Sean Boy

Popularity: #444 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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.

RyanKevinPatrickColinBrendanAidan

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.

ShaneShaunJohnJamesSimonSethEvanNoahEliLuke

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Sean was first seen in the United States in 1925.

Sean has ranked as high as #62 nationally, which occurred in 1990, and has been most popular in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Illinois.

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.

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 Total Births Boy Girl
2025 623 616 7
2024 738 730 8
2023 741 741 0
2022 803 803 0
2021 900 900 0
2020 984 976 8
2019 1,128 1,128 0
2018 1,330 1,325 5
2017 1,481 1,481 0
2016 1,677 1,671 6
2015 1,902 1,895 7
2014 2,125 2,125 0
2013 2,217 2,203 14
2012 2,791 2,777 14
2011 3,201 3,192 9
2010 3,754 3,743 11
2009 4,352 4,339 13
2008 5,498 5,471 27
2007 6,254 6,244 10
2006 6,664 6,643 21
2005 6,024 5,997 27
2004 6,799 6,769 30
2003 7,137 7,102 35
2002 7,053 7,028 25
2001 7,259 7,224 35
2000 7,366 7,316 50
1999 7,243 7,205 38
1998 7,747 7,712 35
1997 7,797 7,744 53
1996 7,944 7,896 48
1995 8,221 8,167 54
1994 8,900 8,838 62
1993 10,249 10,176 73
1992 11,161 11,065 96
1991 11,258 11,182 76
1990 12,070 12,018 52
1989 11,983 11,895 88
1988 11,897 11,794 103
1987 11,543 11,455 88
1986 11,879 11,784 95
1985 11,553 11,455 98
1984 10,096 10,024 72
1983 9,707 9,615 92
1982 9,421 9,359 62
1981 8,954 8,893 61
1980 7,647 7,596 51
1979 6,904 6,850 54
1978 7,105 7,059 46
1977 7,672 7,625 47
1976 7,617 7,565 52
1975 7,644 7,582 62
1974 8,350 8,290 60
1973 8,609 8,553 56
1972 9,502 9,444 58
1971 10,587 10,510 77
1970 10,417 10,341 76
1969 9,425 9,346 79
1968 9,260 9,172 88
1967 7,558 7,496 62
1966 6,554 6,490 64
1965 4,632 4,594 38
1964 3,048 3,010 38
1963 2,219 2,196 23
1962 1,856 1,837 19
1961 1,750 1,720 30
1960 1,443 1,421 22
1959 1,301 1,279 22
1958 1,025 1,011 14
1957 793 775 18
1956 598 575 23
1955 500 488 12
1954 427 416 11
1953 390 380 10
1952 223 212 11
1951 160 154 6
1950 172 162 10
1949 135 129 6
1948 120 120 0
1947 103 97 6
1946 55 55 0
1945 50 50 0
1944 47 47 0
1943 48 48 0
1942 50 45 5
1941 33 33 0
1940 35 35 0
1939 24 19 5
1938 18 18 0
1937 13 13 0
1936 12 12 0
1935 12 12 0
1934 8 8 0
1933 7 7 0
1932 5 5 0
1930 7 7 0
1926 5 5 0
1925 7 7 0

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 82
12%
FL 74
11%
NY 66
10%
TX 60
9%
NJ 38
6%
PA 31
5%
OH 29
4%
VA 28
4%
IL 27
4%
MA 24
4%
NC 19
3%
GA 17
2%
IN 17
2%
TN 17
2%
MI 15
2%
MO 14
2%
WA 13
2%
CO 13
2%
MD 12
2%
MN 11
2%
CT 10
1%
SC 9
1%
KS 7
1%
OK 7
1%
WI 7
1%
DC 6
1%
OR 6
1%
AZ 6
1%
NV 5
1%
KY 5
1%
ID 5
1%
AL 5
1%