Sean

#11,932 for girls in 2025, 7 births · #489 for boys in 2025, 616 births
Given to boys 99.3% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1972 · 9,444 births
Debut · boys
7 births
In top 100 · boys
45 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
423,637
since 1925

Sean over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201981peak #33, 1972boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#11,9327#489616
2024#11,1228#435730
2023—#427741
2022—#397803
2021—#362900
2020#11,0908#334976
2019—#3011,128
2018#15,6825#2681,325
2017—#2511,481
2016#14,3316#2331,671
2015#13,0067#2101,895
2014—#1932,125
2013#8,13514#1852,203
2012#8,20814#1452,777
2011#11,1819#1253,192
2010#9,79011#1023,743
2009#8,88813#974,339
2008#5,27927#835,471
2007#10,81810#766,244
2006#6,12521#686,643
2005#4,82827#755,997
2004#4,49230#646,769
2003#3,86935#617,102
2002#4,76725#597,028
2001#3,70335#577,224
2000#2,85450#577,316
1999#3,31338#567,205
1998#3,42635#507,712
1997#2,45053#487,744
1996#2,59148#467,896
1995#2,39454#458,167
1994#2,16762#448,838
1993#1,92273#4210,176
1992#1,60096#4211,065
1991#1,85776#4011,182
1990#2,37452#3712,018
1989#1,58788#3911,895
1988#1,376103#3811,794
1987#1,47088#4011,455
1986#1,36095#3711,784
1985#1,33998#3811,455
1984#1,56572#4310,024
1983#1,31192#449,615
1982#1,76962#449,359
1981#1,80961#448,893
1980#2,04351#487,596
1979#1,91754#496,850
1978#2,05046#457,059
1977#2,02647#437,625
1976#1,79452#427,565
1975#1,58662#407,582
1974#1,57860#378,290
1973#1,62256#368,553
1972#1,57858#339,444
1971#1,37677#3610,510
1970#1,36976#3710,341
1969#1,25979#379,346
1968#1,14788#379,172
1967#1,39962#447,496
1966#1,36864#506,490
1965#1,85438#794,594
1964#1,91838#1183,010
1963#2,54323#1512,196
1962#2,81419#1711,837
1961#2,15030#1771,720
1960#2,57322#2021,421
1959#2,45822#2181,279
1958#3,23214#2471,011
1957#2,72718#271775
1956#2,32123#309575
1955#3,37712#336488
1954#3,49011#351416
1953#3,68710#356380
1952#3,37211#480212
1951#4,8336#546154
1950#3,42310#535162
1949#4,6736#601129
1948—#617120
1947#4,7646#70297
1946—#89055
1945—#89950
1944—#93547
1943—#96948
1942#4,6225#99145
1941—#1,15233
1940—#1,10735
1939#4,2505#1,53219
1938—#1,61318
1937—#1,99213
1936—#2,06212
1935—#2,12712
1934—#2,7428
1933—#3,0047
1932—#3,7765
1931——
1930—#3,2897
1929——
1928——
1927——
1926—#4,2015
1925—#3,4087
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First appearance
1925

The first year at least five boys were named Sean! It came in at #3,408, and was given to 7 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1926–1929, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.

