Steven
Steven was the 271st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,261 babies. Its best year was 1955, when it ranked 10th; the most babies were born in 1956 (38,413). Over the last ten years it has moved down 118 places. More babies were named Steven in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning crown, wreath (form of Stephen) · Greek
Say it STEE-vuhn /ˈstivən/
- Rank in 2025
- #271 boys, down 49 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,261boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 195638,413 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,297,590babies recorded
What does the name Steven mean?
Steven is a spelling of Stephen, from the Greek Stephanos, 'crown, wreath', a word also used for the victor's wreath and for honor; DMNES gives 'crown, wreath; reward, honor'. Saint Stephen, whose stoning in the Book of Acts made him the first Christian martyr, spread the name widely, and DMNES lists nine popes and kings of Croatia and Hungary. Wiktionary traces the Steven spelling to Middle English Stevene. Steve and Stevie are its short forms.
στέφανος (Ancient Greek, “crown, wreath”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Stephen, Steve, Stevie, Esteban, Stefan, Stephanie.
See also: Greek names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Steven', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Stephen', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- New Testament, Acts 6:5 (Greek text and translations via Bible Gateway), Bible Gateway
Nicknames for Steven
The usual nicknames for Steven are Steve and Stevie. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Steven in the last five years, 8 were named Steve, against 9 twenty years earlier. Stevie is also gaining on the full name.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steve | Traditional | #1,617 | 575 |
| Stevie · also for Stephanie, Steve | Traditional | #2,674 | 185 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Stevens go by each one.
Steven popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 4,466 since 1941.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #271 | 1,261 |
| 2020 | #222 | 1,681 |
| 2010 | #116 | 3,436 |
| 2000 | #54 | 7,361 |
| 1990 | #25 | 18,764 |
| 1980 | #28 | 15,916 |
| 1970 | #15 | 26,793 |
| 1960 | #10 | 33,878 |
| 1950 | #16 | 23,250 |
| 1940 | #119 | 1,569 |
| 1930 | #315 | 311 |
| 1920 | #270 | 418 |
| 1910 | #303 | 66 |
| 1900 | #335 | 42 |
| 1890 | #413 | 20 |
| 1880 | #441 | 17 |
How popular is Steven, counting every spelling?
Steven is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #185 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #271 for Steven on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,110 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steven | 1,261 | #271 | 6,813 |
| Stephen | 829 | #383 | 4,474 |
| Stevan | 12 | #7,132 | 51 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Steven?
1,261 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Steven (0.35 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Steven 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 7 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Steven.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Steven?
About 1,035,700 people born in the US named Steven are alive today, with a median age of 56; half are between 40 and 67. That makes Steven a name most people associate with older generations.
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.
Steven by state
How common Steven was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Maryland (1.7×), New Jersey (1.7×), Pennsylvania (1.7×), New Hampshire (1.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in South Dakota, Rhode Island, Iowa.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Steven: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Steven, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Steven · Sibling names for Steven
Questions about the name Steven
What does Steven mean?
Steven means “crown, wreath (form of Stephen)” (Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Steven?
Steven was the 271st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,261 babies. Its best year was 1955, when it ranked 10th; the most babies were born in 1956 (38,413). Over the last ten years it has moved down 118 places. More babies were named Steven in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Steven a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Steven in the US.
Where is Steven most popular?
In 2021–2025, Steven was most common in Maryland (1.37 per 1,000 boys), followed by New Jersey and Pennsylvania.