Shona
“God is gracious” — Associated with happiness or joy
Scotland origin · Girl name
#15024US 2024
6Births / yr
↑Rising
2.4kAll-time births
📅 Since 194300.01% of births at peak
How to pronounce Shona
SHOH·nuh
/ˈʃoʊ.nə/ · stress on SHOH · 2 syllables
“God is gracious”
Associated with happiness or joy · Scotland origin
What does Shona mean and where does it come from?
Shona is a name with dual origins. In Scottish Gaelic, it signifies 'God is gracious', while in the Shona language of Zimbabwe, it reflects a meaning associated with happiness or joy. The name has gained popularity in both Scottish culture and among the Shona-speaking people. Notable figures with th
Cultural significance
Shona has been a cherished name across cultures, particularly in Scotland-speaking communities, where it reflects values of god is gracious.
Peak popularity
Reached #848 in 1970 — currently #15024 in the US.
How else can you spell Shona?
Same sound, different look — useful if you want something slightly more distinctive
What middle names flow best with Shona?
Shona works best with short, strong middle names — one or two syllables keep the full name from becoming a mouthful
Shona Leah
One syllable · timeless choice
Shona Quinn
One syllable · timeless choice
Shona Blair
One syllable · on the rise
Shona Ruth
One syllable · timeless choice
Shona Wren
One syllable · vintage charm
Shona Faith
One syllable · vintage charm
How popular is Shona right now?
Rising fast — up 2303 spots — currently #15024 in the US out of 135.5k tracked names
The story of Shona
Shona entered American naming records in 1943 and has been in use for over 81 years. With 2,404 total births recorded, Shona remains relatively uncommon. Once ranked #5177 in 1950, the name has become less common in recent years, sitting at #17327 in 2021.
Names that peaked alongside Shona in 1970:
Shona by decade
Shona peaked in the 1970s. See all 1970s names →
| Decade | Births | |
|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 13 | |
| 1950s | 105 | |
| 1960s | 602 | |
| 1970s ★ | 958 | |
| 1980s | 409 | |
| 1990s | 174 | |
| 2000s | 106 | |
| 2010s | 37 | |
| 2020s | 6 |
With 2,404 total births, Shona is an uncommon but established name.
What are good nicknames for Shona?
BULGARIAN
Ivanka
CROATIAN
IvankaNinaŽana
CZECH
IvaIvankaIvkaJaničkaNina
DANISH
HannaHanneJanneJannickeJannikeJeanetteJonnaNinaVanja
What names sound and feel like Shona?
Based on sound, origin, and style — parents who love Shona also consider these
How is Shona written in other languages?
What are the boy versions of Shona?
Deshaun AFRICAN AMERICANDeshawn AFRICAN AMERICANKeshaun AFRICAN AMERICANKeshawn AFRICAN AMERICANRashaun AFRICAN AMERICANRashawn AFRICAN AMERICANGjon ALBANIANYahya ARABICYuhanna ARABICHovhannes ARMENIANHovik ARMENIANHovo ARMENIANOhannes ARMENIANGanix BASQUEIon BASQUEJon BASQUEIvan BELARUSIANYan BELARUSIANIoannes BIBLICAL GREEKYehochanan BIBLICAL HEBREWYochanan BIBLICAL HEBREWIohannes BIBLICAL LATINJehohanan BIBLICALJohanan BIBLICALJohn BIBLICALYanick BRETONYann BRETONYannic BRETONYannick BRETONIoan BULGARIANIvan BULGARIANIvo BULGARIANYanko BULGARIANYoan BULGARIANJan CATALANJoan CATALANJowan CORNISHGhjuvan CORSICANIvan CROATIANIvica CROATIANIvo CROATIANJanko CROATIANVanja CROATIANHonza CZECHIvan CZECHJan CZECHJanek CZECHHans DANISHJan DANISHJannick DANISHJannik DANISHJens DANISHJohan DANISHJohannes DANISHJon DANISHHanke DUTCHHanne DUTCHHannes DUTCHHans DUTCHJan DUTCHJo DUTCHJohan DUTCHJohannes DUTCHJoop DUTCHEvan ENGLISHHank ENGLISHIan ENGLISHIvan ENGLISHJack ENGLISHJackie ENGLISHJake ENGLISHJohn ENGLISHJohnie