Shanaya is a modern name of uncertain origin, usually explained as an elaboration of Shania, the name made famous by singer Shania Twain, or in India as a Sanskrit-derived name meaning "first ray of the sun"; neither reading is firmly documented. It has been popular in Indian and Indian American families since the 2010s. In the United States Shanaya peaked at number 1100 in 2016 and ranks number 1988 in 2025.