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