Stephen Boy

Popularity: #360 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: STEE-vən //ˈstiː.vən//

Origin: Greek; Latin

Meaning: Greek: crown; Latin: to crown

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Stephen originates from the Greek name "Stephanos," which means "crown" or "garland." This name is derived from the Greek verb "stephanoo," meaning "to crown." The earliest forms of the name can be traced back to the New Testament, where Saint Stephen is recognized as the first Christian martyr, a significant figure in early Christianity. His story is recounted in the Book of Acts, which dates back to the first century CE, and his martyrdom is commemorated on December 26 in the Western Christian calendar.

The name Stephen made its way into Latin as "Stephanus," and subsequently into Old French as "Estienne" before being adopted into Middle English as "Steven" or "Stephan." The name gained prominence in medieval Europe, especially due to the veneration of Saint Stephen. Various kings and nobles throughout history bore the name, including Stephen I of Hungary, who was canonized in the 11th century and became the first king of Hungary, further solidifying the name's significance in Christian contexts.

Culturally, the name Stephen has been associated with notions of honor and leadership, reflecting its meaning of "crown." It has appeared in various literary works and has been borne by numerous notable figures, including philosophers, writers, and leaders throughout history. The diminutive form "Steve" has also emerged, though its historical significance is less pronounced.

Overall, the name Stephen has maintained a lasting legacy, rooted in its etymological origins and historical associations with martyrdom and nobility.

Famous people named Stephen

In this section, you will find notable people named Stephen. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Stephen who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Stephen who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Stephen King is an author best known for The Shining, It, and Carrie.

Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist best known for A Brief History of Time, Hawking Radiation, and his work on black holes.

Stephen Colbert is a comedian and television host best known for The Colbert Report, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and his work on The Daily Show.

Stephen Curry is a professional basketball player best known for his time with the Golden State Warriors and his three NBA championships.

Stephen Sondheim was a composer and lyricist best known for West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, and Into the Woods.

Stephen Fry is an actor, writer, and comedian best known for his work on QI, A Bit of Fry & Laurie, and his role in the Harry Potter films.

Stephen Mangan is an actor best known for Green Wing, Episodes, and his role in the TV series The Split.

Stephen Merchant is a writer, director, and actor best known for The Office, Extras, and his work on Hello Ladies.

Stephen Schwartz is a composer and lyricist best known for Wicked, Godspell, and Pippin.

Stephen Dillane is an actor best known for Game of Thrones, The Hours, and The Tunnel.

Fictional characters named Stephen

The following list of fictional characters named Stephen is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Stephen Strange is a fictional character from the Marvel Comics universe. He is a former neurosurgeon who becomes the Sorcerer Supreme, protecting Earth from magical threats.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Stephen, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

SamuelNathanMichaelDanielDavidMatthew

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Stephen. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

SimonSethSebastianSilasSterlingSorenStuartSullivan

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Stephen was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Stephen has ranked as high as #35 nationally, which occurred in 1952, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Texas.

