I really love the name Shoshana. It’s a Hebrew name that’s a varient [name]Susannah[/name], which I love (in fact both names mean [name]Lilly[/name]) but it’s a little more unique and, I think, a little prettier. The only Shoshanas [name]I’ve known irl are Jewish. So is it culturally insensitive to give a non Jewish girl this name?
Also NB lists [name]Sosannah[/name] as another variant of [name]Susannah[/name]. I love it, but does it sound made up? Her nn would be [name]Sosie[/name] with whatever variant we chose.
I love Shoshanna but I feel like it is very strongly culturally identified as a Jewish name. I could be wrong though!
I love [name]Shoshana[/name]! I don’t know why, but I really am not a [name]Susannah[/name] fan, but I adore [name]Shoshana[/name]. I could be wrong, but every time I’ve heard [name]Shoshana[/name] brought up in the past (not necessarily on this forum–just wherever I’ve heard [name]Shoshana[/name] referenced), it seems to me that the prevailing idea was that though it has a strong Jewish connection, Jews don’t seem to mind sharing. That’s the sort of feel I’ve gotten from responses and such, and I hope I’m right, because I think [name]Shoshana[/name]'s just delightful! I think the nn [name]Sosie[/name] is too cute, too. 
Good luck!
I dislike [name]Susannah[/name] but I do love the sound and feel of [name]Shoshana[/name]. Very pretty!
I love [name]Susannah[/name] and Shoshanna has a very different, softer, more European feel.
I think it’s very wearable for a girl who isn’t Jewish. I don’t think it’s strange at all to use a traditional Jewish first name, I think [name]Cohen[/name] is odd as a first on a non-Jew though!
I grew up Jewish, and one of my best friends in elementary school was named [name]Shoshana[/name]. If I met a little [name]Shoshana[/name], I’d definitely assume she was Jewish, and think it was a little weird if she wasn’t. Not super weird, just a little weird. Maybe with the show “Girls” it will get more popular in general, including among non-Jews? The name trend that bugs me as a Jewish person way more is [name]Cohen[/name] as a first name. [name]Cohen[/name] to me is just a super Jewish last name, and to hear it treated like/lumped in with all those other two-syllable soft-sounding -en ending boy names just is bizarre.
Must have posted simultaneously!
This, exactly.
That was what I was going to say!
Thanks for your imput! My last name is actually a pretty common Jewish name and people have often assumed that I’m Jewish, so it doesn’t really bother me that if people assume my daughter is Jewish. I just wanted to make sure that It wouldn’t be insensitive or super weird, like [name]Cohen[/name], on a Catholic girl.
I’ve never watched Girls, but I’ve heard about it. You might be right, if there’s a girl on that show named [name]Shoshana[/name], it may become more widely used.
Thanks!
I actually fell for [name]Shoshana[/name] because of the movie, Inglourious Basterds. I think it could work. So, some people will assume that she’s Jewish. A former teacher of mine has a daughter named [name]Shoshana[/name], and there family isn’t Jewish. I’ve considered [name]Annunziata[/name] for a future daughter (after my great-grandmother) even though I am not Catholic. If you like it, go for it. I think the nickname, [name]Shana[/name], would certainly make it approachable.
I did too! I loved Mélanie [name]Laurent[/name]'s character.
I agree with what has been said. I’d expect a [name]Shoshana[/name] to be Jewish, but even if she wasn’t, it wouldn’t bother me.It still seems approachable to me. I guess it’s kind of like [name]Isabella[/name] for me-while I still find [name]Isabella[/name] to be very Italian,it’s become normal for girls of any ethnicity to be named [name]Isabella[/name]. I could see the same thing happening for [name]Shoshana[/name].
It’s a beautiful name. [name]Even[/name] as someone named [name]Susan[/name] and people typically preferring [name]Susannah[/name]-I prefer Shoshanna to [name]Susannah[/name].
Plus, the nickname [name]Sosie[/name] is adorable. :]
As a Jewish person, I do think of [name]Shoshana[/name]/Shoshanna/[name]Shoshanah[/name] as a Jewish name, but not one that has to be exclusively Jewish. It’s not rude or anything it’s just… likely… if you know what I mean.
I will say if the meaning “lily” is very important to you, while [name]Susannah[/name] is 99.9% of the term listed as meaning that and effectively does, [name]Shoshana[/name] in modern Hebrew is more usually translated to “rose” and is used that way. Which, in terms of translational drift, is not really the end of the world. Still a pretty flower.
I really like the name [name]Shoshana[/name] too and have also worried about whether it’d be insensitive or inappropriate to use it since I’m not Jewish. It sounds like from the other posters though that it wouldn’t be a problem, so I say go for it.
My friend [name]Shoshana[/name] always said her name meant rose.
Actually- [name]Rose[/name] is even better than lily. Thanks @stripedsocks and @betsy buttercup!
[name]Shoshana[/name] is a beautiful name, I think it could work for anyone
I think it’s a gorgeous name. I do think most people will assume she’s Jewish especially with your last name, and you may want to consider whether or not that would be annoying for your daughter to correct all the time (I’d still go with it, but it’s important to think about). As others have said, it’s culturally tied, but I don’t think anyone would consider it culturally insensitive.
As long as you’re planning on using it for a girl i, as a Jewish person, can’t say i mind. it will definitely come across as quirky, but it’s not offensive. I only get offended (or at least irritated) when people play around with gender on names from another culture. and i’m pretty sure i’ve heard the name [name]Shoshana[/name] on a non-Jewish person once or twice before, its not quite as wild as some other names might be.
Shoshanna is a favorite of mine (though I prefer the spelling [name]Shosanna[/name]). I held on to this name for so long when discussing girl options with my husband, but in the end he convinced me that it just doesn’t work. I don’t know if I would call it insensitivity, I just think certain names carry certain expectations.