My Name is Reannan

Where did the name come from?

When my Mom was 12, she heard the Fleetwood Mac song, Rhiannon and promised herself she would name her first daughter after it. Fast forward to today, and the band is just as relevant as it was in the 70’s and the 80’s as it is now; lucky for me, instead of being weird, my name is one most people have heard before. Fans always make sure they ask if I was named after the song. Some people have asked if I named after Rhianna but she’s a bit younger than me and likely also named after the Fleetwood Mac song. Here’s a link to a page that has quotes from Stevie Nicks talking about who Rhiannon is.

Growing up, I found my name was more common than I expected it to be. At a playground one afternoon, while my family watched The Oilers fight their way to the playoffs (I grew up in a town close to Edmonton), I met another Rhiannon. We were both on swings, swinging next to each other. She had curly red hair that was blowing in the wind. She asked me what my name was and after I told her, replied with so much excitement that her name was also Rhiannon! Then we both ran home to tell our Moms. I was a bit sad I didn’t see her again. She was the only other Rhiannon I knew of, until I started high school. I went to high school in a small town with 360 students from grade 7-12, and you know what? There were 3 Rhiannons. Crazy right?

Lyrics to the song

Rhiannon – Fleetwood Mac

Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night and
Wouldn’t you love to love her?
Takes to the sky like a bird in flight and
Who will be her lover?

All your life you’ve never seen
A woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win?

She is like a cat in the dark and then
She is the darkness
She rules her life like a fine skylark and when
The sky is starless

All your life you’ve never seen
A woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win?
Will you ever win?

Rhiannon
Rhiannon
Rhiannon
Rhiannon

She rings like a bell through the night and
Wouldn’t you love to love her?
She rules her life like a bird in flight and
Who will be her lover?

All your life you’ve never seen
A woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win?
Will you ever win?

Rhiannon
Rhiannon
Rhiannon

Taken by
Taken by the sky

Taken by
Taken by the sky

Taken by
Taken by the sky

Dreams unwind
Love’s a state of mind

Dreams unwind
Love’s a state of mind

Dreams unwind
Love’s a state of mind

Source: Lyric Find

Here’s a link to the actual song sung live in 1976. Stevie Nicks’ hair is amazing and this version is a good one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuTzAha1t80

If your name is Rhiannon, I want to hear from you. How many other Rhiannons do you know? What was it like growing up with the name?

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