In the past 5 years the name Stephen has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Stephen is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Stephen was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Stephen.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 829 829 0
2024 870 870 0
2023 898 898 0
2022 919 919 0
2021 958 958 0
2020 1,024 1,024 0
2019 1,095 1,095 0
2018 1,246 1,246 0
2017 1,334 1,334 0
2016 1,379 1,379 0
2015 1,497 1,497 0
2014 1,452 1,452 0
2013 1,452 1,452 0
2012 1,568 1,568 0
2011 1,579 1,579 0
2010 1,820 1,820 0
2009 1,920 1,920 0
2008 2,092 2,092 0
2007 2,382 2,376 6
2006 2,552 2,552 0
2005 2,754 2,745 9
2004 2,861 2,851 10
2003 3,148 3,142 6
2002 3,359 3,349 10
2001 3,738 3,738 0
2000 4,145 4,137 8
1999 4,557 4,543 14
1998 5,020 5,013 7
1997 5,428 5,414 14
1996 6,026 6,008 18
1995 6,575 6,556 19
1994 7,498 7,481 17
1993 8,383 8,369 14
1992 9,350 9,308 42
1991 10,564 10,525 39
1990 11,979 11,943 36
1989 11,796 11,736 60
1988 11,674 11,607 67
1987 11,625 11,550 75
1986 11,961 11,877 84
1985 12,307 12,210 97
1984 12,171 12,096 75
1983 11,643 11,564 79
1982 10,698 10,627 71
1981 10,365 10,302 63
1980 10,129 10,062 67
1979 9,966 9,903 63
1978 9,937 9,854 83
1977 9,696 9,635 61
1976 9,792 9,727 65
1975 9,802 9,732 70
1974 10,152 10,101 51
1973 10,025 9,955 70
1972 11,087 11,037 50
1971 13,175 13,102 73
1970 14,824 14,758 66
1969 15,151 15,090 61
1968 14,824 14,761 63
1967 15,158 15,087 71
1966 14,796 14,742 54
1965 14,682 14,648 34
1964 15,007 14,968 39
1963 15,032 14,992 40
1962 15,646 15,616 30
1961 16,104 16,069 35
1960 16,317 16,267 50
1959 16,532 16,504 28
1958 18,009 17,962 47
1957 19,765 19,726 39
1956 21,239 21,204 35
1955 22,189 22,155 34
1954 21,903 21,878 25
1953 21,844 21,807 37
1952 23,082 23,055 27
1951 22,522 22,474 48
1950 20,542 20,511 31
1949 20,524 20,488 36
1948 17,092 17,061 31
1947 15,348 15,328 20
1946 11,867 11,832 35
1945 8,665 8,641 24
1944 7,812 7,793 19
1943 7,951 7,932 19
1942 7,526 7,503 23
1941 5,829 5,811 18
1940 4,436 4,423 13
1939 3,184 3,176 8
1938 2,734 2,726 8
1937 2,141 2,133 8
1936 1,869 1,862 7
1935 1,656 1,650 6
1934 1,424 1,424 0
1933 1,331 1,321 10
1932 1,400 1,389 11
1931 1,340 1,334 6
1930 1,273 1,257 16
1929 1,366 1,357 9
1928 1,345 1,335 10
1927 1,454 1,446 8
1926 1,342 1,335 7
1925 1,491 1,482 9
1924 1,642 1,635 7
1923 1,610 1,605 5
1922 1,733 1,722 11
1921 1,876 1,868 8
1920 1,771 1,771 0
1919 1,702 1,693 9
1918 1,853 1,843 10
1917 1,897 1,892 5
1916 1,877 1,877 0
1915 1,859 1,850 9
1914 1,492 1,486 6
1913 1,103 1,097 6
1912 934 928 6
1911 486 486 0
1910 350 350 0
1909 314 314 0
1908 280 280 0
1907 273 273 0
1906 207 207 0
1905 246 246 0
1904 178 178 0
1903 200 200 0
1902 210 210 0
1901 158 158 0
1900 181 181 0
1899 178 178 0
1898 195 195 0
1897 194 194 0
1896 164 164 0
1895 179 179 0
1894 174 174 0
1893 175 175 0
1892 178 178 0
1891 140 140 0
1890 156 156 0
1889 164 164 0
1888 187 187 0
1887 165 165 0
1886 181 181 0
1885 158 158 0
1884 165 165 0
1883 140 140 0
1882 201 201 0
1881 147 147 0
1880 176 176 0

Top States for Stephen (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 90
11%
CA 65
8%
NY 54
6%
FL 43
5%
PA 42
5%
NC 42
5%
OH 33
4%
VA 33
4%
GA 32
4%
SC 31
4%
NJ 30
4%
IN 26
3%
TN 24
3%
IL 22
3%
LA 22
3%
AZ 21
2%
KY 20
2%
MA 18
2%
WI 17
2%
MI 15
2%
CO 14
2%
MD 14
2%
WA 14
2%
MO 13
2%
CT 11
1%
MN 10
1%
MS 10
1%
NV 9
1%
OR 9
1%
AL 8
1%
DC 7
1%
OK 7
1%
SD 6
1%
UT 6
1%
KS 6
1%
WV 6
1%
AR 5
1%
RI 5
1%
NM 5
1%