Fun Facts About the Name Sean
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 423,652 boys named Sean from 1880 through 2025.
- An established favorite: Sean held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 45 consecutive years, from 1965 through 2009.
- More than 426 thousand babies named Sean: U.S. records list 426,621 babies given the name Sean from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,969 girls received the name Sean - about 1 girl for every 143 boys.
What Does the Name Sean Mean?
Sean is the Irish form of John, and its established meaning is "God is gracious." The name comes from Hebrew Yochanan, a compound of a shortened form of the divine name Yahweh and chanan, "to be gracious" or "to show favor." The literal sense is closer to "Yahweh is gracious," while "God is gracious" is the customary English rendering. The Hebrew name passed into Greek as Ioannes and into Latin as Ioannes and Johannes. In Old French it became Jehan, and from Anglo-Norman French it was borrowed into Irish as Seán. The older Irish Eóin is a separate borrowing from Latin, while Seán reflects the French route. The English spelling Sean simply drops the Irish accent from Seán; it is not related to the separate Irish word sean, meaning "old."
Sean Name History & Origins
The Hebrew Yochanan appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of several figures. Through Greek Ioannes and Latin Ioannes or Johannes, the name passed into many European languages. In Old French it took the form Jehan, which Anglo-Norman settlers brought to Ireland after the Norman invasion of the late 12th century. Irish speakers adapted it as Seán, with the síneadh fada marking a long a. Before that, Irish had used Eóin, a direct borrowing from Latin. Seán became the ordinary Irish equivalent of John, and it remained distinct from Eóin in form and history. When the name passed into English, the accent was usually dropped, giving Sean. Anglicized spellings such as Shaun and Shawn later appeared as attempts to represent the same pronunciation in English. Irish emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries carried Sean to the United States, Britain, Australia, and other English-speaking places.
How Popular is the Name Sean?
Sean remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1965 to 2009. Its highest annual birth count was in 1990, and people born that year turn 36 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #12,971 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #11,943 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #11,965 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2018 | #17,722 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #15,924 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #14,262 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #8,508 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2012 | #8,559 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2011 | #11,991 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #10,352 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #9,306 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #5,410 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2007 | #11,488 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #6,311 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2005 | #4,937 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2004 | #4,590 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2003 | #3,937 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 2002 | #4,874 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2001 | #3,769 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 2000 | #2,893 | 50 | 0.0028% |
| 1999 | #3,366 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1998 | #3,480 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1997 | #2,471 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 1996 | #2,621 | 48 | 0.0027% |
| 1995 | #2,416 | 54 | 0.0031% |
| 1994 | #2,182 | 62 | 0.0035% |
| 1993 | #1,937 | 73 | 0.0040% |
| 1992 | #1,612 | 96 | 0.0052% |
| 1991 | #1,872 | 76 | 0.0041% |
| 1990 | #2,395 | 52 | 0.0027% |
| 1989 | #1,599 | 88 | 0.0048% |
| 1988 | #1,383 | 103 | 0.0058% |
| 1987 | #1,483 | 88 | 0.0051% |
| 1986 | #1,365 | 95 | 0.0055% |
| 1985 | #1,347 | 98 | 0.0057% |
| 1984 | #1,581 | 72 | 0.0043% |
| 1983 | #1,315 | 92 | 0.0055% |
| 1982 | #1,780 | 62 | 0.0037% |
| 1981 | #1,827 | 61 | 0.0037% |
| 1980 | #2,057 | 51 | 0.0031% |
| 1979 | #1,944 | 54 | 0.0034% |
| 1978 | #2,083 | 46 | 0.0030% |
| 1977 | #2,051 | 47 | 0.0031% |
| 1976 | #1,833 | 51 | 0.0035% |
| 1975 | #1,600 | 62 | 0.0043% |
| 1974 | #1,593 | 60 | 0.0041% |
| 1973 | #1,619 | 57 | 0.0039% |
| 1972 | #1,589 | 58 | 0.0038% |
| 1971 | #1,386 | 77 | 0.0046% |
| 1970 | #1,385 | 76 | 0.0043% |
| 1969 | #1,264 | 79 | 0.0047% |
| 1968 | #1,155 | 88 | 0.0054% |
| 1967 | #1,412 | 62 | 0.0038% |
