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HelpShanequa
That spelling. I've just heard about a girl, aged about 15-16, white, Afrikaans-speaking and born and brought up in South Africa, whose name is Shanequa. It's pronounced like Shaniqua.
So, I've never seen it used locally before, and presumably her parents learnt it from American media. Is it used in the US? Rising? Falling? Is Shanequa an accepted variant, or just a way of being original or of feminising Shane?
I'm intrigued!
So, I've never seen it used locally before, and presumably her parents learnt it from American media. Is it used in the US? Rising? Falling? Is Shanequa an accepted variant, or just a way of being original or of feminising Shane?
I'm intrigued!
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My feeling is that African-American style names like this don't actually have standardized spellings. A lot of time, the variants are influenced by honoring strategies.
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Yes, I've known three. Each spelled different ways - Shawniqua, Chaniqua and Chenequa. I don't think people still name their daughters this (the ones I know are in their 20s). I haven't checked but I certainly don't hear it on kids anymore.
I have no idea of the origin. I just know it's often mocked and stereotyped as a name for a poor, urban black woman (which, of course, is completely unfair and unfortunate for the actual bearers). One of the Chaniquas I know has gotten made fun for her name even as an adult.
I'm personally not a fan of it; I don't think it's pretty - just not my taste. But interesting to know it's been used elsewhere.
I have no idea of the origin. I just know it's often mocked and stereotyped as a name for a poor, urban black woman (which, of course, is completely unfair and unfortunate for the actual bearers). One of the Chaniquas I know has gotten made fun for her name even as an adult.
I'm personally not a fan of it; I don't think it's pretty - just not my taste. But interesting to know it's been used elsewhere.
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You can find Shanequa here on BtN as a submitted name. It has a popularity tab, though (many submitted names do not).
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In the US, it's very decidedly a black name. A white girl calling herself Shaniqua or Shanequa (the variation would not be unusual) would be assumed to be either making it up or her parents were clueless.
It's also very dated. As in, 1980's dated and rarely used now. I've noticed that a lot of the so-called "black names" date much faster than so-called "white names." Latoya, Tamika, Tanisha, Ebony, Jermaine, Tyrone, Dion, they are all very closely linked to the seventies and eighties here.
It's also very dated. As in, 1980's dated and rarely used now. I've noticed that a lot of the so-called "black names" date much faster than so-called "white names." Latoya, Tamika, Tanisha, Ebony, Jermaine, Tyrone, Dion, they are all very closely linked to the seventies and eighties here.
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Ebony is dated? I seem to hear it often enough these days. :/
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Yeah, it's dated. It's not been in the top 1000 for years now, but I don't remember how long.
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Do you hear it on babies or just in general? Most Ebonys would be in their mid/early 30s.
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In general. I didn't stop to think that it wouldn't be popular for babies, anymore. :P
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According to the statistics, Shaniqua was never very popular in the US, reaching the top thousand for only six years, 1989-1994, and even then never rising above #313. Yet there was a big jump from #950 in 1989 to #327 in 1990. But instead of continuing to rise and becoming popular, as is usual when a name makes a big jump, there was only a modest further rise to #313 in 1991, after which it fell and was out of the top thousand by 1995.
I know that Shaniqua, unfortunately, has a bad reputation as being "ghetto". I can only surmise it attained that reputation quickly and that's why it fell so quickly. But why that happened, I can't guess.
I think that the South Africans who used Shanequa must have no idea of this and just liked the sound of the name. I think it must be a spelling variant. I can't see it as a feminization of Shane.
I know that Shaniqua, unfortunately, has a bad reputation as being "ghetto". I can only surmise it attained that reputation quickly and that's why it fell so quickly. But why that happened, I can't guess.
I think that the South Africans who used Shanequa must have no idea of this and just liked the sound of the name. I think it must be a spelling variant. I can't see it as a feminization of Shane.
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I think Shanequa is an accepted variant. It is used in the US, reaching the top at approximately top600 in 1990s, under top1000 in the rest of years. Most bearers are African.
Please vote on my lists, thanks!
http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/172298/114387
Please vote on my lists, thanks!
http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/172298/114387
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I think a lot of parents have strayed from using it simply because of the negative media portrayal. I have seen variations like Shadiqua, Shaquina, Sh'nika, etc. but I haven't met a Shaniqua since the 90's and by that time the name was already passe in groups that would use it so they weren't newborns, they were always 30+ years old.
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I recognized the spelling right away, but I am not sure on popularity.
According to the social security database data for the U.S. there were only 8 girls born in 2002 with the Shanequa spelling, and only 16 with the Shaniqua spelling.
If I were to guess, the name Shaniqua to my ears is a bit dated. I would expect people my own age (in their early 30s) to have this name.
In 1985, there were 53 girls with the Shanequa spelling and 131 with the Shaniqua spelling.
After looking at the data more... I see that it peaked in the U.S. between 1990 and 1994, ranking in the 300s in the top 1000 lists.
That makes sense. I have heard the name a lot, but don't know many. They were probably all just a bit younger than me.
Shanequa has rarely been linked to Shane imo. I have heard it linked to other variants, like Shandra though.
According to the social security database data for the U.S. there were only 8 girls born in 2002 with the Shanequa spelling, and only 16 with the Shaniqua spelling.
If I were to guess, the name Shaniqua to my ears is a bit dated. I would expect people my own age (in their early 30s) to have this name.
In 1985, there were 53 girls with the Shanequa spelling and 131 with the Shaniqua spelling.
After looking at the data more... I see that it peaked in the U.S. between 1990 and 1994, ranking in the 300s in the top 1000 lists.
That makes sense. I have heard the name a lot, but don't know many. They were probably all just a bit younger than me.
Shanequa has rarely been linked to Shane imo. I have heard it linked to other variants, like Shandra though.
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