A 6 month old baby boy smiling, laying on a bed
The most mispronounced name is a huge surprise (Picture: Getty Images)

There are a number of Irish names that leave us all confused when it’s time to say them out loud. However one surprising Irish moniker reigns as the most mispronounced in the world. 

Names like Saorise, Siobhan, Aoife, Niamh and Cathal often leave English speakers confused because of the unfamiliar combination of letters. 

However, the name that is pronounced incorrectly most of the time is actually… Sean. 

A study was conducted by WordFinderX for which data was analysed from Forvo, an online service that helps people learn how to pronounce words with audio clips. 

It turns out that Sean (pronounced like Shawn and not like seen) is the name that has been searched the most, with users entering the name into Forvo a whopping one million times. This makes it the most requested name on the site by around 200,000 listens. 

2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards - Arrivals
Musician Sean Paul (Picture: Ivan Apfel/WireImage)

Sean, which is also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name Yohanan. 

It’s also related to the name John, which means ‘God is gracious’. And if you’re ever stuck on trying to pronounce Sean, just remember that these two names sound alike.

Or you can simply think about all the famous people named Sean in the world; from Sean Connery and Sean Penn to Big Sean and Sean Paul.

The name in second place is Xuxa, which is of Basque origin and pronounced ‘Shoo-shuh’. It has been searched on the site 802,000 times. 

While in third place with 696,000 listens is the Latin name Victoria, which we can all agree is heard a lot more in our everyday lives, because of the tube. 

The top five was rounded out by the Spanish name Francisco and the Greek name Plato.

What are the top boy's names predicted for 2024?

Are you having a baby this year and in need of some inspiration? If the name Sean is perhaps to common, here are some more unique names predicted to be popular this year.

  1. Orion
  2. Rowan
  3. Ren
  4. Jared
  5. Florian
  6. Basil
  7. Linden
  8. Cedar
  9. Thorn
  10. Hollis

The top spot goes to Orion – a flower that represents good health and happiness. While second place goes to Rowan, a shrub that’s traditionally used for protection.

Third position goes to Ren, which is known as the Buddhist symbol of perfection – and in many cultures is a symbol of good luck and fortune.

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