Boy name · Greek
Stephen
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: crown, garlandStephen is a boy's name that comes from Greek and means "crown, garland". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Crown, garland
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #383 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Stephen
As a boy's name, Stephen comes from Greek and means "crown, garland". It is used in English.
Stephen is also a surname: the 3,699th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 9,333 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Stephen on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Stephen on 3 lists.
“Crown, wreath; Greek. First Christian martyr, Acts 7”
From Biblical names, names from the Gospels and Acts
“Crown, garland; Greek. The first Christian martyr”
From Classic boy names, timeless boy names
“Crown, garland; Greek. King of England during the civil war of the 1140s”
From Medieval names and surnames, medieval male names from England and France
How popular is Stephen?
- US rank in 2025
- #383
- 829 babies, 485 per million boys
- Best rank
- #19 in 1949
- Most babies: 23,055 in 1952
- Babies since 1880
- At least 864,739
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 1,537 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 1,519 per million |
| 1900s | 1,655 per million |
| 1910s | 2,023 per million |
| 1920s | 1,412 per million |
| 1930s | 1,729 per million |
| 1940s | 7,175 per million |
| 1950s | 10,252 per million |
| 1960s | 7,903 per million |
| 1970s | 6,527 per million |
| 1980s | 6,156 per million |
| 1990s | 3,858 per million |
| 2000s | 1,448 per million |
| 2010s | 767 per million |
| 2020s | 531 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #265 | #270 | #283 | #310 | #322 | #342 | #358 | #363 | #375 | #383 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Stephen
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Stevecommon English nickname
- Steviecommon English nickname
Other forms of Stephen
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- EstebanCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
- EstêvãoCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
- ÉtienneCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
- SteaphanCrown (Greek, boy)
- StefanCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
- StefanoCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
- StefanosCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
- SteffanCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
- SteffenCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
- StéphaneCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
- SzczepanCrown, garland (Greek, boy)
Names spelled like Stephen
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- StevenMedieval English variant of Stephen, crown (Greek, boy)
- StepanCrown, wreath (Greek, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- StephanieCrown, garland (Greek, girl)
- AdebayoThe crown meets joy (Yoruba, boy)
- AdeolaCrown of wealth (Yoruba, girl)
- AtarahCrown (Hebrew, girl)
- AytaçMoon crown (Turkish, unisex)
- EstefaníaCrown, garland (Greek, girl)
- FolasadeHonor confers a crown (Yoruba, girl)
- Juan EstebanGod is gracious, crown (Hebrew and Greek, boy)
- KekepaniaCrown, garland (Greek, girl)
- KreineCrown (Yiddish, girl)
Middle names for Stephen
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Greek
- AlexanderDefender of men (Greek, boy)
- LucasMan from Lucania (Greek, boy)
- ChristianFollower of Christ (Greek, boy)
- LeonA lion (Greek, boy)
- HectorHolding fast (Greek, boy)
- TheoGift of God (Greek, boy)
- AlexisHelper, defender (Greek, boy)
- LucaMan from Lucania (Greek, boy)
- PeterRock, stone (Greek, boy)
- SebastianMan of sebaste, venerable (Greek, boy)
Stephen: common questions
What does the name Stephen mean?
Stephen comes from Greek and means "crown, garland".
Is Stephen a boy or girl name?
Stephen is mainly a boy's name.
What are nicknames for Stephen?
Common nicknames for Stephen include Steve and Stevie.
How popular is the name Stephen?
Stephen ranked #383 in the US in 2025, with 829 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Stephen?
Forms of Stephen with the same meaning and origin include Esteban (Spanish), Estêvão (Portuguese), Étienne (French), Steaphan (Scottish) and Stefan (German).
What middle names go with Stephen?
Middle names that flow well with Stephen include Abel, Basil, Heath, Jude and Leo. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.

