Edward vs Sean
Edward 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #31 and Sean #638 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #177 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2002, Edward was ranked #90 and Sean #61 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2006, Edward was ranked #94 and Sean #67 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Edward was ranked #125 and Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #181 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2022, Edward was ranked #377 and Sean #496 among boys in Norway.
Edward and Sean over time
Edward and Sean appear together in 6 published lists, across 242 years of shared records. Sean held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Edward in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Edward reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Sean in 2. 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 1965, Sean moved ahead of Edward in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #68 and #75 the year before became #75 and #57.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Edward and Sean changed places 14 times in Norway · Boys between 1965 and 2022, ending at #377 and #496.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 40 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Edward and Sean averaged 30.3 places apart, ending at #90 and #61.
- Longest-running competitions
Edward and Sean were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 40 years, from 1963 to 2002, ending at #90 and #61.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #45 and #49 in England and Wales · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2024 they were #31 and #638.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Edward held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sean in 44.
Highest recorded here: Edward #17 in 1965, Sean #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #125, Sean #141.
Norway · Boys46 shared years, 1965–2022
Edward held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Sean in 20.
Highest recorded here: Edward #168 in 2012, Sean #185 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Edward #377, Sean #496.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys40 shared years, 1963–2002
Edward held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Sean in 38.
Highest recorded here: Edward #68 in 1964, Sean #29 in 1967.
The order changed in 1965: Sean moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #68 and #75; by 1965 that had become #75 and #57.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Edward #90, Sean #61.
New Zealand · Boys37 shared years, 1963–2006
Edward held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sean in 29.
Highest recorded here: Edward #56 in 1984, Sean #28 in 1995.
The order changed in 1987: Sean moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #63 and #77; by 1987 that had become #59 and #56.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Edward #94, Sean #67.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Edward held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Edward #23 in 2016, Sean #49 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #31, Sean #638.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sean in 28.
Highest recorded here: Edward #104 in 1997, Sean #13 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #177, 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.
Side by side
| Field | Edward | Sean |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John |
| Pronunciation | /ʃɔːn/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sean has a recorded origin (Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John); Edward does not have one recorded yet.
- Edward has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
- A meaning is recorded for Sean; Edward doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Edward
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Sean
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys