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Help[Opinions] Shawn and Shawna
I was going to post a comment about Nastia and Shawn after last nights exciting competition, but as someone else already posted about Nastia I will just comment on Shawn.
What do you think of Shawn on a girl? Personally I adore it. I don't think it looks at all silly used on Shawn Johnson. I knew a girl called Shawna once and I always disliked the a at the end of her name. It seemed redundant and I used to wonder why her parents had not used Shawn instead. It works just as well to me.
What do you think of Shawn on a girl? Personally I adore it. I don't think it looks at all silly used on Shawn Johnson. I knew a girl called Shawna once and I always disliked the a at the end of her name. It seemed redundant and I used to wonder why her parents had not used Shawn instead. It works just as well to me.
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I think Shawn/Sean is entirely masculine without taking into consideration it's my brother's best friend's name (a guy) and I know a guy named Sean Johnson. Shawna doesn't do much for me either. I just like Sean and only on guys.
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I think Shawn on a girl is ridiculous. Just put the darn -a on it. It makes it a girl's name then and sounds so much nicer on a girl. Shawn is a boy's name.
I like Sean on a boy, and kind of like Shawna on a girl. Those are my favorite spellings of each.
I like Sean on a boy, and kind of like Shawna on a girl. Those are my favorite spellings of each.
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I know a Shawn. Unfortunately she's not a very nice girl. Occasionally, rude people would ask her why she has a boy's name. Kids in her elementary school I'm sure all thought of this, but kept the question to themselves. She was just Shawn. But when she went to junior high, people were much more confused. I think suspect they started becoming much more open-minded by highschool though. But really her name always struck me as being slightly too masculine. I don't mind Shawna. I met the sweetest girl with this name. But her brother was named Shawn...now I think that's a little ridiculous.
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From what I have read on the subject I think children develop like that. I think in elementary school, at that age, children just accept things as they are much more. So if a girl is called Shawn, then they just accept it, unless someone, someone older maybe, draws attention to it. Even then, I think the children forget about it again more quickly. As children get older, I think they look at similarities and differences and also gender distinctions. So yes, again, I think middle school might be a time when most attention gets drawn to it. Both girls and boys emphasizing it is different. At high school, children are more mature of course and also children are more into developing personal identities and become a bit more confident in themselves. I imagine there, if she is comfortable with her name, then it could be a plus at that age with the individuality and uniqueness of it. Good points.
I agree with you about Shawna and Shawn. That makes me cringe at the thought of it.
I agree with you about Shawna and Shawn. That makes me cringe at the thought of it.
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Look like tacky names for twins. I get annoyed when twins have practically the same names.
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like Brandon and Brenda on Beverly Hills 90210 (TV series) ugh
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Normally I really dislike gender-bender names, but Shawn (along with Billie) seems to work quite well on a girl. I'm not sure why, but they do. I know a Shana prn SHAW-nuh. It suits her.
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I know a woman names Shaun who despises her name. She hated having a boy's name her whole life and still does. I would personally hate to have a boy's name too and would never name my daughter one!
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I love Sian for a girl. It's a traditional Welsh girl's name.
But here's the trick. I've heard it pronounced "shawn," just like the Irish male name Sean. But one or two people here on the boards swear it's supposed to be pronounced "shann."
I've never been able to get a Welsh person to tell me the true pronunciation. For now, I'm sticking with the "shawn" one.
I dislike the "Shawn" spelling for either gender.
But here's the trick. I've heard it pronounced "shawn," just like the Irish male name Sean. But one or two people here on the boards swear it's supposed to be pronounced "shann."
I've never been able to get a Welsh person to tell me the true pronunciation. For now, I'm sticking with the "shawn" one.
I dislike the "Shawn" spelling for either gender.
This message was edited 8/15/2008, 11:53 AM
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Sian is not pronounced the same as Sean! At least, I've never heard it that way over here.
Sian is with a long ah sound like the word Shah with an "n" on the end.
