So my niece’s name is [name_f]Shanna[/name_f]–which is a diminutive form of [name_f]Shoshana[/name_f], the etymological root for [name_f]Susanna[/name_f] and [name_f]Susan[/name_f]. An archaic nickname for [name_f]Susan[/name_f] is [name_f]Zuzu[/name_f] (it comes up in It’s a Wonderful Life–[name_f]Zuzu[/name_f]'s petals) [name_f]My[/name_f] niece’s name has deep personal significance to my sister, so I understand why she chose it, but my brother’s daughter, who is a year older than [name_f]Shanna[/name_f], is named Stana. The pronunciation is slightly different but it seems really strange to me to have two cousins so close in age have such similar names.
I asked my sister if I could call [name_f]Shanna[/name_f] [name_f]Zuzu[/name_f] and she says I can call her whatever I want. What I want to know is whether you think I’m trying too hard to make “[name_f]Zuzu[/name_f]” work. What do you think?
I don’t think that nicknames necessarily have to be taken directly from first names, and therefore I think that [name_f]Zuzu[/name_f] could potentially work if your sister is on board. If you want a more directly derived nickname, I would go for [name_u]Shan[/name_u] from [name_f]Shanna[/name_f].
Since you asked whether it’s a stretch, I will say that for me [name_f]Zuzu[/name_f] is a huge stretch from [name_f]Shanna[/name_f], and therefore I would not consider it a derivative of [name_f]Shanna[/name_f] in any way. It would just be a random nickname that doesn’t have to do with your niece’s actual name, but as I said I think that can be fine as long as everyone is on board. It might be kind of weird if you’re the only one calling her [name_f]Zuzu[/name_f].
I also think that [name_f]Zuzu[/name_f] is certainly less of a stretch from [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] than [name_f]Shanna[/name_f] but I would still say using [name_f]Zuzu[/name_f] as a nickname is still a stretch from [name_f]Susannah[/name_f] because [name_f]Zuzu[/name_f] comes more directly from a different form of that name.
I’ve only ever heard Zuz/[name_f]Zuzu[/name_f] as a nickname for [name_f]Zuzana[/name_f], and obviously that’s the form of the name it comes from. Zuzu from It’s a Wonderful Life was taken from [name_f]Zuzana[/name_f], as far as I know and have been able to glean.
The Shoshanas I’ve known tend to go by Shosh or Shoshi. (sho-shee)
Which makes 1000 times more sense in context than [name_f]Zuzu[/name_f], no offense. ([name_f]Zuzu[/name_f] is cute but…)
If it’s just about making it sound more distinct from Stana, team Shoshi all the way, personally. And [name_f]Shoshana[/name_f] is a beautiful name, I love it.
[name_f]Zuzu[/name_f] is a cute NN but it is a stretch from [name_f]Shanna[/name_f]. If you only want [name_f]Shanna[/name_f] to stand out from Stana then how about NN [name_u]Shan[/name_u], Shaz, Shammie