Sean is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Sean means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Sean across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Sean has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Sean is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “God is gracious”. the Irish form of John.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 426,606 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 14,964 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 10,884 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 2,880 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 30,691 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 5,201 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Sean per year, United States (1925 to 2025). United States peaked in 1990 (12,070/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (1,594/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2006 (994/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1992 (637/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (186/yr).
Sean has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1990, when it ranked #62 nationally (given to 13,271 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1990s.
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →