Fabian
Fabian was the 468th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 655 babies. Its best year was 2007, when it ranked 253rd with 1,396 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 111 places. More babies were named Fabian in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning of Fabius · Latin
Say it FAY-bee-un /ˈfeɪbiən/
- Rank in 2025
- #468 boys, down 45 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 655boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20071,396 babies
- Total since 1880
- 44,577babies recorded
What does the name Fabian mean?
Fabian comes from Latin Fabianus, "belonging to Fabius", one of the old patrician families of Rome. DMNES explains that names in -ianus were often given to freed slaves of a family, and lists the 3rd-century Pope Saint Fabian. The Fabius family name is traditionally linked with faba, "bean". It has long been used in Germany, Scandinavia and Spanish-speaking countries.
Fabianus (Latin, “of Fabius”)Fabius (Latin, “Roman family name (traditionally linked with faba 'bean')”)
How sure is this? Probable. 'Of Fabius' is clear; the bean link of Fabius is traditional.
Related names: Fabio, Fabien, Fabiana.
See also: Latin names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Fabian', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources (ed. S. L. Uckelman), Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Fabian', DMNES, Durham University
- Dictionary.com Unabridged (based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary), with Collins English Dictionary, s.v. 'Fabian', Dictionary.com / Random House / HarperCollins
Nicknames for Fabian
The usual nicknames for Fabian are Fabi.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabi | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Fabians go by each one.
Fabian popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 327 since 1950.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #468 | 655 |
| 2020 | #423 | 708 |
| 2010 | #305 | 1,042 |
| 2000 | #284 | 1,081 |
| 1990 | #325 | 767 |
| 1980 | #433 | 360 |
| 1970 | #552 | 217 |
| 1960 | #574 | 186 |
| 1950 | #1,275 | 32 |
| 1940 | #1,415 | 23 |
| 1930 | #1,664 | 20 |
| 1920 | #1,357 | 29 |
| 1910 | #1,348 | 7 |
| 1900 | #930 | 9 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Fabian, counting every spelling?
Fabian has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #470 for boys in 2025, against #468 on the official list, because Kason/Kasen/Casen and Mohamed/Mohammad/Mohammed and Chosen/Chozen/Chozyn move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Fabian?
655 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Fabian (0.18 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Fabian born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 13 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Fabian.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Fabian?
About 41,700 people born in the US named Fabian are alive today, with a median age of 22; half are between 14 and 34. That makes Fabian mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Fabian by state
How common Fabian was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Mexico (3.4×), Nevada (2.7×), California (2.2×), Texas (2.2×), Arizona (2.2×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Michigan, Louisiana, Ohio.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Fabian: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Fabian, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Fabian · Sibling names for Fabian
Questions about the name Fabian
What does Fabian mean?
Fabian means “of Fabius” (Latin origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Fabian?
Fabian was the 468th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 655 babies. Its best year was 2007, when it ranked 253rd with 1,396 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 111 places. More babies were named Fabian in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Fabian a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Fabian in the US.
Where is Fabian most popular?
In 2021–2025, Fabian was most common in New Mexico (1.33 per 1,000 boys), followed by Nevada and California.