Namewise

Jesse vs Sean

Jesse 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, Jesse was ranked #102 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jesse was ranked #51 and Sean #615 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2007, Jesse was ranked #62 and Sean #83 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2007, Jesse was ranked #69 and Sean #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

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

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jesse was ranked #290 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.

Jesse and Sean over time

Jesse and Sean appear together in 5 published lists, across 139 years of shared records. Sean held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jesse in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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 4 of those lists, Jesse 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 2012, Jesse moved ahead of Sean in England and Wales · Boys — #184 and #178 the year before became #198 and #214.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jesse and Sean changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1981 and 2007, ending at #62 and #83.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jesse and Sean averaged 13.9 places apart, ending at #69 and #85.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jesse and Sean were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #51 and #615.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys42 shared years, 1970–2025

    Jesse held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sean in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Jesse #133 in 2023, Sean #1 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jesse #141, Sean #141.

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

    Jesse held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sean in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Jesse #51 in 2025, Sean #49 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2012: Jesse moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #184 and #178; by 2012 that had become #198 and #214.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jesse #51, Sean #615.

  • New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1981–2007

    Jesse held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sean in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Jesse #18 in 1990, Sean #28 in 1995.

    The order changed in 2005: Jesse moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #80 and #71; by 2005 that had become #53 and #57.

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Jesse #62, Sean #83.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys22 shared years, 1985–2007

    Jesse held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sean in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Jesse #30 in 1996, Sean #42 in 1990.

    The order changed in 2003: Jesse moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #72 and #61; by 2003 that had become #64 and #82.

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Jesse #69, Sean #85.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2024

    Jesse held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sean in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Jesse #102 in 2024, Sean #15 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jesse #102, 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 Jesse

Pairs where Jesse 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 Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand'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 Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jesse, Sean
FieldJesseSean
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/
Syllables21
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 observationEngland and Wales · Boys #51 (2025)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); Jesse does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jesse has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sean; Jesse 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

Jesse

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1970

    First recorded at #278 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1981–2017

    Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in New Zealand, in 1990 (recorded 1981–2017).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2788 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

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