Steve Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: steev /stiːv/
Origin: English; Greek
Meaning: English: crowned; Greek: garland, crown
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Steve is derived from the Greek name "Stephanos," which means "crown" or "garland." This name was formed from the Greek word "stephanos," which has roots in the verb "stephō," meaning "to crown" or "to encircle." The name entered the Latin language as "Stephanus," and subsequently made its way into Old French as "Estienne" before being adopted into English as "Stephen." The diminutive form "Steve" emerged as a familiar or affectionate variant of Stephen, particularly in the English-speaking world. Historically, the name Stephen gained prominence due to its association with Saint Stephen, who is recognized as the first Christian martyr.
His story is recounted in the New Testament, particularly in the Acts of the Apostles, where he is stoned to death for his faith, a significant event in early Christian history. The veneration of Saint Stephen led to the establishment of his feast day on December 26, which has been observed since at least the 4th century.
The name was further popularized in medieval England, particularly after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when it became common among the nobility and clergy. Culturally, the name Steve and its variants have been associated with qualities of honor and leadership, reflecting the connotations of victory and achievement inherent in its meaning of "crown." The name has been borne by various notable figures throughout history, including kings and scholars, which has contributed to its enduring presence in Western culture.
The name's simplicity and strong phonetic structure have made it a lasting choice across generations, while its diminutive form, Steve, has often been used in informal contexts, emphasizing familiarity and approachability.
Famous people named Steve
In this section, you will find notable people named Steve. 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 Steve who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Steve 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.
Steve Jobs is a business magnate best known for co-founding Apple Inc., developing the iPhone, and creating the Macintosh computer.
Steve Wozniak is an engineer and inventor best known for co-founding Apple Inc. and designing the Apple I and Apple II computers.
Steve Martin is a comedian, actor, and writer best known for The Jerk, Father of the Bride, and his stand-up comedy.
Steve Carell is an actor and comedian best known for The Office, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Foxcatcher.
Steve Irwin is a wildlife expert and television personality best known for The Crocodile Hunter and his work with wildlife conservation.
Steve Nash is a former professional basketball player best known for his time with the Phoenix Suns and winning two NBA MVP awards.
Steve McQueen is an actor and cultural icon best known for Bullitt, The Great Escape, and The Magnificent Seven.
Steve Aoki is a DJ and music producer best known for his work in electronic dance music and collaborations with various artists.
Steve Vai is a guitarist and composer best known for his work with Frank Zappa, his solo albums, and his innovative guitar techniques.
Steve Lacy is a musician and producer best known for his work with The Internet and his solo projects.
Steve Earle is a singer-songwriter and musician best known for Guitar Town, Copperhead Road, and his contributions to Americana music.
Steve Buscemi is an actor and director best known for Fargo, Reservoir Dogs, and Boardwalk Empire.
Steve Madden is a fashion designer and businessman best known for founding the Steve Madden footwear brand.
Steve Coogan is a comedian, actor, and writer best known for his character Alan Partridge and films like Philomena.
Steve Winwood is a musician and singer-songwriter best known for his work with Traffic, Blind Faith, and his solo hits.
Steve Cummings is a professional cyclist best known for his achievements in the Tour de France and other cycling competitions.
Steve Bannon is a media executive and strategist best known for his role in the Trump campaign and as a co-founder of Breitbart News.
Steve Albini is a musician and record producer best known for his work with Shellac and producing albums for various bands.
Fictional characters named Steve
The following list of fictional characters named Steve 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.
Steve Rogers is a fictional character from the Marvel Comics universe. He is the alter ego of Captain America, a super-soldier who fights for justice and freedom.
Steve Harrington is a fictional character from the Netflix series Stranger Things. He is a former high school jock who becomes a key ally to the group of children battling supernatural forces.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Steve, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Steve. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Steve was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Steve has ranked as high as #77 nationally, which occurred in 1959, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New York.
