How to say it
STE · phen
/ˈstiː.vən/
Masculine
Stephen
Crown, garland
What it means
From the Greek Stephanos, 'crown'; the classic ph-spelling of Steven.
Stephen comes from the Greek Stephanos, 'crown' or 'garland.' St. Stephen was the first Christian martyr, stoned in the Book of Acts, which made it a bedrock Christian name carried by kings of England and Hungary. The ph-spelling is the older, more formal one (the ph sounds like a v); Steven spells it out. Stephen Hawking and Stephen King are modern marks. Steve is the universal short.
Popularity over time
peaked at #19 in 1949, currently #383 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Stephen keeps the Greek look (ph sounds like v); Steven spells the sound.
- Nickname
Steve is the everyday short.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- St. Stephen the first Christian martyr, in the Book of Acts
- Stephen Hawking theoretical physicist and author of A Brief History of Time
Spelling variants
- Steven
- Stefan
- Esteban
Names with the same feeling
See Stephen from another angle
By style