Where Sean is popular in 1981

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #41 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 130 boysAKMaine: #52 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 201 boysMEVermont: #45 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 146 boysVTNew Hampshire: #40 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 140 boysNHWashington: #36 for boys · 258 births · 1 in 123 boysWAIdaho: #46 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 160 boysIDMontana: #39 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 112 boysMTNorth Dakota: #89 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 420 boysNDMinnesota: #54 for boys · 135 births · 1 in 243 boysMNIllinois: #43 for boys · 426 births · 1 in 199 boysILWisconsin: #62 for boys · 112 births · 1 in 309 boysWIMichigan: #46 for boys · 345 births · 1 in 190 boysMINew York: #29 for boys · 928 births · 1 in 122 boysNYMassachusetts: #26 for boys · 416 births · 1 in 86 boysMARhode Island: #39 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 143 boysRIOregon: #42 for boys · 133 births · 1 in 151 boysORNevada: #36 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 116 boysNVWyoming: #59 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 212 boysWYSouth Dakota: #61 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 258 boysSDIowa: #61 for boys · 84 births · 1 in 260 boysIAIndiana: #55 for boys · 156 births · 1 in 257 boysINOhio: #49 for boys · 375 births · 1 in 215 boysOHPennsylvania: #42 for boys · 518 births · 1 in 149 boysPANew Jersey: #28 for boys · 391 births · 1 in 109 boysNJConnecticut: #32 for boys · 160 births · 1 in 111 boysCTCalifornia: #35 for boys · 1,285 births · 1 in 156 boysCAUtah: #60 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 244 boysUTColorado: #38 for boys · 183 births · 1 in 130 boysCONebraska: #57 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 217 boysNEMissouri: #52 for boys · 164 births · 1 in 223 boysMOKentucky: #65 for boys · 82 births · 1 in 330 boysKYWest Virginia: #85 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 479 boysWVVirginia: #45 for boys · 163 births · 1 in 212 boysVAMaryland: #38 for boys · 181 births · 1 in 134 boysMDDelaware: #34 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 112 boysDEArizona: #39 for boys · 147 births · 1 in 158 boysAZNew Mexico: #47 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 196 boysNMKansas: #58 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 256 boysKSArkansas: #79 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 382 boysARTennessee: #109 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 623 boysTNNorth Carolina: #83 for boys · 85 births · 1 in 445 boysNCSouth Carolina: #69 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 346 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #22 for boys · 81 births · 1 in 98 boysDCOklahoma: #58 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 251 boysOKLouisiana: #56 for boys · 138 births · 1 in 266 boysLAMississippi: #105 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 494 boysMSAlabama: #126 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 658 boysALGeorgia: #78 for boys · 98 births · 1 in 411 boysGAHawaii: #21 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 95 boysHITexas: #75 for boys · 397 births · 1 in 347 boysTXFlorida: #39 for boys · 352 births · 1 in 179 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Hawaii#21 · 1 in 95
  2. District of Columbia#22 · 1 in 98
  3. Massachusetts#26 · 1 in 86
  4. New Jersey#28 · 1 in 109
  5. New York#29 · 1 in 122

Best ever in a state: #16 in Hawaii, 1972.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Hawaii#21721 in 95
District of Columbia#22811 in 98
Massachusetts#264161 in 86
New Jersey#283911 in 109
New York#299281 in 122
Connecticut#321601 in 111
Delaware#34341 in 112
California#351,2851 in 156
Nevada#36491 in 116
Washington#362581 in 123
Colorado#381831 in 130
Maryland#381811 in 134
Arizona#391471 in 158
Florida#393521 in 179
Montana#39521 in 112
Rhode Island#39401 in 143
New Hampshire#40441 in 140
Alaska#41311 in 130
Oregon#421331 in 151
Pennsylvania#425181 in 149
Illinois#434261 in 199
Vermont#45221 in 146
Virginia#451631 in 212
Idaho#46511 in 160
Michigan#463451 in 190
New Mexico#47571 in 196
Ohio#493751 in 215
Maine#52351 in 201
Missouri#521641 in 223
Minnesota#541351 in 243
Indiana#551561 in 257
Louisiana#561381 in 266
Nebraska#57571 in 217
Kansas#58711 in 256
Oklahoma#58941 in 251
Wyoming#59191 in 212
Utah#60781 in 244
Iowa#61841 in 260
South Dakota#61211 in 258
Wisconsin#621121 in 309
Kentucky#65821 in 330
South Carolina#69611 in 346
Texas#753971 in 347
Georgia#78981 in 411
Arkansas#79401 in 382
North Carolina#83851 in 445
West Virginia#85271 in 479
North Dakota#89141 in 420
Mississippi#105391 in 494
Tennessee#109521 in 623
Alabama#126401 in 658

