Sean vs Simon
Sean and Simoncompared 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 1997, Sean was ranked #34 and Simon #83 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Sean was ranked #52 and Simon #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Sean was ranked #77 and Simon #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2022, Sean was ranked #496 and Simon #99 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Sean was ranked #141 and Simon #244 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Sean was ranked #234 and Simon #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Sean was ranked #638 and Simon #524 among boys in England and Wales.
Sean and Simon over time
Sean and Simon appear together in 6 published lists, across 231 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Simon 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 #42 in 1990 as Simon fell out of it to #52, having been #41 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1990, Sean moved ahead of Simon in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #45 and #41 the year before became #42 and #52.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Sean and Simon averaged 19.4 places apart, ending at #52 and #94.
- Mirrored each other
Over 35 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Sean rose about as far as Simon fell — from #95 and #42 in 1963 to #34 and #83 in 1997.
- Longest-running competitions
Sean and Simon were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 35 years, from 1963 to 1997, ending at #52 and #94.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Sean #49 in 1996, Simon #87 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Sean held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Sean #1 in 1997, Simon #46 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Sean #141, Simon #244.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1965–2022
Sean held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Simon in 47.
Highest recorded here: Sean #185 in 2007, Simon #35 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Sean #496, Simon #99.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 1963–1997
Sean held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Simon in 26.
Highest recorded here: Sean #29 in 1967, Simon #24 in 1970.
The order changed in 1990: Sean moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #45 and #41; by 1990 that had become #42 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Sean #52, Simon #94.
New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1963–1997
Sean held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Simon in 29.
Highest recorded here: Sean #28 in 1995, Simon #12 in 1976.
The order changed in 1992: Sean moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #38 and #34; by 1992 that had become #32 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Sean #34, Simon #83.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Sean held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Simon in 6.
Highest recorded here: Sean #49 in 1996, Simon #87 in 1996.
The order changed in 2016: Simon moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #284 and #345; by 2016 that had become #359 and #359.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Sean #638, Simon #524.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1997–2022
Sean held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Sean #13 in 2001, Simon #95 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Sean #77, Simon #311.
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 | Sean | Simon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ʃɔːn/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| 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 #141 (2025) | Norway · Boys #159 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sean has a recorded origin (Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John); Simon does not have one recorded yet.
- Sean has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Simon.
- A meaning is recorded for Sean; Simon doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Simon
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #266 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1997
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1976 (recorded 1954–1997).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #159 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys