Susan

Susan (f) Hebrew, from a word formerly meaning ‘lily,’
and now used for ‘rose.’ Susanna(h) is the fuller form.
Other forms include Susanne, Suzann, Suzanne. Susan
was the name of names in the English-speaking world in
the 1950’s, a top favourite in every country. Scottish
parents had long been using it. It was 26th most frequently used name in Scotland in 1858, 36th in 1935, 7th in 1958. A count of names used in Scotland in 1975 shows that it was still being used in great numbers, though many parents preferred the form Suzanne. The Gaelic form is Siñsaidh. The name owed its original popularity to the Apocryphal story of Susanna and the Elders, an exciting tale of detective work by Daniel which saved the life of the beautiful Susanna. She had been falsely accused of adultery by the Elders, who were furious when she refused their advances. Daniel interrogated the Elders separately, showing that their versions of what had happened did not agree. They were put to death for telling lies, a fate which Susanna herself would have suffered but for Daniel’s intervention. She was instead restored to her husband Joachim. Sukey was once the diminutive of Susan, but this now seems to be obsolete. Sue is occasionally given as an independent name.

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