Sean is a boys' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “God is gracious”, Irish form of John. The Irish form of John, which came to Ireland through the Norman French Jehan.

Sean

Gender: Boy
Say it: SHAWN
Origin: Hebrew
UK rank, 2025: #408 for boys
US rank, 2025: #489 for boys

Big in ScotlandBig in Northern Ireland

Sean is a boys' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “God is gracious”. In 2025 it ranked 408th for boys in the UK (114 babies) and 489th for boys in the US (616 babies).

What does Sean mean?

Hebrew: Irish form of John

“God is gracious”

The Irish form of John, which came to Ireland through the Norman French Jehan.

Is Sean a girl's or a boy's name?

Sean is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 114 boys in the UK and 7 girls and 616 boys in the US.

How popular is Sean in the UK?

Rank in 2025: #408among boys
Babies in 2025: 114about 1 in 2,600 boys
Five-year trend: Fallingdown 32% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 114 boys in the UK were named Sean, making it the 408th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 366th. Its busiest year was 1996, with 2,019 boys.

2025 had the fewest boys named Sean since the records began in 1996.

Half of all the boys named Sean in the UK since 1996 were born between 1998 and 2008. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.

In 2025, 163 boys in the UK were given Sean or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #322, up from #408 for this spelling alone.

Sean 114
Shaun 28
Shawn 21

Among boys in 2025, it was 615th in England and Wales, 226th in Scotland and 67th in Northern Ireland.

In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1964 (#36), 1974 (#56), 1984 (#46), 1994 (#46) and 2004 (#83).

1996Busiest: 2,019 in 19962025

Sean in the UK, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	114	#408
2024	123	#385
2023	121	#386
2022	118	#402
2021	172	#306
2020	137	#366
2019	199	#270
2018	194	#289
2017	230	#258
2016	259	#236
2015	299	#214
2014	342	#191
2013	380	#170
2012	395	#165
2011	495	#140
2010	614	#120
2009	698	#101
2008	966	#84
2007	983	#82
2006	1,066	#77
2005	936	#81
2004	1,110	#69
2003	1,182	#62
2002	1,157	#62
2001	1,298	#56
2000	1,395	#54
1999	1,551	#51
1998	1,723	#50
1997	1,941	#46
1996	2,019	#42

How popular is Sean in the US?

Rank in 2025: #489among boys
Babies in 2025: 616about 1 in 2,800 boys
Five-year trend: Fallingdown 39% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 616 boys in the US were named Sean, making it the 489th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 334th. Its busiest year was 1990, with 12,018 boys. It first appears in the records in 1925. 7 girls were also named Sean in 2025 (11,928th for girls).

It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 19 years. 2025 had fewer boys named Sean than any year since 1956.

Half of all the boys named Sean in the US since 1880 were born between 1975 and 1997, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 2025, 1,103 boys in the US were given Sean or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #316, up from #489 for this spelling alone.

Sean 616
Shawn 399
Shaun 79
Shon 9

1925Busiest: 12,018 in 19902025

Sean in the US, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	616	#489
2024	730	#435
2023	741	#427
2022	803	#397
2021	900	#362
2020	976	#334
2019	1,128	#301
2018	1,325	#268
2017	1,481	#251
2016	1,671	#233
2015	1,895	#210
2014	2,125	#193
2013	2,203	#185
2012	2,777	#145
2011	3,192	#125
2010	3,743	#102
2009	4,339	#97
2008	5,471	#83
2007	6,244	#76
2006	6,643	#68
2005	5,997	#75
2004	6,769	#64
2003	7,102	#61
2002	7,028	#59
2001	7,224	#57
2000	7,316	#57
1999	7,205	#56
1998	7,712	#50
1997	7,744	#48
1996	7,896	#46
1995	8,167	#45
1994	8,838	#44
1993	10,176	#42
1992	11,065	#42
1991	11,182	#40
1990	12,018	#37
1989	11,895	#39
1988	11,794	#38
1987	11,455	#40
1986	11,784	#37
1985	11,455	#38
1984	10,024	#43
1983	9,615	#44
1982	9,359	#44
1981	8,893	#44
1980	7,596	#48
1979	6,850	#49
1978	7,059	#45
1977	7,625	#43
1976	7,565	#42
1975	7,582	#40
1974	8,290	#37
1973	8,553	#36
1972	9,444	#33
1971	10,510	#36
1970	10,341	#37
1969	9,346	#37
1968	9,172	#37
1967	7,496	#44
1966	6,490	#50
1965	4,594	#79
1964	3,010	#118
1963	2,196	#151
1962	1,837	#171
1961	1,720	#177
1960	1,421	#202
1959	1,279	#218
1958	1,011	#247
1957	775	#271
1956	575	#309
1955	488	#335
1954	416	#350
1953	380	#355
1952	212	#479
1951	154	#545
1950	162	#534
1949	129	#600
1948	120	#616
1947	97	#701
1946	55	#890
1945	50	#899
1944	47	#935
1943	48	#969
1942	45	#991
1941	33	#1,152
1940	35	#1,107
1939	19	#1,532
1938	18	#1,613
1937	13	#1,992
1936	12	#2,062
1935	12	#2,127
1934	8	#2,742
1933	7	#3,003
1932	5	#3,774
1931	0	–
1930	7	#3,287
1929	0	–
1928	0	–
1927	0	–
1926	5	#4,199
1925	7	#3,406

Names like Sean

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Ryan Aaron Nathan Matthew Kevin Daniel Adam Jonathan Michael Dylan Jamie Benjamin

Other spellings of Sean

Shaun Shawn Shon

Names related to Sean

Senan Senay San Seanie Seon Seann Sena Senai

More Hebrew names

Noah Isabella Elijah James Jack Mia Ava Jude Ezra Isaac Jacob Ethan Samuel Elias Mateo Elsie

Every Hebrew name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Sean: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/sean, updated 20 October 2026.