Namewise

Andrew vs Sean

Andrew and Seancompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Andrew was ranked #216 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2007, Andrew was ranked #50 and Sean #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2007, Andrew was ranked #84 and Sean #83 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Andrew was ranked #104 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Andrew was ranked #106 and Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Andrew was ranked #334 and Sean #615 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2016, Andrew was ranked #402 and Sean #417 among boys in Norway.

Andrew and Sean over time

Andrew and Sean appear together in 6 published lists, across 244 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Andrew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Sean in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2001, Sean moved ahead of Andrew in Northern Ireland · Boys — #16 and #20 the year before became #20 and #13.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Andrew and Sean changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #334 and #615.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 44 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Andrew and Sean averaged 40.8 places apart, ending at #50 and #85.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Andrew and Sean were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #334 and #615.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Andrew #29 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Andrew held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sean in 47.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #16 in 1992, Sean #1 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #106, Sean #141.

  • New Zealand · Boys45 shared years, 1963–2007

    Andrew held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Sean in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #2 in 1975, Sean #28 in 1995.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Andrew #84, Sean #83.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys44 shared years, 1963–2007

    Andrew held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Sean in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #4 in 1970, Sean #29 in 1967.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Andrew #50, Sean #85.

  • Norway · Boys35 shared years, 1965–2016

    Andrew held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sean in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #232 in 1967, Sean #185 in 2007.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Andrew #402, Sean #417.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Andrew held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Sean in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #29 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #334, Sean #615.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Andrew held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Sean in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Andrew #5 in 1997, Sean #13 in 2001.

    The order changed in 2001: Sean moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #16 and #20; by 2001 that had become #20 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #216, Sean #48.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Andrew

Pairs where Andrew shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Sean

Pairs where Sean shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Andrew, Sean
FieldAndrewSean
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningThe English form of Greek Andreas, from 'andreios' ('manly, masculine'), itself from 'aner' ('man'). The apostle Andrew was the first disciple to join Jesus and is patron saint of Scotland.The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry.
OriginGreek, biblicalIrish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John
Pronunciation/ˈæn.dɹuː//ʃɔːn/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #106 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Andrew is recorded with a Greek, biblical origin, while Sean is recorded with a Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John origin.
  • Andrew has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
  • Andrew's recorded meaning differs from Sean's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Andrew

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–2013

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–2013).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #334 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Sean

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1963

    First recorded at #82 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #615 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys