Shannon is from the Irish *Sionann* (the goddess of the River Shannon, Ireland's longest river) — from sen (old, wise) + an (one). **A top-20 US baby name from 1971 to 1981, peaking at #17 in 1976**. **Shannen Doherty (1971-2024)** — **American actress; Brenda Walsh on Fox's *Beverly Hills, 90210* (1990-1994) for four seasons — defining the original 1990s teen primetime soap; Prue Halliwell on The WB's *Charmed* (1998-2001)**. **Long, public battle with breast cancer (diagnosed 2015, returning stage IV in 2023) documented on her podcast *Let's Be Clear*; died in July 2024 at age 53**. **Shannon Miller (born 1977)** — American gymnast; seven Olympic medals (two gold, two silver, three bronze across Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996) — at retirement the most-decorated American gymnast (male or female) in Olympic history (a record she held until Aly Raisman and Simone Biles)**; member of the 1996 "Magnificent Seven" team. **Shannon Sharpe** is male (NFL Hall of Fame). **Shannon Lucid** — American astronaut; first American woman to do six space missions; held the US single-mission spaceflight record (188 days). **Shannon Beador** (*The Real Housewives of Orange County*). **Shannon Faulkner** (1995, first woman admitted to The Citadel military college).
Featured throughout 1990s-2020s American culture.
Shannon reduces to five — the number of 90210.