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 2024, Sean was ranked #638 and Stephen #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Sean and Stephen over time
Sean and Stephen appear together in 6 published lists, across 213 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 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Sean and Stephen averaged 54.6 places apart, ending at #638 and #651.
- Longest-running competitions
Sean and Stephen were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 35 years, from 1963 to 1997, ending at #52 and #100.
- 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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Sean held the stronger position in 28 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, 2024: Sean #638, Stephen #651.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Sean | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The 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. |
| Origin | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ʃɔːn/ | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
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
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
Stephen
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys