Sharon

Sharon is a biblical name derived from a place name in the Old Testament, the Old Testament term שָׁרוֹן (Sharon) meaning "plain" or "flat area." It refers specifically to the fertile Sharon plain on the central west coast of Israel, between the Samarian Hills and the Mediterranean Sea. The name is also famously associated with the phrase "rose of Sharon" from the Song of Solomon (2:1), though the exact plant species referred to remains uncertain and varies by interpretation.

Etymology and History

The Hebrew word שָׁרוֹן (Sharon) simply denotes a plain, but in the Bible it became the proper name for the coastal plain known for its fertility. The phrase "rose of Sharon" appears in the King James Version of the Song of Solomon: "I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley." This has led to several modern plants being called "rose of Sharon," including Hypericum calycinum and Hibiscus syriacus. The name's connection to beauty and nature likely contributed to its later adoption as a given name.

Usage as a Given Name

Although Sharon appears in the Bible as a place name, its use as a personal name is a modern phenomenon. It began to be used as a feminine given name in the English-speaking world in the 1920s, possibly influenced by the heroine in the serial novel The Skyrocket (1925) by Adela Rogers St. Johns. The name gained widespread popularity in the United States and other English-speaking countries, peaking in the 1940s and 1950s. In Israel, Sharon is used as both a masculine and feminine name, reflecting the unisex nature of many Hebrew names.

Notable Bearers

Famous individuals named Sharon include American actress Sharon Stone (b. 1958) and Israeli diplomat Sharon Kinney. Additionally, Ariel Sharon, the eleventh Prime Minister of Israel, is one notable male bearer of the name. Other bearers include Sharon Van Etten, an American singer-songwriter, and Sharon Jones, an American soul singer. The name has also been used in literature and popular culture, such as in the television series EastEnders character Sharon Watts.

Related Names

Variants of Sharon include Sharron and Sharyn, also used in English, and the popular Hebrew form Sharona. The diminutive Shari is common as an English nickname. These forms share the same biblical and geographical roots as the original name.

• Meaning: "Plain" (from Hebrew)
• Origin: Hebrew (biblical place name)
• Type: Feminine primarily; unisex in Hebrew context
• Usage regions: English-speaking world (since 1920s), Israel
• Related biblical term: "Rose of Sharon" from Song of Solomon 2:1