Shawn

♂ Boy

Pronounced SHAWN /ʃɔːn/High

Meaning: Anglicized form of Seán, the Irish form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan meaning God is gracious or Yahweh has been gracious; Shawn is an American spelling variant of the Irish SeánHigh

In 30 seconds: An American spelling of the Irish Seán meaning God is gracious, Shawn was a mid-20th century powerhouse name and carries a grounded, one-syllable confidence that keeps it in steady use.

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Origin HighIrish, Hebrew

MeaningAnglicized form of Seán, the Irish form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan meaning God is gracious or Yahweh has been gracious; Shawn is an American spelling variant of the Irish Seán

U.S. rank (2025)#682 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births399 boys (0.02% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1971

Total births (all-time)≈ 306,533

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Shawn is an Americanized spelling of the Irish name Seán, the Irish Gaelic form of John, itself from Latin Joannes, from Greek Iōannēs, from Hebrew Yochanan, meaning God is gracious or Yahweh has been gracious. The Irish Seán was brought to America by Irish immigrants and spelled phonetically as Shawn.

Shawn was particularly popular in the United States from the 1960s through the 1980s, when it was a top-100 boys' name. It has declined since then but remains in steady use with a familiar, dependable quality. The name is used for both boys and girls (slightly more for boys). Famous bearers include musician Shawn Mendes, football player Shawn Alexander, and many others.

Did you know? John, Seán, Shawn, Shane, Shaun, Jean, Juan, Ivan, and Evan are all forms of the same original Hebrew name Yochanan — God is gracious — demonstrating how a single ancient name has traveled across virtually every major language family in the world.

Overall data confidence 97%

Behind the Name — Shawn — etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

ShaunSeanSeán

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Shawn Mendes (1998–present)
Canadian pop singer and songwriter.

If you like Shawn…

Ryan— shares the Irish-American heritage and the same mid-century one-syllable popularity peak

Kyle— fellow one-syllable mid-20th century American classic with the same dependable character

Brendan— shares the Irish-American origin and the same solid, familiar mid-century quality

Derek— another mid-century American classic with the same grounded, no-nonsense feel

Frequently Asked

What does the name Shawn mean?

Shawn means God is gracious, from Irish Seán and Hebrew Yochanan — the same root as John, Juan, Ivan, and many other names.

How do you pronounce Shawn?

It is said SHAWN /ʃɔːn/ — one syllable.

Is Shawn the same as Sean?

Shawn and Sean (and Shaun) are all anglicizations of the same Irish name Seán; Shawn is the most phonetically American spelling.

Is Shawn still popular?

Shawn peaked in the 1960s–80s and is less common for newborns today, but remains familiar and in steady use.