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Re: Shanleigh
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.
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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
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