Shawn

Where Shawn comes from

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”). Doublet of Evan, Giovanni, Ian, Ivan, Jack, Jean, Johan, Johann, Johannes, John, Juan, Sean, Shane, and Shaun as a male name. Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Jane, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena as a female name.
— Wiktionary's entry for Shawn
  • 1 syllable
Along the way
  1. 1931
    First appearance
    #3,390 among boys, 6 babies — the first year at least five got the name.
  2. 1937
    Mostly boys from here
    Until now more girls than boys got the name; from this year it's the other way round, and has stayed that way.
  3. 1965
    Shawn Michaels born
    American professional wrestler
  4. 1973
    Peak, #27
    11,451 babies named Shawn — more than any year before or since.
  5. 1989
    The fade
    The first year with half the peak's births — down to #65.
  6. 1998
    Shawn Mendes born
    Canadian singer
In the dictionary
  • Alternative form of Shaun, a unisex given name.
Namesakes
  • Shawn Mendes · Canadian singer, born 1998
  • Shawn Michaels · American professional wrestler, born 1965
  • Shawn Levy · Canadian fimmaker, born 1968
  • Shawn Marion · American basketball player, born 1978
  • Shawn Ashmore · Canadian actor, born 1979

Sources: the origin note and dictionary entry are quoted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); the namesakes come from Wikidata (CC0); the milestones are worked out from the SSA record.