Fun Facts About the Name Shawn
- An established favorite: Shawn held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 32 consecutive years, from 1964 through 1995.
- More than 339 thousand babies named Shawn: U.S. records list 339,586 babies given the name Shawn from 1880 through 2025. Even 33,053 girls received the name Shawn - about 1 girl for every 9 boys.
What Does the Name Shawn Mean?
Shawn is an English spelling of the Irish name Seán, which is the Irish form of John. The name ultimately comes from the Hebrew Yochanan (יוֹחָנָן), meaning Yahweh is gracious or God is gracious.
The Hebrew name passed into Greek as Iōannēs (Ἰωάννης) and into Latin as Iohannes. Old French Jehan developed from the Latin form, and Irish Seán came from the Norman French form of the same name. Shawn is a respelling of Seán rather than a name with a separate origin or meaning.
Shawn Name History & Origins
Seán has been used in Ireland as the Gaelic form of John, a name introduced through Anglo-Norman settlement and the broader Christian use of the name. The parent name John was borne by John the Baptist and John the Apostle, which helped establish it in Christian Europe. In English-speaking countries, Irish Seán has been written in several ways, including Sean, Shaun, and Shawn; Shane is another anglicized form of the same Irish name.
The spelling Shawn matches the English pronunciation of Seán, which sounds like shawn. As an English given name, Shawn is used chiefly for boys, though it has also appeared as a girl's name. It is also found as a surname derived from the given name.
How Popular is the Name Shawn?
Shawn remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1964 to 1995. Its highest annual birth count was in 1971, and people born that year turn 55 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,274 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #7,513 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #12,022 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #7,967 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #17,316 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #9,450 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #9,033 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #7,056 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2017 | #8,228 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2016 | #8,804 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #12,835 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #8,006 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2013 | #8,094 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2012 | #6,302 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2011 | #9,639 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #6,865 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2009 | #4,792 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 2008 | #4,633 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2007 | #5,357 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2006 | #7,096 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2005 | #4,359 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2004 | #3,739 | 39 | 0.0021% |
| 2003 | #4,401 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2002 | #4,484 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2001 | #3,247 | 43 | 0.0024% |
| 2000 | #2,421 | 64 | 0.0035% |
| 1999 | #2,981 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 1998 | #2,237 | 64 | 0.0036% |
| 1997 | #1,880 | 79 | 0.0045% |
| 1996 | #1,945 | 74 | 0.0042% |
| 1995 | #1,587 | 96 | 0.0055% |
| 1994 | #1,494 | 106 | 0.0059% |
| 1993 | #1,405 | 116 | 0.0064% |
| 1992 | #1,223 | 143 | 0.0078% |
| 1991 | #1,082 | 168 | 0.0090% |
| 1990 | #1,050 | 171 | 0.0090% |
| 1989 | #1,105 | 152 | 0.0082% |
| 1988 | #900 | 194 | 0.0109% |
| 1987 | #853 | 201 | 0.0116% |
| 1986 | #713 | 252 | 0.0147% |
| 1985 | #597 | 321 | 0.0187% |
| 1984 | #650 | 268 | 0.0159% |
| 1983 | #623 | 279 | 0.0167% |
| 1982 | #589 | 311 | 0.0184% |
| 1981 | #553 | 338 | 0.0203% |
| 1980 | #512 | 388 | 0.0234% |
| 1979 | #443 | 462 | 0.0288% |
| 1978 | #392 | 533 | 0.0348% |
| 1977 | #340 | 667 | 0.0435% |
| 1976 | #297 | 772 | 0.0527% |
| 1975 | #254 | 963 | 0.0661% |
| 1974 | #200 | 1,271 | 0.0866% |
| 1973 | #200 | 1,285 | 0.0881% |
| 1972 | #184 | 1,575 | 0.1035% |
| 1971 | #168 | 1,863 | 0.1120% |
| 1970 | #168 | 1,971 | 0.1127% |
| 1969 | #177 | 1,823 | 0.1081% |
| 1968 | #184 | 1,751 | 0.1067% |
| 1967 | #200 | 1,597 | 0.0967% |
| 1966 | #209 | 1,492 | 0.0882% |
| 1965 | #224 | 1,448 | 0.0820% |
| 1964 | #232 | 1,403 | 0.0740% |
| 1963 | #287 | 1,016 | 0.0527% |
| 1962 | #310 | 902 | 0.0459% |
| 1961 | #305 | 900 | 0.0446% |
