UK girl's name
Seanna
An Irish feminine name likely derived from Shawnee meaning "God is gracious".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Seanna is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Seanna popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3533, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 16 births.
This profile covers 139 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1996 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 153 living people in the UK are called Seanna. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Seanna ranked #3533 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 16 girls were registered as Seanna.
- • Seanna ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #339 in 2002.
- • About 153 living people in the UK are estimated to have Seanna as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3533
2022
Births in 2022
6
Latest year
Peak year
2010
16 births
Estimated living
153
2026
Meaning
What does Seanna mean?
The name Seanna originates from the Irish Gaelic language and has its roots in ancient Celtic culture. It is a feminine form of the name Sean, which is derived from the Old Irish word "shan" meaning "ancient" or "old."
Seanna is believed to have first appeared as a name in the 5th or 6th century AD, during the early Christian era in Ireland. It was likely used as a name for girls born in Irish monastic communities or among the noble families of the time.
While there are no definitive references to the name Seanna in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that the name was used in oral traditions or local records that have been lost over time.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Seanna can be found in the Irish Annals from the 9th century AD, where a woman named Seanna ingen Áeda is mentioned. However, there are few other documented cases of the name's use until more recent centuries.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Seanna. One of the earliest was Seanna Ní Chinnéide (c. 1350 – 1425), an Irish noblewoman and poet who lived during the late medieval period. Another figure was Seanna Nic an Bhaird (c. 1560 – 1630), a Scottish-Irish Gaelic poet and harper from the 16th and 17th centuries.
In more modern times, Seanna Browder (1933 – 2004) was an American actress and dancer who appeared in several Broadway productions and television shows. Seanna Buckman (born 1975) is a contemporary Canadian writer and artist known for her work in children's literature.
Additionally, Seanna Mulholland (born 1979) is a Scottish actress and singer who has performed in various stage productions and television series. These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Seanna throughout history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Seanna over time
The chart below shows babies named Seanna registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Seanna, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2022, compared with 16 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Seanna by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Seanna was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3490 | 12 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3445 | 75 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3167 | 43 | 7 |
| 1990s | #3822 | 9 | 3 |
Geography
Where Seanna is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Seanna. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Seanna ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #339 in 2002.
Across the UK
Seanna in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#339 in 2002
3 years of NISRA records, 15 total registered
Related
Names similar to Seanna
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Seanna: questions and answers
How popular is the name Seanna in the UK right now?
In 2022, Seanna was ranked #3533 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Seanna most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 16 babies registered as Seanna in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Seanna?
An Irish feminine name likely derived from Shawnee meaning "God is gracious".
How many people are called Seanna in the UK?
A total of 139 babies have been registered as Seanna across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here and 15 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Seanna most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Seanna ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #339 in 2002. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.