Sean

Sean is a male given name of Irish origin.^[1] Its correct Irish spelling is Seán [ʃaːn̪ˠ] or Séan [ʃeːn̪ˠ], while an older form is Seaghán or Seaġán. It is the Irish spelling of the Biblical Hebrew name Yohanan (יוֹחָנָן‎), rendered John in English and Johannes/Johann/Johan in other Germanic languages. The Norman French Jehan (see Jean) is another version. Seán is the source for English versions such as Shaun, Shawn and Shon. Séan reflects the Ulster pronunciation^[2] and is anglicized Shane, Shaine or Shayne.

For notable people named Sean, refer to List of people named Sean.

Origin

The name was adopted into the Irish language most likely from Jean, the French variant of the Hebrew name Yohanan. As Gaelic has no letter J (a consonant derived from the vowel I that has not been adopted into all languages that use the Latin alphabet; English also lacked the J until the latter 17th Century, with John having previously been spelt Iohn), an S was substituted, as was the normal Gaelic practice in adapting Biblical names that in other languages contain J (Sine/Siobhàn for Joan/Jane/Anne/Anna; Seonaid/Sinéad for Janet; Seumas/Séamus for James; Seosamh/Seòsaidh for Joseph, and so on). In 1066, the Norman duke, William the Conqueror conquered England, where the Norman French name Jahan/Johan (Old French: [dʒəˈãn], Middle English: [dʒɛˈan])^{[citation needed]} came to be pronounced Jean,^{[clarification needed]} 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 fada on the e instead of the a),^{[citation needed]} thus leading to the variant Shane.

The name was once the common equivalent of John in Gaelic-speaking areas of Scotland (largely identifiable with the Highlands and Islands), but has been supplanted by a vulgarization of its address form: Iain or Ian.^[3] When addressing someone named Seán in Irish, it becomes a Sheáin [ə ˈçaːn̠ʲ], and in Scotland was generally adapted into Scots and Highland English as Eathain, Eoin, Iain, and Ian (John has traditionally been more commonly used in the Scots-speaking Lowlands than any form of Seán). Even in Highland areas where Gaelic is still spoken, these anglicisations are now more common than Seán or Seathan, undoubtedly due in part to registrars in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland having long been instructed not to register Gaelic names in birth or baptismal registrations.^[4]

In other languages

• English: Sean, Seon, Shane, Shayne, Shaine, Shon, Shaun, Shawn, Seann, Shaan
• Welsh: Sion, Shôn
• Scottish Gaelic, Highland English and Scots: Eathain, Eoin, Iain, Ian
• Korean: 션, 숀, 셔은, 쇼은
• Japanese: ショーン
• Chinese: 肖恩, 尚恩
• Arabic: شان‎
• Hebrew: שון‎

See also

• List of people named Sean
• Eoin
• Alternate forms for the name John
• John (given name)

References

External links

• Chinese translation of Sean