| Nolan | Sean | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Champion | God is gracious |
| Origin | Irish | irish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | NOH-lun | SHAWN |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1881 | 1925 |
| Peak year | 2015 (5,739) | 1990 (12,018) |
| In 2025 | 4,846 | 616 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Nolan | Sean |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 30,357 | 4,766 |
| 2010s | 50,045 | 21,540 |
| 2000s | 26,374 | 64,133 |
| 1990s | 11,791 | 92,003 |
| 1980s | 4,678 | 103,870 |
| 1970s | 2,006 | 83,819 |
| 1960s | 1,494 | 47,282 |
| 1950s | 1,960 | 5,452 |
| 1940s | 2,003 | 659 |
| 1930s | 1,822 | 101 |
| 1920s | 1,674 | 12 |
| 1910s | 1,021 | 0 |
| 1900s | 174 | 0 |
| 1890s | 75 | 0 |
| 1880s | 31 | 0 |
Nolan comes from the Irish Ó Nualláin, linked to “champion” or “noble.”
The Irish form of John (Seán), borrowed from Norman-French Jehan, ultimately from Hebrew 'Yochanan' meaning 'God is gracious.' Anglicised variants include Shawn and Shaun.
Nolan is more popular than Sean today: about 4,846 US babies were given the name Nolan in 2025, compared with 616 named Sean.
Nolan means Champion (Irish origin), while Sean means God is gracious (irish origin).
In US records, Nolan first appears in 1881 and Sean in 1925, so Nolan has the longer recorded history.