Shaniqua
| Pronunciation | /ʃəˈniːkwə/ shə-NEE-kwə |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Language | English |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | None (invented) |
| Region of origin | United States (African-American community) |
| Other names | |
| Alternative spelling | Chanequa, Chineequa, Shanequa, Shenequa, Sheniqua |
| Variant forms | Chanique, Shanica, Shanique, Shenique, Shinique |
| Related names | African-American names |
Shaniqua is a female given name, originating in the African-American community, gaining popularity beginning in the 1970s and peaking in the early 1990s. It is often given as the prototypical example of a "ghetto name", i.e. a name likely to belong to low-income African-Americans, and has been used in racism-related incidents to stereotype "rude" Black women.