Steve Boy

Popularity: #825 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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
28%
FL 10
21%
TX 10
21%
IL 7
15%
NY 7
15%

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.

YearBirths
202499
2023114
2022122
2021135
2020148
2019159
2018167
2017189
2016205
2015224
2014256
2013242
2012303
2011324
2010279
2009415
2008422
2007448
2006472
2005475
2004484
2003563
2002545
2001624
2000649
1999660
1998635
1997627
1996649
1995754
1994714
1993831
1992882
1991896
19901,007
1989997
1988949
19871,004
1986989
1985989
19841,041
19831,063
19821,025
19811,116
19801,218
19791,254
19781,235
19771,269
19761,407
19751,383
19741,445
19731,512
19721,845
19712,372
19702,932
19693,063
19683,409
19673,908
19664,617
19655,685
19647,091
19638,051
19629,152
19619,998
196010,646
195911,067
195810,082
19578,908
19566,474
19555,510
19545,062
19534,539
19524,313
19514,053
19504,207
19495,027
19485,741
19476,231
19464,568
19453,384
19442,836
19432,684
19422,376
19411,881
19401,555
19391,208
19381,077
1937846
1936741
1935773
1934771
1933728
1932780
1931786
1930862
1929887
1928925
19271,027
19261,052
19251,145
19241,219
19231,255
19221,269
19211,294
19201,281
19191,294
19181,523
19171,385
19161,399
19151,335
1914998
1913661
1912543
1911255
1910245
1909187
1908149
1907157
1906131
1905126
1904123
1903127
190292
190176
1900139
189978
189887
189779
189694
189571
189480
189373
189268
189156
189066
188964
188883
188754
188670
188560
188466
188362
188263
188144
188052