Shawn in Chinese
Shawn in Chinese is 肖恩 (Xiào Ēn).
- Origin
- Irish/Hebrew
- Meaning
- God is gracious
Shawn is a name of Irish/Hebrew origin, generally understood to mean "God is gracious". It first shows up in US Social Security records in 1931 and peaked in 1971. Spellings pronounced the same way include Sean, which share the transliteration 肖恩.
3 ways to write Shawn
phonetic
Following the sound of your name
肖恩
Xiào Ēn
The standard transliteration of Shawn: 肖 (xiào, "to resemble"), 恩 (ēn, "grace, kindness"). Chosen for sound, it is instantly recognizable as this name.
Why these characters?
Mandarin has no consonant clusters, so the 1-syllable English name is spread over 2 characters: 肖 xiào + 恩 ēn. The tone contour is 4-1 (falling, high level).
Character breakdown
17 strokes total (simplified)- 肖
xiào
Tone 4 · 7 strokes (simplified)
to resemble
- 恩
ēn
Tone 1 · 10 strokes (simplified)
grace, kindness
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Stroke order
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meaningful
Chosen for meaning and association
祺涛
Qí Tāo
Inspired by "God is gracious": 祺 (qí, "auspicious, lucky") + 涛 (tāo, "great waves"), expressing blessing and divine protection.
Why these characters?
The idea of "God" behind Shawn is rendered by 祺, "auspicious, lucky"; 涛, "great waves", completes it.
Character breakdown
22 strokes total (simplified)- 祺
qí
Tone 2 · 12 strokes (simplified)
auspicious, lucky
- 涛
tāo
Tone 1 · 10 strokes (simplified)
great waves
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Stroke order
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balanced
A balance of sound and meaning
祺佑
Qí Yòu
祺 (qí, "auspicious, lucky") + 佑 (yòu, "blessing, protection"): a natural Chinese given name themed on blessing and divine protection.
Why these characters?
No attractive character closely matches "shawn" (xiào), so 祺 ("auspicious, lucky") and 佑 ("blessing, protection") were chosen for blessing and divine protection.
Character breakdown
19 strokes total (simplified)- 祺
qí
Tone 2 · 12 strokes (simplified)
auspicious, lucky
- 佑
yòu
Tone 4 · 7 strokes (simplified)
blessing, protection
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Stroke order
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Popularity in the US
US Social Security records show 301,891 boys named Shawn since 1931, with the high point in 1971 (12,834 births) and the busiest decade being the 1970s. Between 1990 and 2017 it slipped, from #69 to #387 among boys.
- Peak year
- 1971
- Peak decade
- 1970s
- First year
- 1931
- Total since 1880
- 301,891
More About Shawn in Chinese
The Chinese translation of Shawn offers multiple styles to suit different preferences. Whether you prefer a phonetic transliteration that sounds like your name, or a meaningful interpretation that captures the essence of Shawn, you'll find options that work for you.
Shawn is also spelled Sean — both names use the same Chinese transliteration.
Names with the same root meaning include John in Chinese, Juan in Chinese, Jack in Chinese, Ian in Chinese, Shane in Chinese, Ivan in Chinese, Johnny in Chinese, Giovanni in Chinese, Gianna in Chinese, and Joanna in Chinese, which share similar origins or meanings.
If you're exploring Chinese names for boys, you might also be interested in Sean in Chinese, John in Chinese, and Juan in Chinese. Each name has its own unique character combinations and meanings.
Other popular choices include Jack in Chinese, Ian in Chinese, Shane in Chinese, Ivan in Chinese, and Johnny in Chinese, each with beautiful traditional and simplified character options.
When choosing Chinese characters for Shawn, consider whether you want:
- Phonetic accuracy: Characters that sound like Shawn to native Chinese speakers
- Meaningful symbolism: Characters chosen for their beautiful meanings and cultural significance
- Balanced approach: A combination of sound and meaning that works well in both languages
Browse our complete A-Z index of Chinese names to explore more options, or start with our curated list of popular names in Chinese to see what others are choosing.
Frequently asked questions
How is Shawn translated into Chinese?
肖恩 (Xiào Ēn), identical in simplified and traditional script. This is the conventional transliteration used in Chinese media.
How popular is the name Shawn?
US Social Security records show 301,891 boys named Shawn since 1931, with the high point in 1971 (12,834 births) and the busiest decade being the 1970s. Between 1990 and 2017 it slipped, from #69 to #387 among boys.
Is there a Chinese name for Shawn with real meaning?
Try 祺涛 (Qí Tāo): auspicious, lucky + great waves, inspired by "God is gracious". For something that still sounds like Shawn, 祺佑 (Qí Yòu) is a middle ground.
Related names and spelling variants
Carter
卡特
English
Chase
蔡斯
English
Devin
德文
Irish
Gianna
吉安娜
Italian/Hebrew
Giovanni
乔瓦尼
Italian/Hebrew
Ian
伊恩
Scottish/Hebrew
Ivan
伊万
Russian/Hebrew
Jack
杰克
English/Hebrew
Joanna
乔安娜
Hebrew
John
约翰
Hebrew
Johnny
约翰尼
Hebrew
Juan
胡安
Spanish/Hebrew
Landon
兰登
English
Marcus
马库斯
Latin
Owen
欧文
Welsh
Peter
彼得
Greek
Sean
肖恩
Irish/Hebrew
Sebastian
塞巴斯蒂安
Greek
Shane
沙恩
Irish/Hebrew
Trevor
特雷弗
Welsh
Wyatt
怀亚特
English