Shania (given name)

Shania is a feminine given name, popularized by the country and pop singer Shania Twain.[1][2] It is pronounced with the stress on the i, as in Maria.[3] Twain, born Eileen Regina Edwards,[4] adopted the surname of her stepfather, Gerald "Jerry" Twain, an Ojibwe,[5] and later changed her given name to "Shania" in his honour.[6]

Shania
Pronunciationshan-EYE-ah
Genderfemale
Origin
Word/nameAn invented name perhaps based on Ojibwe "Ani aya’aa", "someone on the way"
Region of originEnglish-speaking countries
Other names
Related namesShanya, Shaniya, Nya, Ny-Ny,Niya, Ni-Ni, Shaniyniy

Several sources contend that the name is of Ojibwe origin meaning "I'm on my way",[7] or "she is on her way".[8] However, Twain's biographer, Robin Eggar, writes: "There is a continuing confusion about what 'Shania' means and if indeed it is an Ojibwe word or phrase at all. [...] There is no mispronounced or misheard phrase in either Ojibwe or Cree that comes close to meaning 'on my way.' Yet the legend of her name continues to be repeated in the media to this day."[9]

Robin Eggar was incorrect about there being no Ojibwe phrase with a similar meaning which sounds like Shania. "Ani aya'aa", pronounced "Ah-nih Eye-uh-ah", means "someone on the way" in Ojibwe. It is therefore possible that someone with an imperfect knowledge of the Ojibwe language created Shania with the incorrect idea it would mean "she's on the way". [10]

According to the English onomastician Patrick Hanks, the name is a recent elaboration of the given name Shana.[3]

Persons with this given name include:

  • Shania Collins, American sprinter and gold-medal winner at the 2019 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
  • Shania Gracia, Indonesian singer and a member of the Indonesian idol group JKT48
  • Shania Junianatha, Indonesian singer and former member of JKT48
  • Shania Twain, Canadian singer and songwriter

See also

References
  1. "Shania- God is Merciful, shə-NIE-ə , Hebrew on BellyBallot". BellyBallot. 10 April 2018. Archived from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  2. "Meaning, origin etc. - Girl Names – Baby Name Shania". The Name Meaning. 28 March 2014. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  3. Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford paperback reference. Oxford University Press. p. 401. ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1. OCLC 67869278. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  4. Keeley, J. (2001). Women Pop Stars. History makers. Lucent Books. p. 71. ISBN 978-1-56006-814-3. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  5. Malone, B.C.; Laird, T. (2018). Country Music USA: 50th Anniversary Edition. University of Texas Press. p. 510. ISBN 978-1-4773-1537-8. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  6. Stuessy, J.; Lipscomb, S.D. (2008). Rock and Roll: Its History and Stylistic Development. MyRockKit Series. Pearson Prentice Hall. p. 259. ISBN 978-0-13-601068-5. Retrieved 5 May 2019. Shania Twain recorded a demo that earned her a contract with Mercury Records. In honor of the Ojibwe heritage of her stepfather, the singer changed her name to "Shania," ...
  7. Moss, J.; com, B. (2008). The One-in-a-Million Baby Name Book: The BabyNames.com Guide to Choosing the Best Name for Your New Arrival. Penguin Publishing Group. p. 1366–1367. ISBN 978-1-101-22106-8. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  8. Shane, N. (2015). Inspired Baby Names from Around the World: 6,000 International Names and the Meaning Behind Them. New World Library. p. 312. ISBN 978-1-60868-321-5. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  9. Eggar, R. (2010). Shania Twain: The Biography. Gallery Books. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-4516-0454-2. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  10. "Evans: Fan of Shania Twain? Here's the story behind her adopted name". Omaha World Herald. May 8, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
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