks they are.

I really like it but it isn't well thought of these days.

Also Shannen Doherty was/is quite a bitch, apparently.

Either did I lotuseener, until I joined mumsnet.. sigh..

I think it has a lovely sound.

Yes, I understood that, but I still wanted to make the point because this 'labelling of names' bothers me too... .

Crikey, I am a Shannon. Had no idea my name was chavvy and so negatively looked on.

Oh I agree hulabula - 100% (and I meant that comment in a slightly sneerish way)

"the discovery that a name can actually be chavtastic"

A name cannot be chav/posh, only a person imo. And I don't understand this mumsnet obsession with 'labelling' names in this way? How will our children become more open minded (who dont' care in the least about chav/poshness of their mates names)..?!

What NewYearNewPants said. Oirish.

Seanan (fada on last a, pronounced Shan-awn)) is an Irish boy's name and has nothing to do with the name of the river, which is An tSionainn/ Abha na Sionainne and other forms depending on case and gender (most Irish rivers have gramatically feminine names, and river itself is a feminine noun in Irish). River names are usually among the oldest landscape names, and there is evidence that the names of Irish rivers may predate the Celtic /Irish names found in Ireland.

I agree with Thisisyoursong - I never get the whole "Shannon is not an Irish name", "its not a real Irish name"..

Shannon is an authentic Irish name. It means little old wise one.

I have a Shannon!

I adored the name until I came to mumsnet, when I was introduced to the word chav and the discovery that a name can actually be chavtastic. I did start seeing this as a chav name, as Im so easily lead, I suppose. It makes me a little sad and I have to admit that I now slightly regret the name choice - funnily enough only because of Mumsnet and this discovery though.

I laughed when I read cuppatea's post as to be honest, I had my dd very young and named her Shannon as I had an obsession with the name due to Shannon in home and away and loved the name for a few years.

Oh OK I see what you mean there.

Anyway, DH's surname is Shannon and I always thought it was pretty, so am a bit to find that my babies have a chavtastic name!

Can't stop thinkng of poor Shannon Matthews ...sorry!

How about Seren? Pronounced Sair-en?

DH wanted this for DD. Then in our baby book it said it's not a real Irish Christian name, just a fake one, so he changed his mind.

Agree re Australia - in Australia's biggest Loser this year there were two Shannons, a man and a woman, but I think the man spelled it Shannen.

I still think it has a nice sound to it.

It's chavtastic.

BTW Caitlin is both a legitimate Irish and Scottish name but pronounced differently in the different countries

No-one in Ireland would call a child Shannon. Agree there are lots of beautiful Irish names, but Shannon is not one of them, unless you are talking about the river.

I loved it and was convinced I was going to use it for a future DD - this was in the days of Isla Fisher playing Shannon in home and away.

Then it became more popular and associated with names like Chelsea, Kayleigh etc. which I hate. I wouldn't use it now as I think it's a bit dated to the late 1990s.

Well Brooklyn's a place in New York, but that ain't a name either

In Australia it's more common as a boys name. I like it as a boys name as that was as I heard it when I lived in Oz for a few years.

How can it not be a genuine Irish name? Its a place in Ireland?

Not being rude, but I just don't get that comment...