Shaun
Boy name · Celtic · English · Gaelic · Hebrew · Irish
MeaningGod is gracious · Irish form of Sean
- US rank
- #1,942
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #52 in 1978
79 babies were named Shaun in the US in 2025. It has dropped 808 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1935–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Shaun you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Shaun
Shaun Wright-Phillips
English association football player (born 1981)
Choose Shaun and your child shares a first name with Shaun Wright-Phillips, an English association football player. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Shaun, like who?” Shaun Wright-Phillips's Wikipedia article is available in 48 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Shaun Wright-Phillips on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: John Dobson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 21,598 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Shaun, 79 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Shaun would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryShaun first shows up in US birth records in 1935, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 90 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1978, when it ranked #52. Today it's #1,942, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowShaun was 8.3× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 2,615 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 21,598.
- TrendShaun has slipped 808 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,942. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedShaun is most popular in Missouri, where it ranks #869, followed by Virginia (#971) and Washington (#999). It's in the top 1,000 in 3 states.
- MeaningShaun is an Irish form of Sean, which means “God is gracious”. Our records link it to Celtic, English and Gaelic roots.
About the name Shaun
Shaun is a boy name of Celtic, English and Gaelic origin meaning “God is gracious”. It has 5 letters and 1 syllable, starting with S and ending in “-aun”. US birth records list Shaun for boys from 1935 to 2025, in 91 of those 91 years. Its best year was 1978, when it ranked #52 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,942, with 79 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesEnglish namesGaelic namesHebrew namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 12 | 85,179 boys |
| 1940s | 15 | 66,934 boys |
| 1950s | 60 | 16,748 boys |
| 1960s | 298 | 3,355 boys |
| 1970s | 1,161 | 862 boys |
| 1980s | 1,338 | 747 boys |
| 1990s | 440 | 2,275 boys |
| 2000s | 351 | 2,851 boys |
| 2010s | 170 | 5,869 boys |
| 2020s | 73 | 13,774 boys |
Other spellings of Shaun
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
Questions about the name Shaun
What does the name Shaun mean?
Shaun means “God is gracious” in Irish, as a form of Sean.
What is the origin of the name Shaun?
Shaun has Celtic, English, Gaelic, Hebrew, Irish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Owen, Logan, Rowan.
Is Shaun a boy or girl name?
Shaun is a boy name.
How popular is the name Shaun?
Shaun ranked #1,942 for US boys in 2025, given to 79 babies. Its best year was 1978 (#52).