In the past 5 years the name Steve has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Steve 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 Steve was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Steve (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 13 | |
| FL | 10 | |
| TX | 10 | |
| IL | 7 | |
| NY | 7 |
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 Steve.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 99 |
| 2023 | 114 |
| 2022 | 122 |
| 2021 | 135 |
| 2020 | 148 |
| 2019 | 159 |
| 2018 | 167 |
| 2017 | 189 |
| 2016 | 205 |
| 2015 | 224 |
| 2014 | 256 |
| 2013 | 242 |
| 2012 | 303 |
| 2011 | 324 |
| 2010 | 279 |
| 2009 | 415 |
| 2008 | 422 |
| 2007 | 448 |
| 2006 | 472 |
| 2005 | 475 |
| 2004 | 484 |
| 2003 | 563 |
| 2002 | 545 |
| 2001 | 624 |
| 2000 | 649 |
| 1999 | 660 |
| 1998 | 635 |
| 1997 | 627 |
| 1996 | 649 |
| 1995 | 754 |
| 1994 | 714 |
| 1993 | 831 |
| 1992 | 882 |
| 1991 | 896 |
| 1990 | 1,007 |
| 1989 | 997 |
| 1988 | 949 |
| 1987 | 1,004 |
| 1986 | 989 |
| 1985 | 989 |
| 1984 | 1,041 |
| 1983 | 1,063 |
| 1982 | 1,025 |
| 1981 | 1,116 |
| 1980 | 1,218 |
| 1979 | 1,254 |
| 1978 | 1,235 |
| 1977 | 1,269 |
| 1976 | 1,407 |
| 1975 | 1,383 |
| 1974 | 1,445 |
| 1973 | 1,512 |
| 1972 | 1,845 |
| 1971 | 2,372 |
| 1970 | 2,932 |
| 1969 | 3,063 |
| 1968 | 3,409 |
| 1967 | 3,908 |
| 1966 | 4,617 |
| 1965 | 5,685 |
| 1964 | 7,091 |
| 1963 | 8,051 |
| 1962 | 9,152 |
| 1961 | 9,998 |
| 1960 | 10,646 |
| 1959 | 11,067 |
| 1958 | 10,082 |
| 1957 | 8,908 |
| 1956 | 6,474 |
| 1955 | 5,510 |
| 1954 | 5,062 |
| 1953 | 4,539 |
| 1952 | 4,313 |
| 1951 | 4,053 |
| 1950 | 4,207 |
| 1949 | 5,027 |
| 1948 | 5,741 |
| 1947 | 6,231 |
| 1946 | 4,568 |
| 1945 | 3,384 |
| 1944 | 2,836 |
| 1943 | 2,684 |
| 1942 | 2,376 |
| 1941 | 1,881 |
| 1940 | 1,555 |
| 1939 | 1,208 |
| 1938 | 1,077 |
| 1937 | 846 |
| 1936 | 741 |
| 1935 | 773 |
| 1934 | 771 |
| 1933 | 728 |
| 1932 | 780 |
| 1931 | 786 |
| 1930 | 862 |
| 1929 | 887 |
| 1928 | 925 |
| 1927 | 1,027 |
| 1926 | 1,052 |
| 1925 | 1,145 |
| 1924 | 1,219 |
| 1923 | 1,255 |
| 1922 | 1,269 |
| 1921 | 1,294 |
| 1920 | 1,281 |
| 1919 | 1,294 |
| 1918 | 1,523 |
| 1917 | 1,385 |
| 1916 | 1,399 |
| 1915 | 1,335 |
| 1914 | 998 |
| 1913 | 661 |
| 1912 | 543 |
| 1911 | 255 |
| 1910 | 245 |
| 1909 | 187 |
| 1908 | 149 |
| 1907 | 157 |
| 1906 | 131 |
| 1905 | 126 |
| 1904 | 123 |
| 1903 | 127 |
| 1902 | 92 |
| 1901 | 76 |
| 1900 | 139 |
| 1899 | 78 |
| 1898 | 87 |
| 1897 | 79 |
| 1896 | 94 |
| 1895 | 71 |
| 1894 | 80 |
| 1893 | 73 |
| 1892 | 68 |
| 1891 | 56 |
| 1890 | 66 |
| 1889 | 64 |
| 1888 | 83 |
| 1887 | 54 |
| 1886 | 70 |
| 1885 | 60 |
| 1884 | 66 |
| 1883 | 62 |
| 1882 | 63 |
| 1881 | 44 |
| 1880 | 52 |