Shoshanna

[BabyBrainJane]

Context;
DH is Jewish, I’m not. Looking at Hebrew names that are distinctive without being completely out there 👍

Phonetic pronunciation is “shosh-AH-nah“.
Sounds like “shoh-shanna”

Try not to be too mean as I really like this one!🤣

I respect your traditionalist but unless your plan is to have this as your legal name but the given name to be Anna, please don't give your child a name they might be bullied for

Why would they be bullied for it? As people have said, it’s a relatively common name in Jewish circles. Would you say that to someone who was giving their child a well known Hindu / African / Muslim name? I don’t see any scope for reading. I know Shosh and Shoshi and Shana’s of all ages.

I can't see why someone would be picked on for this name. It doesn't mean anything weird/rude in English.

Can pp explain why they think the parents need a Jewish connection to use it ? I know if a woman with this name , she's not Jewish.

Thanks to the people who are saying it’s nice 💗

I grew up with a surname that was made fun of and mispronounced as something funny almost every day. I honestly don’t think it was that bad and I don’t think Shoshanna would elicit that type of pisstaking at all 🤷‍♀️

I’m a teacher so I’ve known kids with many many types of names.
My experience is that ignorant people of all ages who don’t care to find out or remember will mispronounce even the most basic of names. And children go through stages of trying very hard to ridicule each other’s names that almost any name can be made into something funny! And if that fails you just get given a rude nickname that isn’t even related to your actual name

I think my favourite ever name of a student I taught was “Shahadah“ (meaning “the testimony” - there is only one god, Allah) an unbelievably intelligent and poised little Muslim girl. Maybe I like Shoshanna because it’s fairly similar 🤷‍♀️

I like it in theory but saying it aloud gives me major Sean Connery vibes. It would put me off.

I really like it, especially if your child will have some Jewish heritage.

I think it’s lovely because it is a familiar sound as it has the same rhythm as Joanna, but with an unusual twist. And I can’t see any reason why a child would be teased for this name, I think some people just say that every time someone mentions a name they haven’t heard before.

Pretty though the double /sh/ does give me pause as it seems like it could be awkward for a little one or in some dialects.

Hebrew names with a similar sound:
Shamira
Shani
Shifra
Shiri

Similar feel, to me, of "distinctive without being completely out there":
Bithia
Davidya
Atalya
Talya/Talia
Adina
Ilana
Liora
Miriam
Naomi
Nessa
Levana
Rivka
Tikva
Raziela (might be pushing the out there a bit, but I think it's lovely and have heard it used so wanted to include).

It’s lovely. I’ve always liked it.

I think it’s lovely. Also makes me think of the character from Girls.

Sorry but it sounds made up and ridiculous

Just because you haven’t heard the name before, it doesn’t mean it’s made up. It’s a very common Jewish name that dates further back than names like Susan and Susannah. I’m sure you felt very clever saying it sounds made up, but it just makes you look ignorant.

I know one who is known as Shoshe (Shosh-ay). I think it's lovely, go for it, OP.

Love it. I'm Jewish, and I would have used it for DD, but it's my Hebrew name so she would be Shoshana bat DH + Shoshana

Also Jewish and it was on my list if we'd had girls (we didn't). It's a beautiful name.

Lovely name. Nobody should have to be worried about bullying because of a name's religious connections. I also like Hadassah (probably in the minority there though), Shira and Dalya.

I really like it, I know a few

I love it. It's beautiful.

HOWEVER, I personally could not hear it without hearing Snake, the Simpsons character, saying 'Come on, Shoshanna - let's roll'. A bit like how I can't hear the name Shakira without going 'Shakira, Shakira' in the style of Wyclef Jean in my head.

But most people probably don't have my encyclopaedic Simpsons knowledge...

It's my cousins name! It's Hebrew and popular with Rastafarian's. I love it. I used to be very jealous of Shoshi.

Shekina is very pretty too :)

It could be worse OP. I am mixed race and my DC names are constantly referred to as 'Chavy' or 'Naughty child names". Ones off to Oxford so it's wide of the mark but still stings a bit..... there is a lot of racism/anti semitism and class bigotry that I see on name threads.

It reminds me of a dodgy ventriloquist saying 'sausages'

I think it’s lovely but forgot to say before, I also really like the NN Shana, so maybe the alternative spelling Shoshana (rather than the double ‘n‘ spelling in the OP) would lend itself to that more? It’s a beautiful sounding and beautiful meaning flower name. I hope you go for it OP.

@BabyBrainJane I’m personally not keen but it just comes down to personal taste - I find it quite unwieldy to say. Hebrew girls names I love are Aphra and Orpah purely based on the sound, but Orpah as you will know although barely mentioned has negative associations in the Bible. Don’t worry about the ignorant comments on here regarding it sounding made up etc, use it if you love it.

@BabyBrainJane oh I love Norah too.

I love it and would totally have used it if I'd had even a whiff of a Jewish connection. But I don't.

But I also like Naamah and Rivka. Hebrew names are lovely.

It's my lovely, lovely sister-in-law's name and it suits her beautifully - she's a soft, graceful, gentle soul. She's usually known as Shosh but pronounces her full name as Shosh-O-nah rather than Shosh-AH-nah. She's Australian, if that makes any difference.

Beautiful. I’m Jewish and I know a few. I think you should go with what you like!
A few more gorgeous ones are
Ester
Yael
Miriam
Tamar
Shira
Alma