Seann
An Irish name meaning "old" or "ancient one".
Name Census estimates that about 496 living Americans carry the first name Seann. It is a predominantly male name (99.0% of registrations). The average person named Seann today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Seann births was 1982 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Seann. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
496
~ 1 in 691,037 Americans
Peak year
1982
26 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
2012 SSA rank
#13,867
Tracked since 1966
Gender
Gender distribution for Seann
Out of the 522 babies given the name Seann since 1880, 99.0% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Seann as a male name
- Ranked #13,867 in 2012
- 5 male births in 2012
- Peak: 1982 (26 births)
Seann as a female name
- Ranked #14,922 in 1991
- 5 female births in 1991
- Peak: 1991 (5 births)
Popularity
Seann: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Seann from the 1960s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 153 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Seann by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Seann during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Seanns live
Origin
Meaning and history of Seann
The name Seann has its origins in the Gaelic and Irish languages, tracing back to the 5th century CE. It is derived from the Old Irish word "sean," meaning "old" or "ancient." The name was prevalent in the Celtic regions of Ireland, Scotland, and parts of England during the Middle Ages.
In ancient Irish literature, the name appears in several texts, including the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of the Four Masters. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Seann Ua Maoilchiarain, an Irish scribe and monk who lived in the 11th century.
During the medieval period, the name was borne by several notable figures in Irish and Scottish history. Seann Mac Ruaidhrí was an Irish chieftain and King of Connacht in the 12th century. Seann Mag Shamhradháin was an Irish poet and historian who lived in the 15th century.
In the 16th century, Seann O'Neill was an Irish chieftain and leader of the O'Neill clan, known for his resistance against English rule in Ireland. Another prominent figure was Seann MacDonald, a Scottish clan chief and military leader who played a significant role in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in the 17th century.
During the 18th century, Seann Mac Aoidh was an Irish poet and scholar from County Donegal, renowned for his contributions to the preservation of Gaelic literature and culture.
Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spellings and variations, such as Sean, Shawn, Shaun, and Seán, reflecting the linguistic diversity and regional influences within the Celtic regions. Despite its ancient roots, the name Seann has remained popular and continues to be used in modern times, carrying the rich cultural heritage of the Gaelic and Irish traditions.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Seann
People
Seann + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Seann as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Seann: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Seann?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 496 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Seann going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 691,037 US residents.
Is Seann a common name?
We classify Seann as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 522 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Seann most popular?
The single biggest year for Seann was 1982, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Seann is about 39 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Seann a male name?
Yes, 99.0% of people registered as Seann in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.