Joshua vs Sean
Joshua 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2007, Joshua was ranked #3 and Sean #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Joshua was ranked #3 and Sean #83 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Joshua was ranked #63 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Joshua was ranked #50 and Sean #638 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Joshua was ranked #60 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Joshua was ranked #81 and Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2022, Joshua was ranked #367 and Sean #496 among boys in Norway.
Joshua and Sean over time
Joshua and Sean appear together in 6 published lists, across 212 years of shared records. Joshua held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Sean 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 4 of those lists, and Joshua 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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Joshua moved into the top 50 at #38 in 1976 as Sean fell out of it to #56, having been #40 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1976, Joshua moved ahead of Sean in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #47 and #40 the year before became #38 and #56.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Joshua and Sean changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #63 and #48.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Joshua and Sean averaged 44.6 places apart, ending at #3 and #85.
- Mirrored each other
Over 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Joshua rose about as far as Sean fell — from #77 and #39 in 1971 to #3 and #85 in 2007.
- Longest-running competitions
Joshua and Sean were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1971 to 2007, ending at #3 and #85.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Joshua #1 in 1995, Sean #28 in 1995.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1974–2025
Joshua held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sean in 39.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #17 in 2003, Sean #1 in 1997.
The order changed in 2018: Joshua moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #50 and #5; by 2018 that had become #52 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joshua #81, Sean #141.
Norway · Boys38 shared years, 1973–2022
Joshua held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Sean in 22.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #255 in 2007, Sean #185 in 2007.
The order changed in 2011: Joshua moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #284 and #226; by 2011 that had become #329 and #338.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Joshua #367, Sean #496.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1971–2007
Joshua held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Sean in 5.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #1 in 1993, Sean #39 in 1971.
The order changed in 1976: Joshua moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #47 and #40; by 1976 that had become #38 and #56.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Joshua #3, Sean #85.
New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1974–2007
Joshua held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Sean in 2.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #1 in 1995, Sean #28 in 1995.
The order changed in 1976: Joshua moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #63 and #62; by 1976 that had become #70 and #73.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Joshua #3, Sean #83.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Joshua held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #2 in 2002, Sean #49 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joshua #50, Sean #638.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Joshua held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Sean in 2.
Highest recorded here: Joshua #6 in 2002, Sean #13 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joshua #63, 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 | Joshua | Sean |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Hebrew Yehoshua, combining 'yeho' (referring to God) with 'yasha' ('to save') — 'Yahweh is salvation'. Joshua succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelites in the Old Testament. | The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/ | /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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #81 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Joshua is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Sean is recorded with a Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John origin.
- Joshua has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
- Joshua'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
Joshua
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #77 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1971–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1993 (recorded 1971–2024).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #405 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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