Shawn

A variant of Sean, from Irish Seán, from Old French Jehan, from Latin Jōhannēs, variant of Iōannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (yōḥānān, yokhanán, literally “God is gracious”). Doublet of Evan, Giovanni, Ian, Ivan, Jack, Jean, Johan, Johann, Johannes, John, Juan, Sean, Shane, and Shaun as a male name. Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Jane, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena as a female name.

• IPA^(key): /ʃɔːn/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ʃɑn/

Shawn

1. (chiefly US) Alternative form of Shaun, a unisex given name.
   • 1984, Louise Erdrich, Love Medicine, Bantam Books, published 1987, →ISBN, page 169:

     Two weeks later Dot and her girl, who was finally named Shawn, like most girls born that year, came back to work at the scales.

   • 1996, Tobias Wolff, The Night in Question: Stories, Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, page 141:

     Or take Sean, S-E-A-N. Been spelled like that for about five hundred years. But not them, they've gotta spell it S-H-A-W-N. Like they have a right to that name in the first place.

   • 2024 December 14, Elizabeth Wagmeister, “Jay-Z says inconsistencies in rape accuser’s story proves her attorney was looking for ‘money and fame’”, in CNN‎^[1]:

     Earlier this week, an anonymous Jane Doe filed an amended complaint against Combs and Jay-Z, whose given name is Shawn Carter, which revealed that a previously unnamed celebrity in her original complaint against Combs, initially filed in October, was Carter.

• Deshawn
• Shawna

• Hawns, hwans