Alan (given name) masculine given name in the Welsh language; although it is not directly related to "Alan" (it is derived from Proto-Celtic "*alouno-" meaning either "nourishing" or "wandering"), today it is generally used as a variant form of the English name. An earlier bearer of this name is Alun of Dyfed, a character in the "Mabinogion". The name became popular in modern times when it was adopted as a bardic name by John Blackwell, a 19th-century Welsh poet. The short form of "Alan" is "Al". This name is a short form of numerous other etymologically unrelated names that begin with this syllable.
Shana (given name) Shana (given name) Shana is a feminine given name of multiple origins. The pronunciation of the name varies depending upon the context and source. According to Bruce Lansky, Shana occurs as a familiar diminutive or form of Shannon, a Gaelic name, meaning "small and wise." It relates to the longest river in Ireland, the Shannon, which earned its namesake from Celtic goddess Sionna, who sought the enchanted hazelnuts of wisdom. Legends vary about the creation of the river, but they all recount the drowning of the Sionna, granddaughter of the great sea god Lir, usually at an undersea well. Some