Namewise

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 2025, Samuel was ranked #66 and Sean #615 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 239 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #66 and #615.

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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Samuel held the stronger position in 30 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, 2025: Samuel #66, Sean #615.

  • 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.

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 Samuel

Pairs where Samuel 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 — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

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 Samuel, Sean
FieldSamuelSean
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningTraditionally 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.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Greek SamouelIrish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John
Pronunciation/ˈsæmjuːəl//ʃɔːn/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1967–2023

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #66 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