Siobhan

Siobhán
PronunciationEnglish: /ʃɪˈvɔːn/ shih-VAWN
Irish: [ˈʃʊwaːn̪ˠ, ʃəˈwaːn̪ˠ]
GenderFemale
Origin
Word/nameHebrew יוחנן‎ Yôḥānnān
MeaningGod is gracious
Region of originIreland
Other names
Related namesJoan, Joanne, Joanna, Jane, Sinéad, Seán, Shawna, Shauna, Seána

Siobhán is a female name of Irish origin. The most common anglicisations are Siobhan (identical to the Irish spelling but omitting the Síneadh fada acute accent over the 'a'), Shavawn, Shevaun and Shivaun.[1] A now uncommon spelling variant is Siubhán.[2][3]

It is derived from the Anglo-Norman Jehane and Jehanne[4][5] (Modern French Jeanne), which were introduced into Ireland by the Anglo-Normans in the Middle Ages.[5] The name first appears in the surviving Irish annals in the early fourteenth century.[6]

The name is thus a cognate of the Welsh Siân and the English Joan,[4][7] derived from the Latin Ioanna and Iohanna (modern English Joanna, Joanne), which are in turn from the Greek Iōanna (Ἰωάννα). This Greek name is a feminine form of the Greek Iōannēs (Ἰωάννης),[7] which is in turn a shortened form of the Hebrew Johanan[8] (יוֹחָנָן‎ Yôḥānān, a shortened form of יְהוֹחָנָן‎ Yəhôḥānān), meaning 'God is gracious', and origin of the masculine name John and its cognates.[citation needed]

The popularity of the actress Siobhán McKenna (1923–1986) helped the resurgence of the name in the 20th century.[9]

The Scottish Gaelic form of the name is Siobhàn[10][2][11] (which is sometimes anglicised Judith).[12]

The male Irish forms of the name are Seán and Eóin.

  1. ^ Todd, Loreto. Celtic Names for Children. O'Brien, 2000. p.73
  2. ^ a b "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Siobhán". medievalscotland.org.
  3. ^ "SIUBHÁN – Irish Names and Surnames". www.libraryireland.com.
  4. ^ a b Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A dictionary of first names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 356, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1
  5. ^ a b Ó Corráin, Donnchadh; Maguire, Fidelma (1981), Gaelic personal names, Academy Press, p. 165, ISBN 9780906187395
  6. ^ "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Feminine Given Names 1201 - 1600". medievalscotland.org.
  7. ^ a b Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A dictionary of first names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 144, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1
  8. ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A dictionary of first names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 146, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1
  9. ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia. A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-508137-4. [ISBN missing][page needed]
  10. ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A dictionary of first names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 409, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1
  11. ^ "Scottish First Names: Gaelic Women's Names". namenerds.com.
  12. ^ "Siobhàn". Library Ireland.