Where does the name Shane come from?

Shane is a boy name of Irish origin.

Is Shane a boy or a girl name?

Shane is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 2% of children given the name Shane are girls and 98% are boys.

How popular is the name Shane in 2023?

Shane ranks #9511 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1973 with 5,931 babies.

How do you pronounce Shane?

Shane is pronounced SHAYN (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Shane?

Shane is also written as Shayne, Sean.

A name from Irish · Boy

Shane

Anglicized form of Irish Seán, the Irish form of John (Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'). The 1953 Western 'Shane' brought the name into American mainstream usage.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 90-year arc in numbers.

191,669 U.S. births recorded from 1933–2023.

Popularity · 1933–2023

539 births in 2023

1933 1978 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

SAnglicized form of Irish Seán, the Irish form of John (Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'). The 1953 Western 'Shane' brought the name into American mainstream usage.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Shane".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Shayne Most common Sean

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Shane.

S
Shane Warne (cricket spin bowler)
S
Shane Filan (Westlife)
S
Shane MacGowan (Pogues)

Quick answers

People often ask about Shane.

What does the name Shane mean?: Shane means anglicized form of Irish Seán, the Irish form of John (Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'). The 1953 Western 'Shane' brought the name into American mainstream usage.
Where does the name Shane come from?: Shane is a boy name of Irish origin.
Is Shane a boy or a girl name?: Shane is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 2% of children given the name Shane are girls and 98% are boys.
How popular is the name Shane in 2023?: Shane ranks #9511 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1973 with 5,931 babies.
How do you pronounce Shane?: Shane is pronounced SHAYN (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Shane?: Shane is also written as Shayne, Sean.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.