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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Sanna or Zanna

61 replies

Frankiefarr · 27/12/2023 19:33

We’ve been told Sanna isn’t really used over here as a shortened form of Susanna and we would be better calling DD Zanna.

We’ve had a few negative comments from family members this side of the channel on how it looks written down.

Just wondered if this was the case?

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Daisybuttercup12345 · 27/12/2023 23:58

Both awful.
Sound like sanitary products and medicine.

Sadwren · 27/12/2023 22:49

Sanna to me is the stunning Ardnamurchan beach

SquigglePigs · 27/12/2023 22:43

It's not common in England as a shortening but I went to university with a girl who was half Dutch, half Portuguese called Sanna and it sounds just fine in English.

JamTartLover · 27/12/2023 22:31

Sana ( pronounced Sah-nah) is a popular Pakistani / Arabic name

HoHoHoliday · 27/12/2023 22:24

I know a few Nordic people named Sanna. It's a lovely name! Works well as a shortening of Susannah or in its own right.

QueSyrahSyrah · 27/12/2023 22:09

I know a Sanna (Scandinavian, not short for anything). None of the above links or connotations have ever occurred to me. It's just her name.

Delassalle · 27/12/2023 22:08

Sanna the spanner. Please don't.

kitsuneghost · 27/12/2023 22:07

Sorry I just see sanny pads

Maddy70 · 27/12/2023 22:04

I have a lovemy friend called Suna. Have you considered that ?

IAteAllTheCake · 27/12/2023 22:03

Typical rude ignorant and intolerant mumsnetters 🙄 Sanna is a very popular Pakistani / Arabic girl's name meaning Lilly.

FriedasCarLoad · 27/12/2023 21:58

I think it's a cute nickname if she has the option of using Susannah, having it on a BC.

If you go with Zannah, have a hunt for a book I remember where the main character has that name. It was a book I bought in the USA in 1990. Zannah was a short haired jeans-wearing modern girl who ended up travelling back in time up I think a an Amish farm, or something like that. The cover had a picture (reasonably realistic style) of her, and maybe a pink frame around the edge. Maybe your little one would be pleased to read a story about a girl with the same name as her (well, in several years time...!)

CamdenQueen · 27/12/2023 21:58

I have a British friend called susannah who goes by Sanna to her friends. I’ve always liked it but defo think you should use the full name and then shorten day to day.

ALunchbox · 27/12/2023 21:51

I've never come across Sanna personally but I think it sounds fine. I know one Zhanna who is Ukrainian. It's pronounced j, rather than z. Noone seems to struggle with her name here.
If you like this sort of sound, there is also Anna, Lana, Dana, Sienna, Helena, Lena?

theduchessofspork · 27/12/2023 21:51

Sanna is Finnish is it??

I think it’s fine but if you live in the Uk I would probably call her Susannah as a full name.

Zanna is not as nice

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 27/12/2023 21:33

whilst not a common shortening for Susannah in the uk, I think both do work. I have heard of zannah before as a shortening and Sanne as a standalone name before (in Netherlands)

LordSnot · 27/12/2023 20:48

Sanna = constipation medicine
Zanna = anxiety medicine

WetBandits · 27/12/2023 20:45

I went to school with a Dutch girl named Sanne (pronounced Sanna), it means ‘lily’. Pretty name.

Whiskerson · 27/12/2023 20:43

English people will pronounce Sanna with a "ss" sound at the beginning, and Zanna with a "z".

What about naming her Susannah and then using Sanna as a nickname? Then the spelling doesn't really matter, and she has more options too.

Spirallingdownwards · 27/12/2023 20:42

I know a Suzanna whose nn is Zanna. I think it would be more usual to have the full name and then shorten it as a nickname here

ItsVeryHyacinthBucket · 27/12/2023 20:42

I know a Zanna, it’s a cool name. Sanna sounds like loo cleaner.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 27/12/2023 20:41

I have a lovely Swedish friend who is Sanna for Susanna so I'm obviously biased, but I think it's a much nicer diminutive than Suze, Sue or Suzie...

oldnorsesaga · 27/12/2023 20:37

I like Sanne because it reminds me of word for dream in my language, but still think it's maybe too unusual

wasanneofcleves · 27/12/2023 19:58

I know a Zanna short for Susannah. Not weird or strange at all. Perfectly nice name.

flexigirl · 27/12/2023 19:57

Both sound like laxatives

Lifeinlists · 27/12/2023 19:51

Why not Susanna? It's a lovely name.