Shannon Wiersbitzky: Hello, my name is Shannon Wiersbitzky. The name Shannon comes from Ireland. I've always liked my first name. I like that it isn't very common. It feels special when I meet someone else with the same name. Unlike my first name, I wasn't born with this last name. I added it on when I married my husband Andreas, who's from Germany. The name Wiersbitzky originates from East Prussia, which is now Poland. And when I visit Germany, people pronounce it VIERSBITZKY. Here in the US, we don't pronounce Ws like Vs, and so we say, WIERSBITZKY.

I've heard my name pronounced and seen it spelled all sorts of funny ways. Usually people say Wiresbitzky or they change the ending to S-K-I because it sounds like ski.

I always appreciate when people try to say it, even if they feel it's difficult, it looks more intimidating than it really is. Most of the time in places where my name is called aloud, from some sort of list, people say Shannon, and then they wait for a long time. I always know they're calling me, but it isn't that hard. So here's how to say it correctly. Shannon Wiersbitzky.