Sean

See also: Appendix:Variations of "sean"

English

Alternative forms

• Shaun, Shawn, Shohn

Etymology

Anglicised form of Irish Seán, from Old French Jehan, from Latin Johannes, variant of Ioannes, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yōḥānān, literally “God is gracious”).

Doublet of John, Jack, Johan, Johann, Johannes, Jean, Ian, Evan, Ivan, Shaun, Shane, and Giovanni.

Pronunciation

• enPR: shôn, IPA^(key): /ʃɔːn/
• Rhymes: -ɔːn
• Homophones: shorn (non-rhotic, horse–hoarse merger); Sian (female given name, cot–caught merger, father-bother merger)

Proper noun

Sean (plural Seans)

1. A male given name from Irish.
   • 1996, Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes, Harper Collins Publishers., →ISBN, page 203:

     They sit by the fire smoking and talking about names. Mam says she likes the names Kevin and Sean but Bridey says, Ah no, there's too many of them in Limerick. Jesus, Angela, if you stuck your head out of the door and called, Kevin or Sean, come in for your tea, you'd have half o' Limerick running to your door.

Related terms

• Evan
• Ian
• Ivan
• Jon
• Shane
• Shaun
• Shawn

feminine equivalents of Sean

• Chavonne
• Seana
• Shauna
• Shavonne
• Shawna
• Sheena
• Síne

Translations

a male given name

• Catalan: Joan (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 肖恩 (zh) (Xiāoēn)

• Greek: Γιάννης (el) m (Giánnis), Σον (el) (Son) (transliteration from English)
• Hebrew: שׁוֹן (shon)
• Maltese: Seaninu
• Russian: Шон (ru) m (Šon)
• Spanish: Juan (es)

See also

• Sian

Anagrams

• ENSA, Esan, NAEs, NESA, Nase, Sena, eans, nase, sane