Sian is fairly common in Britain (especially Wales) and there are some well known people like the weather presenter Sian Lloyd and the BBC newsreader Sian Williams.
I agree it's pretty. And I also dislike the name Shawn.
Sian is with a long ah sound like the word Shah with an "n" on the end.
Sian is fairly common in Britain (especially Wales) and there are some well known people like the weather presenter Sian Lloyd and the BBC newsreader Sian Williams.
I agree it's pretty. And I also dislike the name Shawn.
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I have seen Sian before but have no idea how to say it and have never met anyone of that name. I used to say it as Sigh-Ann until someone corrected me that that was totally wrong! I think it is pretty though.
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Some Gaelic help
A lot of us here have gotten pretty good at Gaelic pronunciation, though we (for the most part) can't speak it. The combination "si" makes an "sh" sound. An "is" also often makes an "sh" sound. "Bh" makes a soft "v" sound. Therefore, the names Siobhan and Aisling would be pronounced shi-VAHN and ASH-ling. The letter "e" is often pronounced "uh" when at the end of names (Aoife = EE-fuh). Now, I'm no expert, so anybody here who can actually speak Gaelic is welcome to correct me, but I think those are pretty basic rules that I picked up from years of looking at the names.
A lot of us here have gotten pretty good at Gaelic pronunciation, though we (for the most part) can't speak it. The combination "si" makes an "sh" sound. An "is" also often makes an "sh" sound. "Bh" makes a soft "v" sound. Therefore, the names Siobhan and Aisling would be pronounced shi-VAHN and ASH-ling. The letter "e" is often pronounced "uh" when at the end of names (Aoife = EE-fuh). Now, I'm no expert, so anybody here who can actually speak Gaelic is welcome to correct me, but I think those are pretty basic rules that I picked up from years of looking at the names.
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Thanks again
Thank you again Aileen. You are giving me a great education in pronouncing words today. I love to learn new things so I really appreciate it. I especially like the Aoife pronunciation. I had no idea how to say that and I think it would be very embarrassing if I told you how I said it :)
Thank you again Aileen. You are giving me a great education in pronouncing words today. I love to learn new things so I really appreciate it. I especially like the Aoife pronunciation. I had no idea how to say that and I think it would be very embarrassing if I told you how I said it :)
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Believe me, I was clueless when I came too
I used to really love Irish names (I still like them, but my style is more Eastern European now), and when I just started spending a lot of time on BtN I researched a lot of Irish names. When I discovered Caoilfhionn I was horrified. Seriously, the name looks nuts! But you'd never believe that it's simply pronounced "KEE-lin", which is really quite nice. You get used to it after a while. Mind, I've been here forever, but eventually wild-looking names won't be such a shock to you because you will recognize some etymological roots within the names.
I used to really love Irish names (I still like them, but my style is more Eastern European now), and when I just started spending a lot of time on BtN I researched a lot of Irish names. When I discovered Caoilfhionn I was horrified. Seriously, the name looks nuts! But you'd never believe that it's simply pronounced "KEE-lin", which is really quite nice. You get used to it after a while. Mind, I've been here forever, but eventually wild-looking names won't be such a shock to you because you will recognize some etymological roots within the names.
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I agree with Lily, when I think of Shawn Johnson I don't have a problem with the name. But before I knew who Shawn Johnson was, I thought it was very ugly for a girl. Bottom line though, I wouldn't use it for a girl.
I don't like Shawna at all, I don't think the 'a' makes it any less masculine.
I don't like Shawna at all, I don't think the 'a' makes it any less masculine.
This message was edited 8/15/2008, 11:24 AM
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Honestly as much as I love boys names on girls, and girls names on boys, etc. This one I don't seem to wrap around. My friend also likes the name Shawn on a girl. I think it could work on a girl I know a Shawna and I thought that was nice.
