Seán
| Pronunciation |
/ˈʃɔːn/ Irish: [ˈʃɔːnˠ] or [ˈʃeːnˠ] or [ˈʃeɪn] |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Language(s) | Irish language |
| Region of origin | Irish cognate of John (Hebrew origin) |
| Variant form(s) | Seaghán, Seón, Shaun, Shawn, Seann, Seaghán, Shaine, Shayne, Shane, Shon, Shan |
| Related names | Female version: Shawna, Shauna, Seána, Shonna Siobhán |
Sean is a male given name of Irish origin. Its correct Irish spelling is Seán (pronounced [ˈʃɔːnˠ], shawn) or Séan (pronounced [ˈʃeːnˠ], shayn), while an older form is Seaghán. It is an Irish borrowing of the Norman French Jehan (see Jean) and is related to John. Anglicizations of Seán include Shaun, Shawn and Shon. Séan reflects the northern Irish pronunciation and is anglicized Shane, Shaine or Shayne.
For notable people named Seán, refer to List of people named Sean.
The name originated in the Irish language. It is an adaption of the Anglo-Norman name Johan/John. In 1066, the Norman duke, William the Conqueror conquered England, where the Norman French name Jahan / Johan (pronounced [dʒɛˈan]) came to be pronounced Jean, and spelled John. The Norman from the Welsh Marches, with the Norman King of England's mandate invaded parts of Leinster and Munster in the 1170s. The Irish nobility in these areas were replaced by Norman nobles, some of whom bore the Norman French name Johan or the Anglicised name John. The Irish adapted the name to their own pronunciation and spelling, producing the name Seán (or Seathan). Sean is commonly pronounced Shawn (Seán), but in the northern parts of Ireland (owing to a northern dialect), it is pronounced "Shan", "Shen" or "Shayn" (Séan, with the accent on the e instead of the a), thus leading to the variant .
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