Sean Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: SHAWN //ʃɔːn//
Origin: Irish; Hebrew
Meaning: Irish: 'God is gracious'; Hebrew: 'gift from God'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Sean is of Irish origin, derived from the Old Irish name "Seán," which itself is a diminutive of "Seaghán," meaning "God is gracious." The name has its roots in the Hebrew name "Yohanan," which translates to "Yahweh is gracious." This name traveled through various linguistic transformations, first appearing in Latin as "Johannes" and later in Old French as "Jean," before evolving into the modern Irish form. The transition into English occurred during the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, where the name was adopted and anglicized as Sean.
Historically, the name Sean has been borne by numerous notable figures, including several saints. One of the most significant is Saint John the Apostle, a biblical figure who is often associated with the name and revered in Christian traditions.
The name gained further prominence through the translation of the Bible into English, particularly in the King James Version of the early 17th century, where the name John appears frequently, reinforcing its religious and cultural significance. Culturally, Sean has been embraced in Irish literature and folklore, often symbolizing strength and grace.
The name is commonly associated with various traditional Irish songs and stories, reflecting its deep roots in Irish heritage. Additionally, the diminutive form "Seanie" has been used affectionately in familial and social contexts, highlighting the name's enduring presence in Irish culture.
Overall, Sean represents a blend of linguistic evolution and rich cultural history, making it a name of considerable significance.
Famous people named Sean
In this section, you will find notable people named Sean. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Sean who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Sean who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Sean Connery is an actor best known for James Bond films, The Untouchables, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Sean Penn is an actor and filmmaker best known for Mystic River, Milk, and Dead Man Walking.
Sean Astin is an actor best known for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Rudy, and The Goonies.
Sean Bean is an actor best known for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Game of Thrones, and GoldenEye.
Sean Combs is a music producer and entrepreneur best known for his work as Puff Daddy, and for founding Bad Boy Records.
Sean Parker is an entrepreneur best known for co-founding Napster and Facebook.
Sean Kingston is a singer best known for Beautiful Girls, Fire Burning, and Eenie Meenie.
Sean Hayes is an actor best known for Will & Grace, The Three Stooges, and Promised Land.
Sean Leahy is a journalist best known for his work with NBC Sports and covering the NHL.
Fictional characters named Sean
The following list of fictional characters named Sean is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Sean Astin is a fictional character from the film The Lord of the Rings. He is Samwise Gamgee, the loyal companion of Frodo Baggins on their quest to destroy the One Ring.
Sean Parker is a fictional character from the film The Social Network. He is the co-founder of Napster and plays a pivotal role in the rise of Facebook.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Sean, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Sean. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Sean was first seen in the United States in 1925.
Sean has ranked as high as #61 nationally, which occurred in 1990, and has been most popular in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Florida.
In the past 5 years the name Sean has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Sean is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Sean was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Sean (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 82 | |
| FL | 74 | |
| NY | 66 | |
| TX | 60 | |
| PA | 31 | |
| OH | 29 | |
| VA | 28 | |
| IL | 27 | |
| MA | 24 | |
| NC | 19 | |
| GA | 17 | |
| IN | 17 | |
| TN | 17 | |
| MI | 15 | |
| MO | 14 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Sean.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 726 |
| 2023 | 740 |
| 2022 | 803 |
| 2021 | 900 |
| 2020 | 975 |
| 2019 | 1,128 |
| 2018 | 1,325 |
| 2017 | 1,481 |
| 2016 | 1,670 |
| 2015 | 1,894 |
| 2014 | 2,125 |
| 2013 | 2,202 |
| 2012 | 2,776 |
| 2011 | 3,190 |
| 2010 | 3,743 |
| 2009 | 4,339 |
| 2008 | 5,471 |
| 2007 | 6,243 |
| 2006 | 6,643 |
| 2005 | 5,997 |
| 2004 | 6,768 |
| 2003 | 7,102 |
| 2002 | 7,028 |
| 2001 | 7,224 |
| 2000 | 7,316 |
| 1999 | 7,205 |
| 1998 | 7,712 |
| 1997 | 7,744 |
| 1996 | 7,896 |
| 1995 | 8,166 |
| 1994 | 8,838 |
| 1993 | 10,176 |
| 1992 | 11,065 |
| 1991 | 11,181 |
| 1990 | 12,018 |
| 1989 | 11,896 |
| 1988 | 11,794 |
| 1987 | 11,455 |
| 1986 | 11,784 |
| 1985 | 11,455 |
| 1984 | 10,024 |
| 1983 | 9,616 |
| 1982 | 9,360 |
| 1981 | 8,892 |
| 1980 | 7,599 |
| 1979 | 6,853 |
| 1978 | 7,062 |
| 1977 | 7,627 |
| 1976 | 7,565 |
| 1975 | 7,588 |
| 1974 | 8,292 |
| 1973 | 8,556 |
| 1972 | 9,446 |
| 1971 | 10,510 |
| 1970 | 10,344 |
| 1969 | 9,344 |
| 1968 | 9,175 |
| 1967 | 7,498 |
| 1966 | 6,490 |
| 1965 | 4,596 |
| 1964 | 3,008 |
| 1963 | 2,195 |
| 1962 | 1,837 |
| 1961 | 1,720 |
| 1960 | 1,421 |
| 1959 | 1,278 |
| 1958 | 1,011 |
| 1957 | 776 |
| 1956 | 575 |
| 1955 | 488 |
| 1954 | 416 |
| 1953 | 380 |
| 1952 | 212 |
| 1951 | 154 |
| 1950 | 162 |
| 1949 | 129 |
| 1948 | 120 |
| 1947 | 97 |
| 1946 | 55 |
| 1945 | 50 |
| 1944 | 47 |
| 1943 | 48 |
| 1942 | 45 |
| 1941 | 33 |
| 1940 | 35 |
| 1939 | 19 |
| 1938 | 18 |
| 1937 | 13 |
| 1936 | 12 |
| 1935 | 12 |
| 1934 | 8 |
| 1933 | 7 |
| 1932 | 5 |
| 1930 | 7 |
| 1926 | 5 |
| 1925 | 7 |