Shawn
A variant of Sean, from Irish Seán, from Old French Jehan, from Latin Jōhannēs, variant of Iōannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (yōḥānān…
Every Shawn since 1931 — 339,597 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shawn
Shawn is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #682 in 2025 with 399 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1931, 339,597 American babies have been named Shawn — about 90% boys and 10% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1971, when 14,688 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Shawn stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shawn year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | #8,274 | 399 | #682 |
| 2024 | 15 | #7,542 | 440 | #638 |
| 2023 | 8 | #12,038 | 438 | #633 |
| 2022 | 14 | #7,972 | 523 | #568 |
| 2021 | 6 | #15,000 | 587 | #501 |
| 2020 | 11 | #9,452 | 659 | #452 |
| 2019 | 12 | #9,036 | 723 | #426 |
| 2018 | 17 | #7,062 | 814 | #390 |
| 2017 | 14 | #8,230 | 830 | #387 |
| 2016 | 13 | #8,806 | 946 | #356 |
| 2015 | 8 | #12,838 | 962 | #352 |
| 2014 | 15 | #8,006 | 1,068 | #322 |
| 2013 | 15 | #8,094 | 1,122 | #307 |
| 2012 | 21 | #6,306 | 1,301 | #273 |
| 2011 | 12 | #9,639 | 1,431 | #247 |
| 2010 | 19 | #6,866 | 1,476 | #236 |
| 2009 | 31 | #4,793 | 1,809 | #209 |
| 2008 | 33 | #4,634 | 2,067 | #193 |
| 2007 | 27 | #5,357 | 2,349 | #175 |
| 2006 | 18 | #7,096 | 2,476 | #168 |
| 2005 | 32 | #4,359 | 2,372 | #174 |
| 2004 | 39 | #3,739 | 2,409 | #169 |
| 2003 | 30 | #4,401 | 2,576 | #156 |
| 2002 | 28 | #4,484 | 2,618 | #152 |
| 2001 | 43 | #3,247 | 2,628 | #151 |
| 2000 | 64 | #2,421 | 2,894 | #135 |
| 1995 | 96 | #1,587 | 3,824 | #100 |
| 1990 | 171 | #1,050 | 5,721 | #69 |
| 1985 | 321 | #597 | 6,982 | #55 |
| 1980 | 388 | #512 | 7,698 | #47 |
| 1975 | 963 | #254 | 10,682 | #31 |
| 1970 | 1,971 | #168 | 10,945 | #34 |
| 1965 | 1,449 | #224 | 4,924 | #69 |
| 1960 | 755 | #350 | 2,045 | #163 |
| 1955 | 396 | #454 | 548 | #312 |
| 1950 | 117 | #808 | 175 | #508 |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,640 | 17 | #1,685 |
| 1940 | 9 | #3,178 | 13 | #2,067 |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Shawn
- Shawn Mendes Singer · b. 1998
- Shawn Michaels Wrestler · b. 1965
- Shawn Wayans Actor · b. 1971
- Shawn Weatherly Actor · b. 1959
- Shawn Kemp Basketball player · b. 1969
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shawn mean?
A variant of Sean, from Irish Seán, from Old French Jehan, from Latin Jōhannēs, variant of Iōannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (yōḥānān, yokhanán, literally “God is gracious”).
How popular is the name Shawn in 2025?
Shawn ranked #682 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 399 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shawn?
339,597 babies have been named Shawn in the United States since 1931, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shawn most popular?
Shawn peaked in 1971, when 14,688 newborns received the name.
Is Shawn a boy or girl name?
Shawn is used for both: about 10% of babies named Shawn have been girls and 90% boys.
Is the name Shawn rising or falling?
Shawn is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Shawn?
Well-known people named Shawn include Shawn Mendes (singer), Shawn Michaels (wrestler), Shawn Wayans (actor).