| 1966 | #1,379 | 64 | 0.0038% |
| 1965 | #1,881 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 1964 | #1,942 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1963 | #2,602 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1962 | #2,898 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1961 | #2,190 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1960 | #2,633 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1959 | #2,503 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1958 | #3,355 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1957 | #2,807 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1956 | #2,375 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1955 | #3,543 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1954 | #3,676 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1953 | #3,915 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1952 | #3,522 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1951 | #5,320 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #3,631 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1949 | #5,155 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1947 | #5,206 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1942 | #5,265 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1939 | #4,851 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #489 | 616 | 0.0361% |
| 2024 | #436 | 726 | 0.0423% |
| 2023 | #427 | 740 | 0.0433% |
| 2022 | #397 | 803 | 0.0460% |
| 2021 | #361 | 900 | 0.0515% |
| 2020 | #334 | 975 | 0.0565% |
| 2019 | #301 | 1,128 | 0.0629% |
| 2018 | #268 | 1,325 | 0.0730% |
| 2017 | #251 | 1,481 | 0.0800% |
| 2016 | #234 | 1,670 | 0.0880% |
| 2015 | #210 | 1,894 | 0.0988% |
| 2014 | #193 | 2,125 | 0.1107% |
| 2013 | #185 | 2,202 | 0.1164% |
| 2012 | #145 | 2,776 | 0.1464% |
| 2011 | #125 | 3,190 | 0.1680% |
| 2010 | #102 | 3,743 | 0.1951% |
| 2009 | #97 | 4,339 | 0.2188% |
| 2008 | #83 | 5,471 | 0.2682% |
| 2007 | #76 | 6,243 | 0.3008% |
| 2006 | #68 | 6,643 | 0.3232% |
| 2005 | #75 | 5,997 | 0.3003% |
| 2004 | #64 | 6,768 | 0.3410% |
| 2003 | #61 | 7,102 | 0.3595% |
| 2002 | #59 | 7,028 | 0.3620% |
| 2001 | #57 | 7,224 | 0.3718% |
| 2000 | #57 | 7,316 | 0.3725% |
| 1999 | #56 | 7,205 | 0.3752% |
| 1998 | #50 | 7,712 | 0.4035% |
| 1997 | #48 | 7,744 | 0.4108% |
| 1996 | #46 | 7,896 | 0.4168% |
| 1995 | #45 | 8,166 | 0.4290% |
| 1994 | #44 | 8,838 | 0.4575% |
| 1993 | #42 | 10,176 | 0.5189% |
| 1992 | #42 | 11,065 | 0.5540% |
| 1991 | #40 | 11,181 | 0.5534% |
| 1990 | #37 | 12,018 | 0.5851% |
| 1989 | #39 | 11,896 | 0.5945% |
| 1988 | #38 | 11,794 | 0.6161% |
| 1987 | #40 | 11,455 | 0.6136% |
| 1986 | #37 | 11,784 | 0.6399% |
| 1985 | #38 | 11,455 | 0.6198% |
| 1984 | #43 | 10,024 | 0.5554% |
| 1983 | #44 | 9,616 | 0.5364% |
| 1982 | #44 | 9,360 | 0.5158% |
| 1981 | #44 | 8,892 | 0.4964% |
| 1980 | #48 | 7,599 | 0.4259% |
| 1979 | #49 | 6,853 | 0.3980% |
| 1978 | #45 | 7,062 | 0.4301% |
| 1977 | #43 | 7,627 | 0.4641% |
| 1976 | #42 | 7,565 | 0.4821% |
| 1975 | #40 | 7,588 | 0.4860% |
| 1974 | #37 | 8,292 | 0.5273% |
| 1973 | #36 | 8,556 | 0.5489% |
| 1972 | #33 | 9,446 | 0.5825% |
| 1971 | #36 | 10,510 | 0.5943% |
| 1970 | #37 | 10,344 | 0.5566% |
| 1969 | #37 | 9,344 | 0.5225% |
| 1968 | #37 | 9,175 | 0.5279% |
| 1967 | #44 | 7,498 | 0.4300% |
| 1966 | #50 | 6,490 | 0.3639% |
| 1965 | #79 | 4,596 | 0.2471% |
| 1964 | #118 | 3,008 | 0.1509% |
| 1963 | #151 | 2,195 | 0.1081% |
| 1962 | #171 | 1,837 | 0.0888% |
| 1961 | #177 | 1,720 | 0.0810% |
| 1960 | #202 | 1,421 | 0.0667% |
| 1959 | #219 | 1,278 | 0.0599% |
| 1958 | #248 | 1,011 | 0.0476% |
| 1957 | #271 | 776 | 0.0360% |
| 1956 | #309 | 575 | 0.0272% |
| 1955 | #336 | 488 | 0.0237% |
| 1954 | #352 | 416 | 0.0204% |
| 1953 | #356 | 380 | 0.0193% |
| 1952 | #483 | 212 | 0.0109% |
| 1951 | #551 | 154 | 0.0082% |
| 1950 | #536 | 162 | 0.0090% |
| 1949 | #603 | 129 | 0.0073% |
| 1948 | #620 | 120 | 0.0068% |
| 1947 | #705 | 97 | 0.0053% |
| 1946 | #895 | 55 | 0.0034% |
| 1945 | #912 | 50 | 0.0037% |
| 1944 | #945 | 47 | 0.0034% |
| 1943 | #978 | 48 | 0.0034% |
| 1942 | #1,002 | 45 | 0.0033% |
| 1941 | #1,168 | 33 | 0.0027% |
| 1940 | #1,128 | 35 | 0.0030% |
| 1939 | #1,571 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1938 | #1,680 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1937 | #2,075 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1936 | #2,159 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1935 | #2,230 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1934 | #2,927 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1933 | #3,237 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1932 | #4,209 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #3,541 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1926 | #4,735 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #3,685 | 7 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
