Seánie
Say it: SHAW-nee
BoyIrishMeans a pet form of Seán, the Irish form of John6 letters2 syllables
#211
in Ireland (2025)
#168 with spellings combined
29
babies in 2025
#168
best rank (2025)
139
babies since 2008
Up 447
10-year rank change
Seánie through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #168 |
| 2024 | 23 | #203 |
| 2023 | 18 | #237 |
| 2022 | 12 | #338 |
| 2021 | 10 | #353 |
| 2020 | 8 | #418 |
| 2019 | 4 | #616 |
| 2018 | 7 | #446 |
| 2017 | 5 | #547 |
| 2016 | 3 | #713 |
| 2015 | 4 | #615 |
| 2014 | 3 | #715 |
| 2013 | 4 | #606 |
| 2012 | 3 | #718 |
| 2010 | 3 | #720 |
| 2008 | 3 | #698 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Seánie mean?
A pet form of Seán, the Irish form of John
Irish, Seán with the friendly ending -ie.
Say it right
SHAWnee
The fada on the "á" gives the long "aw" sound, so it is not SEE-nee.
Not:SEE-neeSEEN-ee
The story of Seánie
Seánie is a pet form of Seán, made by adding a friendly -ie ending. Seán is the Irish form of John, which came into Irish through the Norman French Jehan. John goes back to a Hebrew name meaning “God is gracious”.
For generations Seánie was what a Seán was called at home and among friends, rather than the name on his birth certificate. It is especially familiar from hurling, where several well-known players, such as Seánie McMahon and Seánie O’Leary, have gone by it.
Parents have lately started registering Seánie as a name in its own right. It first appears in the CSO records in 2008, and it has grown every year since 2021. In 2025, 29 boys were given the name, putting it at number 168 once spellings are combined. The CSO counts Seánie (22) and Seanie (7) separately, and it only recorded fadas from 2018.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Seánie
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Seánie | 22 | 86 |
| Seanie | 7 | 53 |
In Northern Ireland
#199 in 2025 with 10 babies. Best rank #199 (2025); 19 babies since 2023.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.