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Seamus as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Seamus

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The baby name Seamus is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈʃeɪməs/ (SHAY-mus).

Seamus is Irish, Irish (Gaelic) in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Pronunciation: /ˈʃeɪməs/ (SHAY-mus)

What is the meaning of the name Seamus ?

The baby name Seamus is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈʃeɪməs/ (SHAY-mus).

Seamus is Irish, Irish (Gaelic) in Origin.

Seamus is the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Séamus, the Irish equivalent of James. It descends from Late Latin Iacomus, a variant of Iacobus, ultimately from Hebrew Ya‘aqov, interpreted as “supplanter” or “holder of the heel.” In Irish and Hiberno-English it’s pronounced SHAY-mus. Close relatives include English James and Jacob, Scottish Gaelic Seumas (source of Hamish), and the Scots/English diminutives Jamie and Jem. Irish nicknames include Séimí and Shay.

The name entered Irish use in the medieval period with the cult of Saint James and remained steady through the Gaelic revival into modern times. It carries a distinctly Irish literary aura today, helped by figures like Nobel laureate poet Seamus Heaney and statesman Seamus Mallon. Variants and spellings appear with or without the accent (Séamus/Seamus), and the name travels easily while signaling strong Gaelic heritage.

Seamus has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Seamus

Seamus Heaney Actor · Born 1939 · Ireland Seamus Heaney was an Irish poet best known for winning the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature. He also worked as a playwright and translator, and some of his best-known books include Death of a Naturalist, North, and Field Work. Seamus Dever Actor · Born 1976 · United States Seamus Dever is an American actor best known for playing Detective Kevin Ryan on the ABC series Castle. Born July 27, 1976, he is especially recognized for that long-running role. Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick Actor · Born 1998 · United States Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick is an American actor best known for his role as Damien Thorn in the 2006 horror film 'The Omen'. He also appeared in 'Moonrise Kingdom' and had a recurring role in the TV series 'The Blacklist'.

Seamus – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2025 #1 836
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
CR 0 #165 1 5,526
HU Boys 0 #174 1 3,954
MT Boys 0 #178 2 4,064
UY 0 #182 1 2,477
AE 0 #186 2 10,220
TW Boys 0 #255 2 7,111
GR Boys 0 #271 3 6,912
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
SG 0 #281 2 11,010
Canada Boys 2024 #291 16 2,588
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
CN Boys 0 #329 3 9,639
DK Boys 0 #331 2 7,401
PL Boys 0 #339 2 6,459
MY 0 #349 6 12,352
HK 0 #357 1 8,483
PT Boys 0 #380 2 7,951
PH Boys 0 #408 1 11,440
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
ZA 0 #472 3 14,421
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
HK Boys 0 #515 13 12,905
RU Boys 0 #524 3 12,621
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
BH 0 #586 2 17,937
Finland Boys 2026 #675 8 3,552
SG Boys 0 #688 10 17,960
CL Boys 0 #700 1 13,390
QA Boys 0 #738 6 18,093
United States Boys 2024 #768 125 7,044
KW Boys 0 #806 1 18,755
Spain Boys 0 #917 14 5,610
EG Boys 0 #924 2 15,035
NG Boys 0 #1,001 1 16,906
EG Girls 0 #1,008 2 14,742
MX Boys 0 #1,031 3 16,355
MY Boys 0 #1,099 13 25,439
AE Boys 0 #1,140 4 22,615
ZA Boys 0 #1,154 25 25,619
DZ 0 #1,234 1 20,130
TR 0 #1,251 4 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,461 11 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,689 3 28,008

Seamus is popular in 38 countries — most recent births per country:

Ireland
Canada
Scotland, United Kingdom
United States
AE

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People also ask about Seamus

Seamus is predominantly a boy's name.
Seamus is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈʃeɪməs/ (SHAY-mus).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Séamus, Seamas, Séamas, Seumas, Shamus and Sheamus.
Yes, very popular — Seamus ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 5 countries.
Seamus ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Seamus's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 3 notable people named Seamus are in our database, including Seamus Heaney (Actor), Seamus Dever (Actor), Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick (Actor).