Shawn first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Shawn has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Shawn

A masculine name of Irish origin referring to God being gracious or favored.

Popularity of Shawn by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Shawn is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 96% of people named Shawn being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 436 male babies and 8 female babies born with the name Shawn.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 8 baby girls were named Shawn in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 436 8
2022 518 14
2021 579 5
2020 655 11
2019 719 12
2018 810 17
2017 829 14
2016 945 13
2015 962 8
2014 1,066 15
2013 1,121 15
2012 1,298 21
2011 1,427 12
2010 1,475 19
2009 1,807 31
2008 2,066 33
2007 2,349 27
2006 2,474 18
2005 2,369 32
2004 2,409 39
2003 2,576 30
2002 2,618 28
2001 2,628 43
2000 2,893 64
1999 3,100 45
1998 3,257 64
1997 3,448 79
1996 3,504 74
1995 3,824 96
1994 4,245 106
1993 4,814 116
1992 5,152 143
1991 5,415 168
1990 5,722 171
1989 5,480 152
1988 5,892 194
1987 6,202 201
1986 7,015 252
1985 6,982 321
1984 6,050 268
1983 6,360 279
1982 6,847 311
1981 7,077 338
1980 7,699 388
1979 7,909 462
1978 9,291 533
1977 9,863 668
1976 10,107 773
1975 10,682 963
1974 11,439 1,271

The history of the first name Shawn

The name Shawn has its origins in the Irish language, derived from the Gaelic name Seán or Shawn, which is a variation of the Hebrew name John or Yohanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious." The name Shawn gained popularity in English-speaking countries due to the influence of Irish culture and immigration.

The name Shawn can be traced back to the early medieval period in Ireland, where it was a common name among Irish Christians. It is believed to have been introduced to Ireland by early Christian missionaries who brought the name from its Hebrew roots, adapting it to the Irish language and culture.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Shawn can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a "Seán Ua Cearnaigh" in the year 1169. This individual was likely a member of the influential O'Kearney clan in Ireland.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Shawn. One of the most famous was Shawn O'Neill (c. 1530-1567), an Irish chieftain and leader of the O'Neill clan who fought against English rule in Ireland during the 16th century.

Another prominent historical figure with the name Shawn was Shawn O'Byrne (c. 1531-1597), an Irish lord and rebel leader who participated in the Second Desmond Rebellion against English forces in Ireland.

In the literary realm, Shawn Berne (1608-1680) was an Irish poet and writer who composed works in both Irish and English, contributing to the preservation of Irish language and culture during a turbulent period of English colonization.

A more modern example is Shawn Fanning (born 1980), an American computer programmer who created the revolutionary peer-to-peer file-sharing application Napster, which had a significant impact on the music industry in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Finally, Shawn Mendes (born 1998) is a contemporary Canadian singer-songwriter who has achieved global fame and success in the music industry, particularly known for his hits like "Stitches" and "Treat You Better."

These examples illustrate the rich history and cultural significance of the name Shawn, which has endured through centuries and across various domains, from political and military leaders to literary figures and modern entertainers.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Shawn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Shawn, please contact us.

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"Shawn first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 5, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/shawn-meaning-and-history/.

"Shawn first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/shawn-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 5 November, 2024

Shawn first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/shawn-meaning-and-history/.

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