Shawna is a feminine given name of Irish origin and is an English-language variant of Shawn, itself an anglicized form of the Irish name Seán. Ultimately, Shawna traces back to the Hebrew name John, meaning "Yahweh is gracious." The name is pronounced SHON-uh and has been in use since the 20th century, gaining moderate popularity in the United States and other English-speaking countries. Etymology The name Shawna is derived from Shawn, the most common spelling of the anglicized form of Seán in the United States and Canada. Seán is the Irish version of John, which comes from the Latin Iohannes and the Greek Ioannes, ultimately from the Hebrew Yohanan. The Hebrew roots yo (referring to God) and ḥanan (meaning "to be gracious") give the name its biblically significant meaning. Notable Bearers Several notable women share the name Shawna. These include Shawna Ann Claw, a Diné politician and former Navajo Nation president; Shawna Kimbrell, the first African American female fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force; Shawna Robinson, a former NASCAR driver; Shawna Trpcic, an Emmy-nominated costume designer for television shows like The Mandalorian; Shawna Landon, an actress and daughter of Michael Landon; and Shawna Bullen-Fairbanks, an Ojibwe activist. The rapper Shawnna (born 1978) is a variation of the name. Cultural Context Shawna is one of several feminine forms derived from Shawn, including Shannon, Shauna, and Shanon. It fit a trend in the mid-to-late 20th century for creating feminine variants of masculine names by adding an -a suffix. Shawna ranked 882nd in popularity for females of all ages in a U.S. Social Security Administration statistic from 2000–2003, and 490th in a 1990 U.S. sample, indicating moderate but declining use. Key Facts Meaning: "Yahweh is gracious" Origin: English, from Irish Seán Type: Feminine given name Usage: Primarily English-speaking countries, especially the U.S.