Shaniqua

Meaning of Shaniqua

Shaniqua, a feminine given name with roots in African-American naming innovation of the late twentieth century, exemplifies a creative morphological synthesis characteristic of post-Civil Rights era cultural expression. Its construction—employing the Sha- prefix, itself derived from a blend of phonetic trends, and the novel -niqua suffix—yields shəˈniːkwə in contemporary English pronunciation. The name functions as both a linguistic marker of individual distinctiveness and an indicator of collective identity within Anglo-American contexts. Quantitative examination of Ohio birth records from 1985 through 1994 indicates a progressive increase in its adoption, culminating in thirty-six instances (ranked 168th) in 1991 before a gradual diminution, a trajectory that mirrors broader sociocultural shifts in naming practices. Shaniqua’s persistence in the onomastic landscape underscores its enduring resonance as a technical artifact of evolving cultural dynamics.