Baby Name Popularity Profile

Sean

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Sean.

✦ God is gracious 🌍 Irish biblical traditional
National Rank (2025) #489
All-Time Peak Rank #33 Achieved 1972
Total U.S. Births 423,637 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.7% Boy / 0.3% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1925 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1980s 12,018 births in 1990
💡 The Sean Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning God is gracious
Language Origin Irish
Origin Type single
Derived from the Irish name Seán, which is a form of John, ultimately from Hebrew Yochanan meaning 'God is gracious'.
Alternative Spellings
Shaun Shawn
Pronunciation: SHAWN
Themes & Categories
biblical traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Sean

According to SSA data, Sean achieved its highest historical rank of #33 in 1972. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1990 with 12,018 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 67.5%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 94 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Sean across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -67.5% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 12,018 births in 1990
Years in Top 100 45 yrs
Years in Top 500 74 yrs
Registry Streak 94 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 0
1890s: 0
1900s: 0
1910s: 0
1920s: 12
1930s: 101
1940s: 659
1950s: 5,452
1960s: 47,282
1970s: 83,819
1980s: 103,870
1990s: 92,003
2000s: 64,133
2010s: 21,540
2020s: 4,766

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Sean
Letter Count 4 letters
Spelling Complexity Easy
Length Percentile Longer than 1.4% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 1.4% of SSA names. Starts with S, a letter used by only 7.9% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Sean.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Alaska
Top States Alaska, Hawaii, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Alaska Unranked 1,272 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 2,639 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware #239 1,678 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #237 19,527 1970 27.8% Decline
New Hampshire #262 2,394 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada #586 2,488 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #276 7,927 1990 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia #199 3,195 1968 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #291 19,597 1989 41.5% Decline
Maryland #266 9,946 1992 19.2% Decline
Rhode Island Unranked 2,354 1986 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #382 7,231 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #497 9,448 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #528 19,783 1988 37.0% Decline
California #518 57,727 1990 52.0% Decline
Oregon Unranked 4,948 1986 Insufficient historical volume
New York #342 41,741 1970 23.5% Decline
Wyoming Unranked 720 1983 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 893 1970 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #554 6,235 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #476 25,539 1990 60.0% Decline
Virginia #347 10,074 1990 38.5% Decline
New Mexico Unranked 2,366 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 1,325 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #600 20,678 1971 60.0% Decline
Maine Unranked 1,771 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #552 3,262 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 1,523 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #534 17,768 1970 35.5% Decline
Michigan #406 14,442 1990 18.5% Decline
Missouri #592 7,972 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska Unranked 2,530 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #578 5,963 1986 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #463 3,415 1970 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #882 5,558 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #661 7,230 1970 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin Unranked 5,935 1986 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #719 21,279 1985 52.4% Decline
Oklahoma Unranked 3,752 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #538 7,340 2004 44.4% Decline
Iowa #650 3,464 1986 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 826 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky Unranked 4,001 1987 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #428 6,326 1992 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 740 1986 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #632 4,373 1992 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #367 2,966 1990 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 1,681 1986 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas Unranked 1,888 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #754 2,831 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi #604 1,744 1973 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
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👧 Sister Suggestions
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