Where does the name Shawn come from?

Shawn is a boy name of Irish origin.

Is Shawn a boy or a girl name?

Shawn is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 10% of children given the name Shawn are girls and 90% are boys.

How popular is the name Shawn in 2023?

Shawn ranks #12038 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1971 with 14,688 babies.

How do you pronounce Shawn?

Shawn is pronounced SHAWN (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Shawn?

Shawn is also written as Sean, Shaun, Shon.

A name from Irish · Boy

Shawn

Anglicized spelling of Irish Seán, itself the Irish form of John (Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'). The Shawn/Sean spellings rose together in 1960s and 70s America.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 92-year arc in numbers.

305,703 U.S. births recorded from 1931–2023.

Popularity · 1931–2023

446 births in 2023

1931 1977 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

SAnglicized spelling of Irish Seán, itself the Irish form of John (Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'). The Shawn/Sean spellings rose together in 1960s and 70s America.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Shawn".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Sean Most common Shaun Shon

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Shawn.

S
Shawn Mendes (singer)
S
Shawn Michaels (wrestler)
S
Shawn Carter (Jay-Z)

Quick answers

People often ask about Shawn.

What does the name Shawn mean?: Shawn means anglicized spelling of Irish Seán, itself the Irish form of John (Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'). The Shawn/Sean spellings rose together in 1960s and 70s America.
Where does the name Shawn come from?: Shawn is a boy name of Irish origin.
Is Shawn a boy or a girl name?: Shawn is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 10% of children given the name Shawn are girls and 90% are boys.
How popular is the name Shawn in 2023?: Shawn ranks #12038 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1971 with 14,688 babies.
How do you pronounce Shawn?: Shawn is pronounced SHAWN (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Shawn?: Shawn is also written as Sean, Shaun, Shon.

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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.