Meaning:
Its source is Shoshana, a Hebrew name meaning "Lily."
Languages:
This girl's name is used in German, English, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish.
Alternative Spellings: Suezanna and Suzanna
Variant Forms: Susanne and Suzanne
Non-English Forms: Zsuzsánna
Popularity:
The name Susanna ranked 869th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
Narrative:
The first known Shoshana (or Susanna) features in a Hebrew literary piece regarded as an unofficial addition to the Book of Daniel. It is, in fact, an ancient detective story, complete with a dramatic trial scene.
The beautiful Shoshana is accused of adultery by two elders. Despite her protests of innocence, she is about to be condemned to death when the prophet Daniel intervenes. He demands that the elders stand up to separate cross-examination about their accusation.
Outside one another's presence, the two elders give contradictory accounts of the alleged crime. Daniel argues that they intended to deceive the court, and that they, not Shoshana, were the ones with the sinful intentions.
Thanks to Daniel, Shoshana is found innocent, and the elders are condemned.
