| Shaun | |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | Irish: [ˈʃɔn] or [ˈʃeɪn] |
| Gender | male |
| Language(s) | english |
| Origin | |
| Region of origin | Christian |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Seaghán, Seón |
| Related names | Shane John Ian |
Seán or Séan is an Irish language name.[1] It is the Irish equivalent of the French Jean. Anglicisations of the name include Sean (without a fada), Shane, Shayne, Shaine, Shaun, and Shawn. The name Shane comes from the Ulster pronunciation of the name, whereas the names Shaun, Shawn, or Sean come from the way it is pronounced in Munster, Leinster, and Connacht.[2]
In the 11th century, the Norman duke William the Conqueror invaded and conquered England and brought his Norman knights and their dialect with him. In England, the French name Jehan (pronounced [dʒɛˈan]) came to be spelled John. The Norman kings of England also conquered Ireland in the 13th century and the 14th century. The Irish nobility was replaced by Norman nobles, some of whom bore the French name Jean or the Anglicised name John. The Irish adapted the name to their own pronunciation and spelling, producing the name Seán. Sean is mostly pronounced Shawn, but in the northern parts of Ireland (owing to a northern dialect), it is pronounced "Shayn", thus leading to the variant Shane.[3]