Azizi, reading your post about names for female African American twins made me think that, around here at least, African American females tend to have names that end in "-sha" (Aisha, Lanisha, Moesha, etc.). Then I started wondering if the "-sha" has any ties to the interpretation of the name Sharon as "princess." Know anything about that?

I've been Googling the meaning of "Sharon" and, for the most part so far, I'm coming up with "plain" or "fertile plain" or "fruitful" (referring to fertile, I guess), along with one or two "princess"es (and one "exotic princess"-- whee!). Everyone seems to agree that it has its origins in the Hebrew language. I found only one interpretation of "forest" and that was on Wikipedia, so the accuracy of that reference is in doubt! Even so, "forest" may be another translation of the fertility factor in the original word (i.e. lots of vegetation growing on the plain).

As for the Essex girl jokes, I too was unaware of that bit of European culture! No wonder I don't git no respect around here... ;^)

Sharon the Unstereotypical