susan

Susan is a feminine given name, a form of Susanna, deriving originally from Middle Egyptian "sšn" (lotus flower), first reported on an 11th Dynasty sarcophagus dating from approximately 2000 B.C. However, the Hebrew root for the name for the lily, שושן, is derived from the root שוש or ששנ, meaning "to be joyful, bright, or cheerful", which is the basis for the word and name ששון Sasson, meaning "joy of life*". The Persian name for lily is سوسن sousan, susan. The name of Susa, an ancient city of Persia, may be derived from the lilies which abounded in the plain in which it was situated but may be from the local city deity Inshushinak.