Seana

♀ Girl

Pronounced SHAW-nuh /ˈʃɔ.nə/Low

Meaning: Seana is a feminine form of Sean — the Irish rendering of John, from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious.' It is a sister spelling to Shauna, Shawna and Sinead's cousin forms. Some families say it 'SEE-uh-nuh' instead; the Irish reading is 'SHAW-nuh.'Medium

In 30 seconds: The Irish John, turned feminine: Seana comes from Sean, 'God is gracious' (said 'SHAW-nuh' in the Irish reading).

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Origin MediumIrish, Hebrew

MeaningSeana is a feminine form of Sean — the Irish rendering of John, from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious.' It is a sister spelling to Shauna, Shawna and Sinead's cousin forms. Some families say it 'SEE-uh-nuh' instead; the Irish reading is 'SHAW-nuh.'

U.S. rank (2024)#13196 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1969

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,905

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Seana is a feminine form of Sean, the Irish form of John, which comes from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious.' The Normans brought John to Ireland, where Irish spelling reshaped it as Seaghan and then Sean. Feminine forms multiplied in twentieth-century Ireland and America — Seana, Shauna, Shawna, Sine. Note that some American families say the name 'SEE-uh-nuh'; the Irish reading is 'SHAW-nuh,' which we give here.

In the U.S. it is rare. Rare, Irish, and warm.

Did you know? Sean is simply how Irish took in the Norman John — and Seana, Shauna and Shawna are all the same name, turned feminine and spelled three different ways.

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Seana — Feminine of Sean (Irish John); Hebrew Yochanan; pronunciation varies

Variations

ShaunaShawnaSine

Nicknames

ShaySeaNana

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Seana…

Shauna— the same name in a phonetic spelling

Shawna— another common spelling of it

Sinead— the Irish feminine of John's cousin form

Siobhan— a like Irish girls' classic

Explore names like Seana

By themeheritage classic irish feminine-form

By meaningGod / Divine Grace

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Seana mean?

Seana is a feminine form of Sean, the Irish John — from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious.'

How do you pronounce Seana?

In the Irish reading it's SHAW-nuh /ˈʃɔ.nə/ — two syllables, stress on the first. Some American families say SEE-uh-nuh.

Is Seana a boy or girl name?

Seana is a girl's name; Sean is the boys' form.

How popular is Seana?

Seana is rare in the U.S.