Siobhán
Say it: shiv-AWN
GirlIrishMeans god is gracious7 letters2 syllables
#483
in Ireland (2025)
#379 with spellings combined
10
babies in 2025
#15
best rank (1971)
9,203
babies since 1964
Down 88
10-year rank change
Siobhán through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | #379 |
| 2023 | 10 | #358 |
| 2022 | 5 | #627 |
| 2021 | 8 | #460 |
| 2020 | 6 | #534 |
| 2019 | 3 | #844 |
| 2018 | 11 | #385 |
| 2017 | 10 | #399 |
| 2016 | 18 | #254 |
| 2015 | 17 | #291 |
| 2014 | 19 | #264 |
| 2013 | 26 | #216 |
| 2012 | 28 | #199 |
| 2011 | 34 | #170 |
| 2010 | 33 | #184 |
| 2009 | 39 | #158 |
| 2008 | 29 | #194 |
| 2007 | 42 | #144 |
| 2006 | 43 | #125 |
| 2005 | 44 | #117 |
| 2004 | 55 | #97 |
| 2003 | 51 | #100 |
| 2002 | 56 | #87 |
| 2001 | 78 | #65 |
| 2000 | 64 | #74 |
| 1999 | 60 | #76 |
| 1998 | 79 | #50 |
| 1997 | 100 | #57 |
| 1996 | 118 | #48 |
| 1995 | 126 | #49 |
| 1994 | 124 | #45 |
| 1993 | 133 | #45 |
| 1992 | 156 | #37 |
| 1991 | 174 | #33 |
| 1990 | 191 | #32 |
| 1989 | 198 | #25 |
| 1988 | 199 | #26 |
| 1987 | 271 | #23 |
| 1986 | 225 | #29 |
| 1985 | 228 | #34 |
| 1984 | 244 | #30 |
| 1983 | 258 | #29 |
| 1982 | 302 | #28 |
| 1981 | 318 | #26 |
| 1980 | 314 | #33 |
| 1979 | 281 | #35 |
| 1978 | 304 | #30 |
| 1977 | 283 | #30 |
| 1976 | 314 | #26 |
| 1975 | 340 | #21 |
| 1974 | 301 | #26 |
| 1973 | 332 | #21 |
| 1972 | 319 | #22 |
| 1971 | 401 | #15 |
| 1970 | 312 | #21 |
| 1969 | 295 | #22 |
| 1968 | 226 | #29 |
| 1967 | 242 | #31 |
| 1966 | 242 | #31 |
| 1965 | 247 | #34 |
| 1964 | 207 | #35 |
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 Siobhán mean?
God is gracious
Irish, from Anglo-Norman Jehane, a form of Joan.
Say it right
shivAWN
The "bh" sounds like v, and the fada makes the last part long. Some say shuh-VAWN.
Not:see-OB-hanSY-oh-ban
The story of Siobhán
Siobhán is the Irish form of Joan. It came from the Normans, whose Jehane was taken into Irish as Sibán and later spelled Siobhán. Behind Jehane lies the Latin Johanna, and behind that a Hebrew name meaning “God is gracious”. It is a feminine match for Seán, which comes from the same source, and a close cousin of Sinéad. In English it has also been spelled the way it sounds, as Shevaun, Shivaun and Shavawn, among others.
Siobhán was a favourite in Ireland when the CSO records begin. It peaked in 1971, with 401 girls, at number 15. It has become much rarer since: by 2025 only 10 girls were registered with either spelling. The CSO did not record fadas before 2018, so these figures count Siobhán and Siobhan together.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Siobhán (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Siobhan
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Siobhán | 7 | 42 |
| Siobhan | 3 | 9,161 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #133 (1997); 81 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.