New Post
Search
Help[Opinions] Savannah
Thoughts on the name Savannah? What would you pair it with?
"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." - William Shakespeare
Archived Thread - replies disabled
3
Replies
Refraining from using a god name like Huracan or Juracán (or hurricane as a word name) might make sense to me, but I can't see why Taino for "sheet" morphing into Spanish/English for "grassy plain" 400+ years ago and then becoming a name would be bothersome.
This message was edited 4/10/2022, 7:24 AM
3
Savannah, Georgia’s placename has a different etymological origin.
2
Ok, I looked it up...according to an article in the International Journal of American Linguistics, it doesn't. Traditionally, it was said (initially by "an old trader") to be interchangable with "Shawnee" or "Shawano" but it wasn't - that doesn't make sense in context of modern linguistics (the sound changes aren't consistent with the languages involved) and since the topographical word "savannah" was in use there already...
The city name comes from the nearby river name which comes from the topographical term. Several tribes of Native Americans including the Shawnee were likely called "Savannah Indians" by traders (and then by other English colonists in the 1700s) just because they lived in savannahs or by the river. It's really a nature word derived from Spanish via Taino (ultimately about something impersonal and mundane as sheet/flat) and not a specific Algonquin tribe name.
The city name comes from the nearby river name which comes from the topographical term. Several tribes of Native Americans including the Shawnee were likely called "Savannah Indians" by traders (and then by other English colonists in the 1700s) just because they lived in savannahs or by the river. It's really a nature word derived from Spanish via Taino (ultimately about something impersonal and mundane as sheet/flat) and not a specific Algonquin tribe name.
This message was edited 4/11/2022, 5:20 AM
2
Many of the names that groups of Indigenous people go by or went by in the past were given to them by neighbours, friends or even enemies. My ex-husband and daughter are Mohawk, for example. “Mohawk” is not the name their people called themselves, nor is it accurate or flattering. But they consider it no less a part of their history and culture, and it’s still an important word. If there is a name, or many names, regardless of origin, it’s proof that they were there and that they were acknowledged. In a culture where many things have been stripped away, names and words are important, even if they’re defunct or were bestowed by someone else.
I just know it’s an entire area I personally avoid, and I like to point it out because sometimes people don’t consider things from that perspective. You can come to your own conclusions. I’m of the mind that with so many names out there, there’s no reason to pick one adapted from A long-marginalized culture.
I just know it’s an entire area I personally avoid, and I like to point it out because sometimes people don’t consider things from that perspective. You can come to your own conclusions. I’m of the mind that with so many names out there, there’s no reason to pick one adapted from A long-marginalized culture.
1
I understand it usually. I was confused though because in this case (it's not adapted from a marginalized culture? It would have been an English descriptor borrowed from Spanish in this context) saying Savannah Indians would be like saying Plains Indians, except more southern/Spanish influenced, and it's not appropriative or a particularly unique thing to live in savannahs or plains...or generally controversial to use nature words as names...right?? At some point words are just words and history is shared? I don't understand where you're drawing a line...like to me not using Savannah specifically for this reason seems about like swearing off tomatoes, chocolate, canoeing, or pajamas for this reason, or at least more so than it would be like not using Shawnee, Cheyenne, Mohawk, India, etc, as a name.
This message was edited 4/13/2022, 1:59 PM
1
I’m kinda surprised people even compare Savannah to Susanna.
Susanna is floral, fresh, fun, and lively. Truly beautiful in it’s own way. Savannah just reminds me of land. Not to mention there a lot of people with the name Savannah I can’t stand. When I think of a girl named Susanna I think of a smart, and pretty girl.
Susanna is floral, fresh, fun, and lively. Truly beautiful in it’s own way. Savannah just reminds me of land. Not to mention there a lot of people with the name Savannah I can’t stand. When I think of a girl named Susanna I think of a smart, and pretty girl.
1
It reminds me of the city in Georgia. It's a nice city. Pretty good name, too.
3
I like the name Savannah! I think of it as a nature name before a city name. Possible combinations:
Savannah Joy
Savannah Dawn
Savannah Claire
Savannah Faye
Savannah Juliet
Savannah Elodie
Savannah Beatrice
Savannah Lorene
Savannah Joy
Savannah Dawn
Savannah Claire
Savannah Faye
Savannah Juliet
Savannah Elodie
Savannah Beatrice
Savannah Lorene
2
I didn't used to like it, but lately I like it more. The imagery of a savanna is nice.
2
Savannah is all right. It seems shallow but sweet. I like the idea of a Savannah called "Sunny" because the name has such warm golden summer field vibes to it. It also gives me late 90s nostalgia, really brings me back to 1999. I think for that reason I'd pair it with something even dustier, to give it some depth so it doesn't float away.
Savannah Louisa
Savannah Maude
Savannah Jeannine, Savannah Janine, Savannah Jeannette
Savannah Lucille
Savannah Joyce, aww
Savannah Miriam
Savannah Lucy (ok this is a helium balloon of a name but it's so darn cute)
Savannah Louisa
Savannah Maude
Savannah Jeannine, Savannah Janine, Savannah Jeannette
Savannah Lucille
Savannah Joyce, aww
Savannah Miriam
Savannah Lucy (ok this is a helium balloon of a name but it's so darn cute)
2
This is one of my favorite names for girls, as well as one of my favorite nature names. I never thought to compare it to Susanna, but come to think of it, I prefer Susanna.
Savannah Jane
Savannah Evelyn *
Savannah Rain
Savannah Chloe *
Savannah Eve
Savannah Harley *
Savannah Jolene
Maya Savannah
Lillian Savannah
Cleo Savannah
Harley Savannah *
Evelyn Savannah *
Chloe Savannah
Marley Savannah
etc.
Savannah Jane
Savannah Evelyn *
Savannah Rain
Savannah Chloe *
Savannah Eve
Savannah Harley *
Savannah Jolene
Maya Savannah
Lillian Savannah
Cleo Savannah
Harley Savannah *
Evelyn Savannah *
Chloe Savannah
Marley Savannah
etc.
1
It should be like Meadow or Georgia, and it is a bit, but it seems more like a cross between Hannah and Scarlett to me (overused and too soft, plus grating smarm), so...it's ok, but I don't like it...probably doesn't help that I think of beige, dead grass, mosquitoes...it's a bit like Marsha + Brooklyn for me maybe.
Also seems vaguely like Tallulah, Delilah, Sierra, but I think those are more lively.
Savannah Victoria
Savannah Eugenia
Savannah Nieve
Savannah Mariel
Savannah Josephine
Savannah Melody
Savannah Posy
Savannah Glika
Savannah Patricia
Savannah Kiley
Savannah Taide
Savannah Casilda
Savannah Abigail
Savannah Blessing
Savannah Gloria
Savannah Juliet
Savannah Marie-Claire
Savannah Meriwether
Savannah Mercedes
Also seems vaguely like Tallulah, Delilah, Sierra, but I think those are more lively.
Savannah Victoria
Savannah Eugenia
Savannah Nieve
Savannah Mariel
Savannah Josephine
Savannah Melody
Savannah Posy
Savannah Glika
Savannah Patricia
Savannah Kiley
Savannah Taide
Savannah Casilda
Savannah Abigail
Savannah Blessing
Savannah Gloria
Savannah Juliet
Savannah Marie-Claire
Savannah Meriwether
Savannah Mercedes
This message was edited 4/10/2022, 8:01 AM
1