| 1960 | #350 | 755 | 0.0373% |
| 1959 | #343 | 767 | 0.0379% |
| 1958 | #342 | 747 | 0.0371% |
| 1957 | #343 | 697 | 0.0341% |
| 1956 | #379 | 547 | 0.0272% |
| 1955 | #454 | 396 | 0.0203% |
| 1954 | #504 | 310 | 0.0160% |
| 1953 | #694 | 172 | 0.0091% |
| 1952 | #841 | 120 | 0.0065% |
| 1951 | #808 | 123 | 0.0068% |
| 1950 | #808 | 117 | 0.0068% |
| 1949 | #1,163 | 62 | 0.0036% |
| 1948 | #962 | 83 | 0.0049% |
| 1947 | #1,523 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 1946 | #2,084 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1945 | #3,640 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1944 | #3,114 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1943 | #2,833 | 12 | 0.0009% |
| 1942 | #3,401 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1941 | #3,523 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #3,178 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1939 | #3,733 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1938 | #4,910 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1936 | #3,663 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1932 | #4,996 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #682 | 399 | 0.0234% |
| 2024 | #638 | 438 | 0.0255% |
| 2023 | #633 | 437 | 0.0256% |
| 2022 | #568 | 522 | 0.0299% |
| 2021 | #503 | 583 | 0.0333% |
| 2020 | #453 | 657 | 0.0381% |
| 2019 | #426 | 723 | 0.0403% |
| 2018 | #390 | 814 | 0.0448% |
| 2017 | #387 | 830 | 0.0449% |
| 2016 | #356 | 946 | 0.0499% |
| 2015 | #352 | 962 | 0.0502% |
| 2014 | #322 | 1,067 | 0.0556% |
| 2013 | #307 | 1,122 | 0.0593% |
| 2012 | #273 | 1,301 | 0.0686% |
| 2011 | #247 | 1,431 | 0.0754% |
| 2010 | #236 | 1,475 | 0.0769% |
| 2009 | #209 | 1,809 | 0.0912% |
| 2008 | #193 | 2,066 | 0.1013% |
| 2007 | #175 | 2,349 | 0.1132% |
| 2006 | #168 | 2,476 | 0.1205% |
| 2005 | #174 | 2,372 | 0.1188% |
| 2004 | #169 | 2,409 | 0.1214% |
| 2003 | #156 | 2,576 | 0.1304% |
| 2002 | #152 | 2,618 | 0.1348% |
| 2001 | #151 | 2,628 | 0.1353% |
| 2000 | #135 | 2,894 | 0.1474% |
| 1999 | #117 | 3,100 | 0.1615% |
| 1998 | #113 | 3,257 | 0.1704% |
| 1997 | #109 | 3,449 | 0.1830% |
| 1996 | #111 | 3,505 | 0.1850% |
| 1995 | #100 | 3,824 | 0.2009% |
| 1994 | #86 | 4,245 | 0.2197% |
| 1993 | #77 | 4,814 | 0.2455% |
| 1992 | #71 | 5,154 | 0.2580% |
| 1991 | #71 | 5,414 | 0.2680% |
| 1990 | #69 | 5,722 | 0.2786% |
| 1989 | #65 | 5,479 | 0.2738% |
| 1988 | #61 | 5,893 | 0.3079% |
| 1987 | #59 | 6,202 | 0.3322% |
| 1986 | #55 | 7,018 | 0.3811% |
| 1985 | #55 | 6,981 | 0.3777% |
| 1984 | #56 | 6,049 | 0.3351% |
| 1983 | #53 | 6,360 | 0.3548% |
| 1982 | #52 | 6,844 | 0.3772% |
| 1981 | #49 | 7,076 | 0.3950% |
| 1980 | #47 | 7,698 | 0.4315% |
| 1979 | #43 | 7,909 | 0.4594% |
| 1978 | #39 | 9,290 | 0.5658% |
| 1977 | #37 | 9,865 | 0.6003% |
| 1976 | #34 | 10,110 | 0.6443% |
| 1975 | #31 | 10,682 | 0.6841% |
| 1974 | #30 | 11,438 | 0.7274% |
| 1973 | #27 | 11,451 | 0.7347% |
| 1972 | #28 | 11,279 | 0.6955% |
| 1971 | #28 | 12,825 | 0.7252% |
| 1970 | #34 | 10,945 | 0.5890% |
| 1969 | #41 | 8,268 | 0.4623% |
| 1968 | #43 | 7,477 | 0.4302% |
| 1967 | #51 | 6,139 | 0.3520% |
| 1966 | #54 | 5,725 | 0.3210% |
| 1965 | #69 | 4,924 | 0.2647% |
| 1964 | #88 | 4,402 | 0.2209% |
| 1963 | #108 | 3,459 | 0.1703% |
| 1962 | #124 | 2,867 | 0.1386% |
| 1961 | #143 | 2,485 | 0.1170% |
| 1960 | #163 | 2,045 | 0.0959% |
| 1959 | #161 | 1,977 | 0.0926% |
| 1958 | #223 | 1,183 | 0.0557% |
| 1957 | #252 | 909 | 0.0421% |
| 1956 | #312 | 569 | 0.0269% |
| 1955 | #312 | 548 | 0.0266% |
| 1954 | #344 | 429 | 0.0210% |
| 1953 | #370 | 343 | 0.0174% |
| 1952 | #509 | 189 | 0.0097% |
| 1951 | #594 | 138 | 0.0073% |
| 1950 | #508 | 175 | 0.0098% |
| 1949 | #590 | 133 | 0.0075% |
| 1948 | #561 | 143 | 0.0081% |
| 1947 | #936 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 1946 | #1,551 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 1945 | #1,685 | 17 | 0.0013% |
| 1944 | #2,070 | 13 | 0.0010% |
| 1943 | #1,362 | 27 | 0.0019% |
| 1942 | #1,674 | 19 | 0.0014% |
| 1941 | #1,811 | 16 | 0.0013% |
| 1940 | #2,067 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1939 | #2,271 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1938 | #2,463 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1937 | #2,880 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1936 | #3,982 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1931 | #3,698 | 6 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Shawn
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Shawn Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Shawn's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Shawn's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.