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At first I thought the name Shanleigh was of English origin, a combination of the anglicized form of Jeanne --> Sian --> Shan, + leigh meaning a field or meadow, but I have been told it means 'daughter of the old chief' in Irish (which I assumed meant Gaelic). On 3 name sites, none really reputable, I have found the name to mean either "old chief's child" or "child of the old chief," however in looking through Gaelic dictionaries I cannot see where the words child or chief can fit into the name Shanleigh.
Is there another language that 'Irish' could be referencing? Does anyone know the true meaning and what exactly it derived from.
It is a female name.
~ SD
Is there another language that 'Irish' could be referencing? Does anyone know the true meaning and what exactly it derived from.
It is a female name.
~ SD
1
Replies
Sian is Welsh not English.
Séan(pronounced Shan) is the Irish for old and it is also used for wise as well. Hence Shannon and Senan/Séanan. The chief meaning could have been extrapolated from the old and wise meaning - ie an elder.
There is an Irish name surname Shanley. I found this http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.fc/qx/shanley-family-crest.htm which states it comes from Séan +laoch(hero) which seems plausible.
But I also found this http://www.surnamedb.com /surname.aspx?name=Shanley which argues for an English meaning. It is not unusual for a surname in Ireland to have both an English/Scottish/Welsh and Irish origin.
Séan(pronounced Shan) is the Irish for old and it is also used for wise as well. Hence Shannon and Senan/Séanan. The chief meaning could have been extrapolated from the old and wise meaning - ie an elder.
There is an Irish name surname Shanley. I found this http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.fc/qx/shanley-family-crest.htm which states it comes from Séan +laoch(hero) which seems plausible.
But I also found this http://www.surnamedb.com /surname.aspx?name=Shanley which argues for an English meaning. It is not unusual for a surname in Ireland to have both an English/Scottish/Welsh and Irish origin.
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Thank you - the first website was very helpful. I don't tend to believe the latter as scenc --> shan seems a bit far off to change the the vowel, drop to consonants, change the s to sh and add an 'n', it really isn't common at all.
I didn't mean Sian was English, I said Shan was an anglicized form Sian, where the English name John derived the French name Jeanne, which derived the Welsh name Sian, which derived the English name Shan. Complicated...
I will pass on your findings, thanks again,
~SD
I didn't mean Sian was English, I said Shan was an anglicized form Sian, where the English name John derived the French name Jeanne, which derived the Welsh name Sian, which derived the English name Shan. Complicated...
I will pass on your findings, thanks again,
~SD
1