I’d like to honor my aunt [name_u]Shannon[/name_u] [name_f]McKenna[/name_f] in the naming of our next daughter. However, I don’t like the name [name_u]Shannon[/name_u], nor [name_f]McKenna[/name_f]. She does have a middle name that we could use if no other options can be found. I’m interested to hear your ideas on how [name_u]Shannon[/name_u] or [name_f]McKenna[/name_f] could be honored without using the actual names. Thanks in advance!
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you like [name_u]River[/name_u]? The [name_u]River[/name_u] [name_u]Shannon[/name_u] is the longest river in [name_f]Ireland[/name_f], which is where the name came from. [name_f]Makena[/name_f] means “happy one” in Kikuyu. You could ask your aunt for names she likes or consider giving your daughter the same initials…
[name_f]Shanna[/name_f], [name_f]Shayna[/name_f], [name_f]Shania[/name_f], or even simply [name_f]Anna[/name_f]/[name_f]Anne[/name_f].
[name_f]Kendra[/name_f], [name_f]Kenna[/name_f], [name_u]Mickie[/name_u], or again, [name_f]Anna[/name_f].
I’ve thought long and hard about this, because we were trying to name this baby after a [name_m]Walter[/name_m] and a [name_m]Norman[/name_m], neither of which I like!
What about the month she was born in? The town? Is she always happy ([name_m]Felix[/name_m]/[name_f]Felicity[/name_f])? Her birth stone? Birth flower?
None of these ended up working for us. ([name_m]Even[/name_m] their birth months were horrible names! LOL) But I’m hoping they work for you!! I, too, believe in honoring someone with a name.
For what it’s worth, I love [name_u]Shannon[/name_u], and it’s my sister’s name! 
Have considered using middle name [name_u]Shane[/name_u] or [name_u]Shea[/name_u] to honor her in the future.
Good luck!
You can honor people through names that have the same meaning as their names, favorite vacation spots, favorite music or band, a pet name (or the same meaning as the pet name), places they lived, places they worked, favorite colors, a favorite name of theirs (maybe they stated to someone they wished they had been named ___), their favorite bird or animal, birth stones, birth colors…
There are so many ways to honor someone. I actually find it more fun to honor people in a way that others may not realize they are named after anyone, It can be a secret between close family and friends and up to us to tell who we wish. Most of my names in my favorites (middle names included), and about 10 to 15 more combos not in my signature, honor family or have special meaning to us (the extended family).
Let the creative juices flow.
Girls names that mean “wise” or “happy” could work:
“wise” - [name_f]Ramona[/name_f], [name_u]Sage[/name_u], [name_f]Sophia[/name_f], [name_f]Ulima[/name_f]
“happy” - [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], [name_f]Felicity[/name_f], [name_f]Blythe[/name_f], [name_f]Aida[/name_f], [name_f]Alair[/name_f], [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f], [name_f]Halona[/name_f], [name_u]Hilary[/name_u], [name_f]Ilaria[/name_f], [name_f]Leda[/name_f], [name_f]Keiko[/name_f], [name_f]Merry[/name_f], [name_f]Nara[/name_f], [name_u]Zelig[/name_u], [name_u]Seeley[/name_u]
Or names of rivers, to honour the idea of the [name_u]River[/name_u] [name_u]Shannon[/name_u]:
[name_f]Aire[/name_f]
Alzette
Andelle
Anoux
[name_u]Arly[/name_u]
Aubette (or [name_u]Aubrey[/name_u])
Calavon
Cerou
Claree
Creuse
Dadou
Eauline (or [name_f]Pauline[/name_f])
Esteron
Laita
[name_f]Loire[/name_f]
Midou
Ravillou
Rhone
Varenne
[name_f]Vienne[/name_f]
Adaja
[name_m]Aragon[/name_m]
Arbia
Breggia
[name_f]Caia[/name_f]
Enza
Jarama
[name_f]Maira[/name_f]
[name_f]Mina[/name_f]
Navia
Olona
Orba
Sella
Tiber
[name_f]Turia[/name_f]
[name_f]Ulla[/name_f]
Zancara
Zezere
[name_u]Danube[/name_u]
[name_f]Elba[/name_f] (or [name_f]Alba[/name_f])
Isere
[name_f]Leda[/name_f]
[name_f]Lys[/name_f] (or [name_f]Alice[/name_f]/[name_f]Alys[/name_f])
[name_f]Maurine[/name_f] (or [name_f]Marina[/name_f])
Neda
[name_f]Netta[/name_f]
[name_f]Orla[/name_f]
Raba
[name_f]Senna[/name_f]
Thaya
[name_f]Tyria[/name_f]
Vliet (or [name_f]Violet[/name_f])
[name_f]Leda[/name_f] means “happy” and is a river name - that would be perfect!
Oh, forgot to add… you could do the same first and middle initial!
either of these names – a challenge!
[name_m]How[/name_m] about honoring her in another way? Letting her give you a list of names she loves or places she loves or flowers or ??
I just wrote out a really long and potentially helpful reply and then accidentally pressed something and lost the while thing. Life is crap.
Anyway…just read what everyone else posted.
Sorry
[name_f]Rhiannon[/name_f] for [name_u]Shannon[/name_u]
[name_f]Emma[/name_f] for [name_f]McKenna[/name_f] ([name_f]McKenna[/name_f] -> [name_f]Enna[/name_f] -> [name_f]Enna[/name_f] + M -> [name_f]Emma[/name_f])