ENGLISHJohnnie ENGLISHJohnny ENGLISHJon ENGLISHSean ENGLISHShane ENGLISHShaun ENGLISHShawn ENGLISHShayne ENGLISHVan ENGLISHJoĉjo ESPERANTOJohano ESPERANTOJaan ESTONIANJohannes ESTONIANJuhan ESTONIANJóannes FAROESEJóhannes FAROESEJón FAROESEHannes FINNISHHannu FINNISHJani FINNISHJanne FINNISHJohannes FINNISHJoni FINNISHJouni FINNISHJuha FINNISHJuhana FINNISHJuhani FINNISHJuho FINNISHJukka FINNISHJussi FINNISHJean FRENCHJeannot FRENCHYanick FRENCHYann FRENCHYannic FRENCHYannick FRENCHXoán GALICIANIoane GEORGIANIvane GEORGIANVano GEORGIANHannes GERMANHans GERMANJan GERMANJo GERMANJohann GERMANJohannes GERMANGianni GREEKGiannis GREEKIoannis GREEKYanni GREEKYannis GREEKYianni GREEKYiannis GREEKKeoni HAWAIIANYochanan HEBREWIván HUNGARIANJancsi HUNGARIANJani HUNGARIANJános HUNGARIANJóhann ICELANDICJóhannes ICELANDICJón ICELANDICYohanes INDONESIANEoin IRISHSeán IRISHSean IRISHShane IRISHGian ITALIANGianni ITALIANGiannino ITALIANGiovanni ITALIANIvan ITALIANIvano ITALIANNino ITALIANVanni ITALIANJoannes LATE ROMANJohannes LATE ROMANJānis LATVIANSjang LIMBURGISHSjeng LIMBURGISHJonas LITHUANIANIvan MACEDONIANIvo MACEDONIANJovan MACEDONIANEan MANXJuan MANXHankin MEDIEVAL ENGLISHHann MEDIEVAL ENGLISHJackin MEDIEVAL ENGLISHJan MEDIEVAL ENGLISHJankin MEDIEVAL ENGLISHJon MEDIEVAL ENGLISHJehan MEDIEVAL FRENCHZuan MEDIEVAL ITALIANHans NORWEGIANJan NORWEGIANJens NORWEGIANJohan NORWEGIANJohannes NORWEGIANJon NORWEGIANJone NORWEGIANJoan OCCITANIoannu OLD CHURCH SLAVICYahya PERSIANIwan POLISHJan POLISHJanek POLISHJanusz POLISHJoão PORTUGUESEJoãozinho PORTUGUESEIancu ROMANIANIoan ROMANIANIon ROMANIANIonel ROMANIANIonuț ROMANIANNelu ROMANIANIoann RUSSIANIvan RUSSIANVanya RUSSIANJuhán SAMIGiuanne SARDINIANJuanne SARDINIANEoin SCOTTISHIain SCOTTISHIan SCOTTISHJock SCOTTISHJockie SCOTTISHJocky SCOTTISHSeoc SCOTTISHIvan SERBIANIvica SERBIANIvo SERBIANJanko SERBIANJovan SERBIANVanja SERBIANIvan SLOVAKJán SLOVAKJanko SLOVAKAnže SLOVENEIvan SLOVENEJan SLOVENEJanez SLOVENEJanko SLOVENEŽan SLOVENEIván SPANISHJuan SPANISHJuanito SPANISHXuan SPANISHHampus SWEDISHHannes SWEDISHHans SWEDISHHasse SWEDISHJan SWEDISHJanne SWEDISHJens SWEDISHJohan SWEDISHJohannes SWEDISHJon SWEDISHYahya TURKISHIvan UKRAINIANEvan WELSHIanto WELSHIefan WELSHIeuan WELSHIfan WELSHIoan WELSHIwan WELSHSiôn WELSHLashonda AFRICAN AMERICANJackson ENGLISHJaxon ENGLISHJaxson ENGLISHMalone ENGLISHShawnda ENGLISHShonda ENGLISHSinjin ENGLISHYancy ENGLISHYahweh THEOLOGYBevan WELSH
Common questions about the name Shona
What does the name Shona mean?
Shona means "God is gracious" — a name rooted in Scotland tradition that carries both historical depth and timeless appeal. The meaning reflects values that have made this name endure across generations.
How popular is the name Shona?
Shona is currently a distinctive and less common name as a girl name in the US and is holding steady in popularity, a reliable classic that parents consistently choose.
What is the cultural origin of Shona?
Shona originates from Scotland tradition. Scotland names tend to carry strong cultural heritage and have spread across the world through migration, literature, and religion over centuries.
How do you pronounce the name Shona?
Shona is a two-syllable name pronounced SHOH-nuh. The pronunciation is straightforward for English speakers, and the name reads clearly on paper — an important practical consideration for parents.
Is Shona a common or rare name?
Shona is a distinctive choice that balances familiarity with individuality. It strikes a balance between standing out and fitting in.
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