UK boy's name
Senan
An Irish name meaning "old" or "little old man".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Senan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Senan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2263, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 19 births.
This profile covers 253 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1997 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland 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 53% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 679 living people in the UK are called Senan. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Senan ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 19 boys were registered as Senan.
- • Senan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #104 in 2024.
- • About 679 living people in the UK are estimated to have Senan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2263
2024
Births in 2024
10
Latest year
Peak year
2017
19 births
Estimated living
679
2026
Meaning
What does Senan mean?
The name Senan is of Irish origin and has its roots in the Gaelic language. It is derived from the word "sean," which means "old" or "ancient." The name can be traced back to the 5th and 6th centuries, during the early Christian era in Ireland.
Senan is closely associated with Saint Senán, a prominent Irish monastic saint who lived in the 6th century. He founded several monasteries, including the famous Scattery Island monastery in County Clare. The name gained widespread popularity due to the veneration of this saint, and it was adopted by many Irish families as a way to honor him.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Senan can be found in the ancient Irish text, the "Annals of Inisfallen," which dates back to the 11th century. This text chronicles the lives of various Irish saints and includes references to individuals named Senan.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Senan. One of the most famous was Senan O'Murchadha (c. 1070 - c. 1130), an Irish cleric and poet who served as the Bishop of Lismore in County Waterford. Another prominent figure was Senan O'Fallon (c. 1490 - c. 1560), an Irish chieftain and leader of the O'Fallon clan in County Roscommon.
In the 17th century, Senan MacDonnell (c. 1610 - c. 1680) was a notable Irish soldier and landowner who fought for the Confederacy during the Irish Confederate Wars. He was later involved in the Jacobite risings in Scotland.
During the 19th century, Senan Cleary (1823 - 1901) was an Irish journalist and editor who played a significant role in the Irish nationalist movement. He founded and edited several newspapers, including "The Irish Monthly" and "The Irish Literary Gazette."
Another noteworthy figure was Senan Kilcullen (1890 - 1973), an Irish politician and member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He participated in the Irish War of Independence and later served as a member of the Irish Parliament (Dáil Éireann) for many years.
While the name Senan has its roots in ancient Irish history and tradition, it continues to be used in modern times, reflecting the enduring connection to Ireland's rich cultural heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Senan over time
The chart below shows babies named Senan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Senan, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 19 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Senan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Senan 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 | #1700 | 73 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1901 | 124 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2784 | 49 | 9 |
| 1990s | #2642 | 7 | 2 |
Geography
Where Senan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Senan. 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.
Senan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #104 in 2024.
Across the UK
Senan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#687 in 2013
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#104 in 2024
22 years of NISRA records, 427 total registered
Related
Names similar to Senan
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Senan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Senan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Senan was ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.
When was Senan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 19 babies registered as Senan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Senan?
An Irish name meaning "old" or "little old man".
How many people are called Senan in the UK?
A total of 253 babies have been registered as Senan across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland and 427 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Senan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Senan ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #104 in 2024. 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.