I think it's because I don't care for Shawn on a boy either, lol. I think if you like a name then use it though. I've seen Shawn on a girl a few times.
I think it's because I don't care for Shawn on a boy either, lol. I think if you like a name then use it though. I've seen Shawn on a girl a few times.
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Do you really like boys names on girls and vice versa? Wow! Me too! Well, I find it fascinating and I like it too. I really like gender ambiguous names and then names that defy gender or the use of names that defy gender. I also like balancing names of each gender, sort of like balancing the masculine and feminine, ying and yang. Maybe that's weird to some people, but I love playing with masculine-feminine and feminine-masculine combos that can work for each gender.
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I absoutely love it [m]
I love love love it so much. It's fun I honestly don't think of gender when I look at names unless it's really obvious. I like balancing them out too.
I personally consider all nature/word/place names things that don't have a gender as unisex by default :).
What names do you like?
I love love love it so much. It's fun I honestly don't think of gender when I look at names unless it's really obvious. I like balancing them out too.
I personally consider all nature/word/place names things that don't have a gender as unisex by default :).
What names do you like?
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Wow! I don't really see gender when I look at a name either. Not at first anyway.
Interesting ideas about nature/word/place names. I have to think about that, but I probably agree. I think I would add to that adjectives too, unless you consider those as words.
The names I like are really really long! I'll have to make a list and share it. But for me it's the combinations and the feelings I get from the name, the combination and the actual person. For fun I like to play with names, but I almost can't imagine naming my baby before seeing it. Does that make sense?
Interesting ideas about nature/word/place names. I have to think about that, but I probably agree. I think I would add to that adjectives too, unless you consider those as words.
The names I like are really really long! I'll have to make a list and share it. But for me it's the combinations and the feelings I get from the name, the combination and the actual person. For fun I like to play with names, but I almost can't imagine naming my baby before seeing it. Does that make sense?
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Yes :)
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I like Shawn Johnson and when I think of her the name is really cute. But when I don't think of her I think it's a really ugly very very masculine name.
I agree with you about Shawna. Shawna is probably one of the names I dislike most in the world (no offense). I just hate the sound. Shawn is way better than Shawna.
Hmmm yeah Shawn is better than Shawna and not a bad name but I think with all the pretty girls names out there you can find a better one than Shawn.
I also think a girl named Shawn would have it really difficult in life because people would always assume she was a boy.
I think Shawn Johnson's middle name is Machel. I wonder how they pronounce it. Does anyone happen to know ? I hope hope hope hope it's not a silly spelling of Michelle.
I agree with you about Shawna. Shawna is probably one of the names I dislike most in the world (no offense). I just hate the sound. Shawn is way better than Shawna.
Hmmm yeah Shawn is better than Shawna and not a bad name but I think with all the pretty girls names out there you can find a better one than Shawn.
I also think a girl named Shawn would have it really difficult in life because people would always assume she was a boy.
I think Shawn Johnson's middle name is Machel. I wonder how they pronounce it. Does anyone happen to know ? I hope hope hope hope it's not a silly spelling of Michelle.
This message was edited 8/15/2008, 1:12 PM
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Hi Lily. Thanks for your comments. I didn't know about her middle name being Machel. That is an unusual one. I wonder how it is pronounced. I wonder if it is like Michelle too, but should it not have an -elle ending? As it is, it almost looks like Michael/Michal ? Shawn Michael would definitely suggest a boy combo of course. I don't know if Shawn Johnson has ever had people wonder about her being a boy. Maybe her manner and cuteness just make the name cute for her, but I like it on other girls too.
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I know a female Shawn. To me it's the same as Alexis and Alexia. Whichever you like, you use.
Nastia (or Nastya) is the nickname for Anastasia.
Nastia (or Nastya) is the nickname for Anastasia.
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Hi Jennifer. Good point. With Alexis and Alexia though you are at least changing a letter. With Shawna you just add one. I agree though that it is personal taste. If you like it, use it.
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