Namewise

Grant vs Sean

Grant 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2009, Grant was ranked #701 and Sean #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2006, Grant was ranked #341 and Sean #16 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1990, Grant was ranked #75 and Sean #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1987, Grant was ranked #99 and Sean #56 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Grant was ranked #535 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Grant was ranked #4270 and Sean #638 among boys in England and Wales.

Grant and Sean over time

Grant and Sean appear together in 4 published lists, across 90 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Grant reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Sean in none. 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 1986, Sean moved ahead of Grant in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #52 and #53 the year before became #59 and #52.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Grant and Sean changed places 7 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1963 and 1990, ending at #75 and #42.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Grant and Sean averaged 12.9 places apart, ending at #75 and #42.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Grant #128 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Grant held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sean in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Grant #128 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Grant #4270, Sean #638.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1963–1990

    Grant held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Sean in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Grant #32 in 1966, Sean #29 in 1967.

    The order changed in 1986: Sean moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #52 and #53; by 1986 that had become #59 and #52.

    Most recent shared year, 1990: Grant #75, Sean #42.

  • New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1963–1987

    Grant held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Sean in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Grant #13 in 1964, Sean #38 in 1968.

    The order changed in 1985: Sean moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #70 and #79; by 1985 that had become #85 and #75.

    Most recent shared year, 1987: Grant #99, Sean #56.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 1991–2009

    Grant held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sean in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Grant #234 in 1996, Sean #2 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Grant #701, Sean #2.

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 Grant

Pairs where Grant 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Grant, Sean
FieldGrantSean
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedThe Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry.
OriginNot yet recordedIrish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ʃɔːn/
Syllables11
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationScotland · Boys #535 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sean has a recorded origin (Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John); Grant does not have one recorded yet.
  • Grant and Sean both have 1 syllable.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sean; Grant doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Grant

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1953

    First recorded at #93 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1987

    Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in New Zealand, in 1964 (recorded 1954–1987).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #4270 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    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