Shaun
God is gracious
Ireland origin · Unisex name
96% boys4% girls
#1499US 2023
119Births / yr
Falling
73kAll-time births
📅 Since 194500.01% of births at peak
How to pronounce Shaun
shawn
/shawn/ · · 1 syllable
God is gracious
Ireland origin · Unisex name

What does Shaun mean and where does it come from?

Shaun is often considered a unisex name, although it is more commonly used for males. Its female version, Shaun, is less traditional but has gained prominence in modern naming conventions. The name is derived from the Irish 'Seán', a variant of 'John'. It conveys a sense of grace and favor. This nam

Cultural significance
Shaun has been a cherished name across cultures, particularly in Ireland-speaking communities, where it reflects values of god is gracious.
Peak popularity
Reached #900 in 1966 — currently #1499 in the US.
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Related Reading
Ireland-origin baby names with timeless appeal
Browse names →

What middle names flow best with Shaun?

Shaun works best with short, strong middle names — one or two syllables keep the full name from becoming a mouthful

Shaun Grace
Most popular combo · classic
Shaun Rose
Floral · soft ending
Shaun Mae
Sweet · timeless
Shaun Claire
French influence · crisp
Shaun Jane
Literary · strong
Shaun Skye
Modern · airy feel
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Middle Names
The best middle names for Shaun
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How popular is Shaun right now?

Declining — down 11 spots — currently #1499 in the US out of 135.5k tracked names

US Trend 19452023#1499 · Top 1.1%
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2021
2022
2023
YearUS RankBirthsvs Prior Year
2023#1499119▼ down 11 · -2% births
2022#1488122▼ down 209 · -18% births
2021#1279149▲ up 15405 · +2880% births
2015#166845▼ down 7904 · -62% births
2010#878013▼ down 812 · -7% births
2005#796814▼ down 1977 · -22% births
2000#599118▼ down 2181 · -36% births
1995#381028▼ down 628 · -20% births
1990#318235▼ down 1027 · -29% births
1985#215549▼ down 561 · -33% births
1980#159473▲ up 325 · +55% births
1975#191947▼ down 984 · -66% births
1970#935138▲ up 66 · +27% births
1965#1001109▲ up 574 · +114% births
1960#157551

The story of Shaun

Shaun entered American naming records in 1945 and has been in use for over 79 years. A total of 72,988 babies have received this name. The name has grown more popular over time, rising from #4406 in 1945 to #1499 in 2023. Shaun is used for both genders: 4% female and 96% male.

Names that peaked alongside Shaun in 1966:

Shaun by decade

DecadeBirths
1930s63
1940s255
1950s1,655
1960s6,507
1970s20,127
1980s24,940
1990s8,888
2000s7,142
2010s3,241
2020s170

What are good nicknames for Shaun?

ARMENIAN
HovikHovo
BRETON
YanickYannicYannick
BULGARIAN
IvoYanko
CROATIAN
IvicaIvoJankoVanja

Gender variants of Shaun

Lashawn AFRICAN AMERICANTajuana AFRICAN AMERICANJone BASQUEIoanna BIBLICAL GREEKIohanna BIBLICAL LATINJoanna BIBLICALIoana BULGARIANIvana BULGARIANIvanka BULGARIANYana BULGARIANYanka BULGARIANYoana BULGARIANJana CATALANJoana CATALANIvana CROATIANIvanka CROATIANNina CROATIANŽana CROATIANIva CZECHIvana CZECHIvanka CZECHIvka CZECHJana CZECHJanička CZECHJohana CZECHNina CZECHHanna DANISHHanne DANISHJanne DANISHJannicke DANISHJannike DANISHJeanette DANISHJohanna DANISHJohanne DANISHJonna DANISHNina DANISHVanja DANISHHanna DUTCHHanne DUTCHHannie DUTCHJana DUTCHJanine DUTCHJanna DUTCHJanneke DUTCHJantine DUTCHJantje DUTCHJeanette DUTCHJeanine DUTCHJeannette DUTCHJennigje DUTCHJenny DUTCHJohanna DUTCHJohanneke DUTCHNina DUTCHGenette ENGLISHJan ENGLISHJanae ENGLISHJane ENGLISHJaneka ENGLISHJanel ENGLISHJanele ENGLISHJanella ENGLISHJanelle ENGLISHJanene ENGLISHJanessa ENGLISHJanet ENGLISHJanetta ENGLISHJanette ENGLISHJaney ENGLISHJanice ENGLISHJanie ENGLISHJanine ENGLISHJanis ENGLISHJanna ENGLISHJannah ENGLISHJannette ENGLISHJannine ENGLISHJayna ENGLISHJayne ENGLISHJaynie ENGLISHJean ENGLISHJeana ENGLISHJeane ENGLISHJeanette ENGLISHJeanie ENGLISHJeanine ENGLISHJeanna ENGLISHJeanne ENGLISHJeannette ENGLISHJeannie ENGLISHJeannine ENGLISHJeni ENGLISHJenna ENGLISHJenni ENGLISHJennie ENGLISHJenny ENGLISHJessalyn ENGLISHJessi ENGLISHJessie ENGLISHJessye ENGLISHJo ENGLISHJoan ENGLISHJoanie ENGLISHJoann ENGLISHJoanna ENGLISHJoanne ENGLISHJoetta ENGLISHJoey ENGLISHJohanna ENGLISHJohna ENGLISHJohnna ENGLISHJojo ENGLISHJoleen ENGLISHJolene ENGLISHJonelle ENGLISHJonette ENGLISHJoni ENGLISHJonie ENGLISHNena ENGLISHNetta ENGLISHNettie ENGLISHNina ENGLISHSeanna ENGLISHShauna ENGLISHShavonne ENGLISHShawna ENGLISHSheena ENGLISHSheenagh ENGLISHShena ENGLISHShevaun ENGLISHShevon ENGLISHJohanna ESTONIANHanna FINNISHHannele FINNISHJanika FINNISHJanina FINNISHJanna FINNISHJenna FINNISHJenni FINNISHJenny FINNISHJohanna FINNISHJonna FINNISHNina FINNISHJanine FRENCHJeanette FRENCHJeanine FRENCHJeanne FRENCHJeannette FRENCHJeannine FRENCHJoanne FRENCHJohanne FRENCHNina FRENCHNinette FRENCHXoana GALICIANHanna GERMANHanne GERMANJana GERMANJanina GERMANJanine GERMANJenny GERMANJohanna GERMANNina GERMANGianna GREEKIoanna GREEKNana GREEKYanna GREEKHanna HUNGARIANJohanna HUNGARIANZsanett HUNGARIANJenný ICELANDICJóhanna ICELANDICJóna ICELANDICChevonne IRISHShavonne IRISHShevaun IRISHShevon IRISHSíne IRISHSinéad IRISHSiobhán IRISHGia ITALIANGianna ITALIANGiannina ITALIANGiovanna ITALIANGiovannetta ITALIANNina ITALIANVanna ITALIANJohanna LATE ROMANJanina LITHUANIANIvana MACEDONIANJovana MACEDONIANJovanka MACEDONIANJovka MACEDONIANVana MACEDONIANJehanne MEDIEVAL FRENCHJohanne MEDIEVAL FRENCHHanna NORWEGIANHanne NORWEGIANJanne NORWEGIANJannicke NORWEGIANJannike NORWEGIANJeanette NORWEGIANJohanna NORWEGIANJohanne NORWEGIANNina NORWEGIANVanja NORWEGIANAsia POLISHJanina POLISHJoanna POLISHJoasia POLISHNina POLISHJoana PORTUGUESEJoaninha PORTUGUESEIoana ROMANIANIonela ROMANIANOana ROMANIANIvanna RUSSIANYana RUSSIANZhanna RUSSIANZhannochka RUSSIANGiuanna SARDINIANJean SCOTTISHJessie SCOTTISHSeona SCOTTISHSeonag SCOTTISHSeònaid SCOTTISHSheena SCOTTISHSheona SCOTTISHShona SCOTTISHSìne SCOTTISHSìneag SCOTTISHTeasag SCOTTISHIvana SERBIANIvanka SERBIANJovana SERBIANJovanka SERBIANNina SERBIANIva SLOVAKIvana SLOVAKIvanka SLOVAKIvka SLOVAKJana SLOVAKJanka SLOVAKNina SLOVAKIva SLOVENEIvana SLOVENEIvanka SLOVENEJana SLOVENENina SLOVENEŽana SLOVENEJenny SPANISHJuana SPANISHJuanita SPANISHHanna SWEDISHJanina SWEDISHJanna SWEDISHJannicke SWEDISHJannike SWEDISHJeanette SWEDISHJennie SWEDISHJenny SWEDISHJohanna SWEDISHJonna SWEDISHNina SWEDISHVanja SWEDISHYana UKRAINIANShan WELSHSiân WELSHSiana WELSHSiani WELSHSioned WELSHSiwan WELSHJackson ENGLISHJaxon ENGLISHJaxson ENGLISHMalone ENGLISHSinjin ENGLISHYancy ENGLISHYahweh THEOLOGYBevan WELSH

Common questions about the name Shaun

What does the name Shaun mean?
Shaun means "God is gracious" — a name rooted in Ireland tradition that carries both historical depth and timeless appeal. The meaning reflects values that have made this name endure across generations.
How popular is the name Shaun?
Shaun is currently a distinctive and less common name as a baby name in the US and is becoming rarer and more distinctive, making it a unique choice that stands out.
What is the cultural origin of Shaun?
Shaun originates from Ireland tradition. Ireland names tend to carry strong cultural heritage and have spread across the world through migration, literature, and religion over centuries.
How does Shaun sound with different last names?
As a one-syllable name, Shaun flows best with last names of two or three syllables. Avoid last names ending in the same sound as Shaun ends, as this can create an unwanted rhyme. Test by saying the full name out loud several times.
Is Shaun a common or rare name?
Shaun is a distinctive choice that balances familiarity with individuality. It strikes a balance between standing out and fitting in.