Namewise
Shortlist

Nicholas vs Sean

Nicholas and Sean compared 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, Nicholas was ranked #23 and Sean #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Nicholas was ranked #305 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2007, Nicholas was ranked #65 and Sean #83 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Nicholas was ranked #198 and Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Nicholas was ranked #191 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Nicholas was ranked #214 and Sean #615 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2022, Nicholas was ranked #238 and Sean #496 among boys in Norway.

Nicholas and Sean over time

Republic of Ireland · Boys
#1#3#10#30#10019642025Nicholas #198Sean #1411964: Nicholas #58, Sean #381965: Nicholas #65, Sean #411966: Nicholas #63, Sean #331967: Nicholas #77, Sean #361968: Nicholas #67, Sean #371969: Nicholas #75, Sean #351970: Nicholas #81, Sean #311971: Nicholas #85, Sean #271972: Nicholas #79, Sean #331973: Nicholas #88, Sean #291974: Nicholas #86, Sean #301975: Nicholas #83, Sean #341976: Nicholas #88, Sean #341977: Nicholas #77, Sean #271978: Nicholas #87, Sean #341979: Nicholas #81, Sean #281980: Nicholas #83, Sean #281981: Nicholas #80, Sean #201982: Nicholas #85, Sean #221983: Nicholas #78, Sean #151984: Nicholas #79, Sean #151985: Nicholas #82, Sean #161986: Nicholas #93, Sean #161987: Nicholas #92, Sean #141988: Nicholas #77, Sean #111989: Nicholas #77, Sean #91990: Nicholas #82, Sean #101991: Nicholas #95, Sean #71992: Nicholas #126, Sean #51993: Nicholas #101, Sean #61994: Nicholas #104, Sean #71995: Nicholas #129, Sean #41996: Nicholas #127, Sean #21997: Nicholas #109, Sean #11998: Nicholas #118, Sean #21999: Nicholas #116, Sean #22000: Nicholas #135, Sean #22001: Nicholas #145, Sean #22002: Nicholas #127, Sean #22003: Nicholas #150, Sean #12004: Nicholas #139, Sean #12005: Nicholas #138, Sean #22006: Nicholas #147, Sean #12007: Nicholas #143, Sean #22008: Nicholas #143, Sean #22009: Nicholas #185, Sean #22010: Nicholas #156, Sean #22011: Nicholas #149, Sean #32012: Nicholas #148, Sean #42013: Nicholas #135, Sean #52014: Nicholas #136, Sean #52015: Nicholas #125, Sean #52016: Nicholas #125, Sean #52017: Nicholas #175, Sean #52018: Nicholas #149, Sean #742019: Nicholas #133, Sean #1082020: Nicholas #174, Sean #882021: Nicholas #232, Sean #1022022: Nicholas #154, Sean #1272023: Nicholas #166, Sean #1242024: Nicholas #162, Sean #1232025: Nicholas #198, Sean #141

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

New Zealand · Boys
#10#3019632007Nicholas #65Sean #831963: Nicholas #65, Sean #951964: Nicholas #69, Sean #771965: Nicholas #65, Sean #741966: Nicholas #64, Sean #551967: Nicholas #58, Sean #461968: Nicholas #40, Sean #381969: Nicholas #38, Sean #481970: Nicholas #27, Sean #491971: Nicholas #27, Sean #471972: Nicholas #23, Sean #561973: Nicholas #21, Sean #631974: Nicholas #22, Sean #621975: Nicholas #16, Sean #621976: Nicholas #20, Sean #731977: Nicholas #18, Sean #691978: Nicholas #19, Sean #771979: Nicholas #12, Sean #721980: Nicholas #11, Sean #661981: Nicholas #9, Sean #601982: Nicholas #9, Sean #631983: Nicholas #8, Sean #711984: Nicholas #8, Sean #791985: Nicholas #11, Sean #751986: Nicholas #10, Sean #771987: Nicholas #11, Sean #561988: Nicholas #12, Sean #451989: Nicholas #12, Sean #411990: Nicholas #11, Sean #351991: Nicholas #11, Sean #381992: Nicholas #12, Sean #321993: Nicholas #12, Sean #291994: Nicholas #10, Sean #331995: Nicholas #12, Sean #281996: Nicholas #15, Sean #311997: Nicholas #19, Sean #341998: Nicholas #21, Sean #341999: Nicholas #23, Sean #312000: Nicholas #24, Sean #522001: Nicholas #29, Sean #602002: Nicholas #33, Sean #612003: Nicholas #30, Sean #642004: Nicholas #39, Sean #712005: Nicholas #52, Sean #572006: Nicholas #48, Sean #672007: Nicholas #65, Sean #83

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Nicholas and Sean over time

Nicholas and Sean appear together in 6 published lists, across 254 years of shared records. Nicholas held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Sean in 2.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Nicholas 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 2009, Nicholas moved ahead of Sean in England and Wales · Boys — #118 and #99 the year before became #130 and #132.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 44 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Nicholas and Sean averaged 33.2 places apart, ending at #23 and #85.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Nicholas and Sean were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #214 and #615.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Nicholas #52 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #52 and #49 in England and Wales · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #214 and #615.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Nicholas held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sean in 62.

    Highest recorded here: Nicholas #58 in 1964, Sean #1 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicholas #198, Sean #141.

  • New Zealand · Boys45 shared years, 1963–2007

    Nicholas held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Sean in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Nicholas #8 in 1983, Sean #28 in 1995.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Nicholas #65, Sean #83.

  • Norway · Boys45 shared years, 1968–2022

    Nicholas held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Sean in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Nicholas #126 in 2004, Sean #185 in 2007.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Nicholas #238, Sean #496.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys44 shared years, 1963–2007

    Nicholas held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Sean in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Nicholas #6 in 2002, Sean #29 in 1967.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Nicholas #23, Sean #85.

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

    Nicholas held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sean in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Nicholas #52 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2009: Nicholas moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #118 and #99; by 2009 that had become #130 and #132.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicholas #214, Sean #615.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Nicholas held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sean in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Nicholas #104 in 2000, Sean #13 in 2001.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Nicholas #305, 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 Nicholas

Pairs where Nicholas 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart →

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Nicholas, Sean
FieldNicholasSean
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom Greek Nikolaos, combining 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people) — 'victory of the people'. Associated with Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop and the inspiration for Santa Claus.The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry.
OriginGreekIrish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John
Pronunciation/ˈnɪk.ə.ləs//ʃɔːn/
Syllables31
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #198 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025)
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Nicholas is recorded with a Greek origin, while Sean is recorded with a Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John origin.
  • Nicholas has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
  • Nicholas'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

Nicholas

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1951

    First recorded at #384 among boys in Norway in 1951 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1955–2024

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2002 (recorded 1955–2024).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #214 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    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