Mark vs Sean
Mark 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, Mark was ranked #177 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2000, Mark was ranked #89 and Sean #52 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2001, Mark was ranked #90 and Sean #69 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Mark was ranked #99 and Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Mark was ranked #169 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Mark was ranked #277 and Sean #638 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2022, Mark was ranked #316 and Sean #496 among boys in Norway.
Mark and Sean over time
Mark and Sean appear together in 6 published lists, across 242 years of shared records. Sean held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Mark 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.
Mark reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Sean 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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Sean moved into the top 50 at #48 in 1994 as Mark fell out of it to #52, having been #42 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1994, Sean moved ahead of Mark in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #42 and #50 the year before became #52 and #48.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Mark and Sean changed places 8 times in Norway · Boys between 1965 and 2022, ending at #316 and #496.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Mark and Sean averaged 31.1 places apart, ending at #90 and #69.
- Longest-running competitions
Mark and Sean were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 39 years, from 1963 to 2001, ending at #90 and #69.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Mark #55 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #49 in England and Wales · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2024 they were #277 and #638.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Mark held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Sean in 31.
Highest recorded here: Mark #7 in 1974, Sean #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mark #99, Sean #141.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1965–2022
Mark held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Sean in 24.
Highest recorded here: Mark #238 in 1987, Sean #185 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Mark #316, Sean #496.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1963–2001
Mark held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Sean in 9.
Highest recorded here: Mark #3 in 1968, Sean #29 in 1967.
The order changed in 1994: Sean moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #42 and #50; by 1994 that had become #52 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Mark #90, Sean #69.
New Zealand · Boys37 shared years, 1963–2000
Mark held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sean in 8.
Highest recorded here: Mark #2 in 1974, Sean #28 in 1995.
The order changed in 1992: Sean moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #36 and #38; by 1992 that had become #49 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Mark #89, Sean #52.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mark held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sean in 16.
Highest recorded here: Mark #55 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.
The order changed in 2013: Mark moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #214 and #214; by 2013 that had become #215 and #239.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mark #277, Sean #638.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Mark held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Sean in 26.
Highest recorded here: Mark #12 in 1999, Sean #13 in 2001.
The order changed in 2000: Sean moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #12 and #18; by 2000 that had become #22 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mark #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 | Mark | Sean |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A form of the Latin name Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark authored the second Gospel and is patron saint of Venice. | The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry. |
| Origin | Latin | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɑɹk/ | /ʃɔːn/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 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 #99 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Mark is recorded with a Latin origin, while Sean is recorded with a Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John origin.
- Mark and Sean both have 1 syllable.
- Mark'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
Mark
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #362 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2001
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1960 (recorded 1952–2001).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 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