Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Sean
BoyIrish, Hebrew· “God is gracious”
- Meaning
- God is gracious
- Origin
- Irish, Hebrew
- Pronunciation
- SHAWN
- Syllables
- 1
- US rank 2025
- #489
- US babies 2025
- 616
- Best rank
- #33 (1972)
- Peak year
- 1990
Meaning and origin of Sean
Sean is an Irish and Hebrew name that means “God is gracious”.
Sean is the Irish form of John, derived from the Anglo-Norman Jehan and ultimately from the Hebrew Yochanan, "God is gracious". In Irish it is written Seán. It spread well beyond Ireland in the twentieth century, helped by famous bearers such as the actor Sean Connery. English speakers sometimes find the spelling surprising at first, and variants such as Shawn and Shaun developed to match the sound. Sean is short, friendly and dependable, with a clear Irish identity that many families value. It works well with surnames of almost any origin.
Popularity over time
Sean first appears in US Social Security records in 1925. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 83 different years, starting in 1943. Its best national rank was #33 in 1972, and the most babies received it in 1990, when 12,018 were named Sean. In 2025, 616 babies were named Sean, and it ranked #489 nationally. That is 68% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #536 in 1950, #48 in 1980, #57 in 2000, #102 in 2010, and #489 in 2025. Of the 423,637 US boys named Sean since records began, 25% were born in the 1980s, its biggest decade. The 1990s come next, with 92,003 babies. Since 2010, 26,306 more have been named Sean.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Travis, Aaron, Derek, Benjamin, and Corey.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Sean ranked highest in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Delaware.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | #199 | 5 |
| Massachusetts | #237 | 26 |
| Delaware | #239 | 5 |
| New Hampshire | #262 | 5 |
| Maryland | #266 | 21 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for boys.
Sean is usually pronounced SHAWN, with one syllable. It has four letters, starts with S and ends in “-an”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Shawn and Shaun.
Middle names for Sean
A few middle names that flow with Sean: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Sean
Similar names
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Lists that include Sean
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sean mean?
Sean is an Irish and Hebrew name that means “God is gracious”.
What is the origin of the name Sean?
Sean has Irish and Hebrew roots. Sean is the Irish form of John, derived from the Anglo-Norman Jehan and ultimately from the Hebrew Yochanan, "God is gracious".
Is Sean a popular name?
Yes. Sean ranked #489 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Sean a boy or girl name?
Sean is mainly a boy's name. In the US it is used almost only for boys.
How do you pronounce Sean?
Sean is usually pronounced SHAWN. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings