Samuel vs Sean
Samuel 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 Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Samuel was ranked #7 and Sean #83 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2007, Samuel was ranked #14 and Sean #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Samuel was ranked #64 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2022, Samuel was ranked #53 and Sean #496 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Samuel was ranked #60 and Sean #638 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Samuel was ranked #69 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Samuel was ranked #76 and Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Samuel and Sean over time
Samuel and Sean appear together in 6 published lists, across 238 years of shared records. Samuel held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Sean 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 6 of those lists, and Samuel 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1980, Samuel moved ahead of Sean in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #57 and #55 the year before became #59 and #69.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Samuel and Sean changed places 4 times in Norway · Boys between 1965 and 2022, ending at #53 and #496.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Samuel and Sean averaged 32.6 places apart, ending at #14 and #85.
- Mirrored each other
Over 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Samuel rose about as far as Sean fell — from #93 and #40 in 1972 to #14 and #85 in 2007.
- Longest-running competitions
Samuel and Sean were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1972 to 2007, ending at #14 and #85.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Samuel held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sean in 54.
Highest recorded here: Samuel #33 in 2013, Sean #1 in 1997.
The order changed in 2018: Samuel moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #52 and #5; by 2018 that had become #54 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Samuel #76, Sean #141.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1965–2022
Samuel held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Sean in 2.
Highest recorded here: Samuel #44 in 2019, Sean #185 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Samuel #53, Sean #496.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1967–2007
Samuel held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Sean in 4.
Highest recorded here: Samuel #3 in 1998, Sean #28 in 1995.
The order changed in 1974: Samuel moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #78 and #63; by 1974 that had become #59 and #62.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Samuel #7, Sean #83.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 1972–2007
Samuel held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Sean in 6.
Highest recorded here: Samuel #10 in 2003, Sean #40 in 1972.
The order changed in 1980: Samuel moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #57 and #55; by 1980 that had become #59 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Samuel #14, Sean #85.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Samuel held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Samuel #6 in 2004, Sean #49 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Samuel #60, Sean #638.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Samuel held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sean in 27.
Highest recorded here: Samuel #25 in 2005, Sean #13 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Samuel #64, 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 | Samuel | Sean |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally rendered as 'name of God', though also popularly interpreted as 'God has heard' — sources differ on which root is emphasised. | The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsæmjuːəl/ | /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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (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
- Samuel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel origin, while Sean is recorded with a Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John origin.
- Samuel has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
- Samuel'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
Samuel
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #339 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1967–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #38 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