Namewise

Sean vs Stephen

Sean and Stephencompared 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 Stephen #95 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

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

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1997, Sean was ranked #52 and Stephen #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Sean was ranked #141 and Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Sean was ranked #234 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2001, Sean was ranked #248 and Stephen #522 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Sean was ranked #615 and Stephen #716 among boys in England and Wales.

Sean and Stephen over time

Sean and Stephen appear together in 6 published lists, across 214 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Stephen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Sean 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Sean moved into the top 50 at #45 in 1992 as Stephen fell out of it to #55, having been #47 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1992, Sean moved ahead of Stephen in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #50 and #47 the year before became #45 and #55.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Sean and Stephen changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1965 and 2001, ending at #248 and #522.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Sean and Stephen averaged 56.1 places apart, ending at #615 and #716.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Sean and Stephen were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #615 and #716.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Sean #49 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1997 they stood at #15 and #23 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 8 places apart; by 2024 they were #48 and #305.

List by list

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

    Sean held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Stephen in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Sean #1 in 1997, Stephen #4 in 1983.

    The order changed in 1992: Sean moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #7 and #4; by 1992 that had become #5 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Sean #141, Stephen #232.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 1963–1997

    Sean held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Stephen in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Sean #29 in 1967, Stephen #7 in 1963.

    The order changed in 1992: Sean moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #50 and #47; by 1992 that had become #45 and #55.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Sean #52, Stephen #100.

  • New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1963–1997

    Sean held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Stephen in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Sean #28 in 1995, Stephen #7 in 1963.

    The order changed in 1989: Sean moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #45 and #41; by 1989 that had become #41 and #47.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Sean #34, Stephen #95.

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

    Sean held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Stephen in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Sean #49 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Sean #615, Stephen #716.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: Sean #13 in 2001, Stephen #21 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Sean #48, Stephen #305.

  • Norway · Boys24 shared years, 1965–2001

    Sean held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Stephen in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Sean #248 in 2001, Stephen #250 in 1990.

    The order changed in 1995: Sean moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #376 and #339; by 1995 that had become #327 and #511.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Sean #248, Stephen #522.

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 Sean

Pairs where Sean shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Stephen

Pairs where Stephen 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland 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 Sean, Stephen
FieldSeanStephen
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningThe Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry.From Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr.
OriginIrish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew JohnGreek
Pronunciation/ʃɔːn//ˈstiː.vən/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSteven, Stefan, Stephan
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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Sean is recorded with a Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John origin, while Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Sean has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Stephen.
  • Sean's recorded meaning differs from Stephen's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Sean a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

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

Stephen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #352 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 recorded1952–1997

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #716 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys