Passionate About Baby Names

Hi, I’m Shandy — and I’ve been fascinated by names for as long as I can remember. As a kid, my dream job was naming crayons, since it didn’t seem possible to have a career naming people (so here we are). I grew up with baby name books, gave all my dolls and pets middle names (sometimes more than one), and my parents used to joke that my future kids would each have eight names — don’t worry, they don’t!

My full name is Shannon, meaning “small and wise,” but when I was seven, I came across the name “Shandy” — meaning “rambunctious” — in one of Bruce Lansky’s name books. I stopped answering to Shannon that day, and I’ve been Shandy ever since. That experience sparked an even deeper appreciation for how names shape our identity, influence how we’re perceived, and affect how we feel about ourselves.

In addition to names, I am an avid reader and I enjoy writing. I love to learn and help others. I am currently Reiki 2 certified and continuing on my healing journey. I’m also a genealogy enthusiast and have been researching my family history for over ten years, whenever time allows. I love discovering connections between heritage and the stories our names carry. I live in Pennsylvania with my husband, our two kids, and our two labs, River and Ranger.