Shoshana (Shoshánna(h), שׁוֹשַׁנָּה) is a Hebrew feminine first name. It is the name of at least two women in the Bible and, via Σουσάννα (Sousanna), it developed into such European and Christian names as Susanna, Susan, Susanne, Susana, Susannah, Suzanne, Susie, Suzie, Sanna and Zuzana. In Ethiopia (Ge'ez: ሶስና, ሦሥና) it became Sosie, Sosina, Sosena, while in North Africa it yielded Sawsen and Sawsan.
The original Hebrew form Shoshana, from which all these are derived, is still commonly used by Jews and in contemporary Israel, often shortened to Shosh or Shoshi. In Biblical times shoshaná referred to a lily (from Lilium family);[citation needed] in modern Hebrew it refers to a rose.
People
Notable people with the name include:
Soshana Afroyim (1927–2015), Austrian painter who adopted the name (with a variant spelling) during her stay in Israel
Shoshana Arbeli-Almozlino (Hebrew: שושנה ארבלי-אלמוזלינו, 1926–2015), Israeli politician who served as Minister of Health between 1986 and 1988
Shoshana Bean (born 1977), American stage actress and singer known for her roles in Broadway musicals during the 2000s
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