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Sean
Momentum · boys
Falling
  • 54 spots since 2024 (#435 → #489)
  • 155 spots since 2020 (#334 → #489)
  • 279 spots since 2015 (#210 → #489)
  • Biggest jump: 188 spots in 1947 (#890 → #702)
  • Biggest drop: 54 spots in 2025 (#435 → #489)
Rise & fade · boys
47 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1925
  • Peaked 1972 at #33 (9,444 births)
  • Births halved by 2009, 37 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 45 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 45 yrs · run 1965–2009
  • Top 1,000: 84 yrs · run 1942–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 156
  • Highest: 1 in 156 boys born in 1986 were named Sean (0.64%)
  • Latest: 1 in 2,773 boys born in 2025 (0.04%)
  • Its best rank, #33 in 1972, was only 1 in 172 (0.58%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1980s
  • 24.5% of all boys named Sean (103,870) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1920s12#3,408 (1925)#3,805
1930s101#1,532 (1939)#2,460
1940s659#601 (1949)#886
1950s5,452#218 (1959)#365
1960s47,282#37 (1969)#107
1970s83,819#33 (1972)#40
1980s103,870#37 (1986)#42
1990s92,003#37 (1990)#45
2000s64,133#57 (2000)#70
2010s21,540#102 (2010)#201
2020s4,766#334 (2020)#407

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Sean in 1981

girls
#1,809
61 births · 1 in 27,345 girls
boys
#44
8,893 births · 1 in 201 boys

Top girls' names in 1981

  1. #1Jennifer57,046
  2. #2Jessica42,531
  3. #3Amanda34,372
  4. #4Sarah28,175
  5. #5Melissa28,005
  6. #6Amy20,345
  7. #7Nicole20,310
  8. #8Stephanie20,212
  9. #9Elizabeth20,168
  10. #10Heather17,946
  11. #1,809Sean61

Top boys' names in 1981

  1. #1Michael68,750
  2. #2Christopher50,221
  3. #3Matthew43,330
  4. #4Jason41,927
  5. #5David40,629
  6. #6Joshua39,024
  7. #7James38,283
  8. #8John34,868
  9. #9Robert34,395
  10. #10Daniel30,985
  11. #44Sean8,893
More about 1981

girls

1,668,060 girls got a published name in 1981; 1 in 27,345 of them was named Sean, which outranked 85.2% of the 12,198 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Sean
  1. #1,790Sunni62
  2. #1,790Tarsha62
  3. #1,790Trena62
  4. #1,809Sean61
  5. #1,809Amee61
  6. #1,809Charis61
  7. #1,809Charlie61
  8. #1,830Annamaria60
  9. #1,830Brooklyn60
  10. #1,830Denita60

Tied with 20 names at #1,809; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1980
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,850Tashina#4,743 → #893
  2. ↑ 2,742Krystle#3,215 → #473
  3. ↑ 1,800Tierra#2,342 → #542
  4. ↑ 1,398Martine#2,189 → #791
  5. ↑ 999Nereida#1,981 → #982
Fallers
  1. ↓ 764Kylene#990 → #1,754
  2. ↓ 607Renada#708 → #1,315
  3. ↓ 560Ashanti#822 → #1,382
  4. ↓ 399Renata#336 → #735
  5. ↓ 395Tracee#959 → #1,354

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,791,177 boys got a published name in 1981; 1 in 201 of them was named Sean, which outranked 99.4% of the 7,289 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Sean
  1. #41Kenneth9,472
  2. #42Dustin9,350
  3. #43Jacob9,342
  4. #44Sean8,893
  5. #45Jose8,773
  6. #46Gregory8,756
  7. #47Chad8,412
Biggest movers since 1980
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,321Marchello#2,162 → #841
  2. ↑ 1,104Skylar#2,058 → #954
  3. ↑ 816Kellen#1,432 → #616
  4. ↑ 499Marcello#1,291 → #792
  5. ↑ 456Tyrel#1,089 → #633
Fallers
  1. ↓ 306Kenyatta#871 → #1,177
  2. ↓ 284Seneca#718 → #1,002
  3. ↓ 247Kimberly#989 → #1,236
  4. ↓ 216Chadd#927 → #1,143
  5. ↓ 214Levar#911 → #1,125

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1981 →