Henry vs Sean
Henry 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, Henry was ranked #14 and Sean #638 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Henry was ranked #45 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Henry was ranked #49 and Sean #83 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2007, Henry was ranked #52 and Sean #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2022, Henry was ranked #61 and Sean #496 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Henry was ranked #76 and Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Henry was ranked #95 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.
Henry and Sean over time
Henry and Sean appear together in 6 published lists, across 200 years of shared records. Sean held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Henry in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Sean reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Henry 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 1998, Henry moved ahead of Sean in England and Wales · Boys — #58 and #51 the year before became #56 and #61.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Henry and Sean changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1963 and 2007, ending at #49 and #83.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Henry and Sean averaged 27.0 places apart, ending at #49 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Henry and Sean were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 47 years, from 1965 to 2022, ending at #61 and #496.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #58 and #49 in England and Wales · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #14 and #638.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Henry held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sean in 56.
Highest recorded here: Henry #60 in 1964, Sean #1 in 1997.
The order changed in 2022: Henry moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #108 and #102; by 2022 that had become #86 and #127.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Henry #76, Sean #141.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1965–2022
Henry held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Sean in 15.
Highest recorded here: Henry #61 in 2022, Sean #185 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Henry #61, Sean #496.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Henry held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Sean in 2.
Highest recorded here: Henry #10 in 2021, Sean #49 in 1996.
The order changed in 1998: Henry moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #58 and #51; by 1998 that had become #56 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Henry #14, Sean #638.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Henry held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sean in 23.
Highest recorded here: Henry #22 in 2023, Sean #13 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Henry #45, Sean #48.
New Zealand · Boys22 shared years, 1963–2007
Henry held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sean in 17.
Highest recorded here: Henry #46 in 2002, Sean #28 in 1995.
The order changed in 2006: Henry moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #58 and #57; by 2006 that had become #58 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Henry #49, Sean #83.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys12 shared years, 1993–2007
Henry held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Sean in 9.
Highest recorded here: Henry #52 in 2007, Sean #50 in 1993.
The order changed in 2005: Henry moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #80 and #61; by 2005 that had become #64 and #99.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Henry #52, Sean #85.
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 | Henry | Sean |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Home ruler, estate ruler. | The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry. |
| Origin | Germanic, via Old French Henri | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhɛnɹi/ | /ʃɔːn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Harry, Hal, Heinrich, Henri | 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 #6 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Henry is recorded with a Germanic, via Old French Henri origin, while Sean is recorded with a Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John origin.
- Henry has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
- Henry'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.
- The available evidence gives Henry a "high" Data Confidence level and Sean a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Henry
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #102 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1993–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 1993–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #6 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