Stephen

STEE-ven
Greek
"garland, crown"

Stephen Origin and Meaning

The name Stephen is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "garland, crown".

Stephen, also spelled Steven, is a strong and likable classic, with the he's-a-great-guy short form Steve. Though not as well-used or fashionable as it was in its heyday -- it was a Top 25 name from 1946 to 1957 -- it's still a widely used name. It remains an even more popular in Ireland.

Already common in ancient Greece, Stephen was the name of the first Christian martyr, one of the seven men chosen to help the apostles spread the gospel of Christianity. It also was the name of several popes and a British king.

There have been innumerable pop-culture role models among its bearers, including Foster, Hawking, Sondheim, Colbert and King. Steves and Stevens, meanwhile, count Spielberg, Martin and the late Jobs among them. In literature, the name has been used by Dickens (in Hard Times), George Eliot (in The Mill on the Floss) and James Joyce (in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man).

Among the attractive international versions are Stefan, Stefano and Stephano, Esteban and Etienne.

# 363 in the US

Stephen Rank in US Top 1000

# 453 on Nameberry

Stephen Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Stephen Popularity

Famous People Named Stephen

  • Stephen Graham
    English actor
  • Saint Stephen
    Jerusalem church deacon and first Christian martyr
  • Stephen
    King of England
  • (Stephen) Grover Cleveland
    22nd and 24th President of the United States
  • Stephen Edwin King
    American novelist
  • Stephen John Dillane
    English actor
  • Stephen Baxter
    English hard science fiction novelist
  • Stephen Joshua Sondheim
    American composer
  • Stephen William Hawking
    English physicist and author
  • Stephen Collins Foster
    American songwriter
  • Stephen Andrew Baldwin
    American actor
  • Stephen John Fry
    English actor, author, presenter & comedian
  • Stephen Crane
    American writer
  • Stephen Jay Gould
    American biologist and author
  • Stephen "Stevie" Ray Vaughan
    American musician
  • Stephen Joseph Harper
    22nd Prime Minister of Canada
  • Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin
    American actor/comedian
  • Stephen Tyrone Colbert
    American comedian & TV Host
  • Stephen John Anderson
    American voice actor, animator, film director and screenwriter
  • (Wardell) Stephen "Steph" Curry II
    (prn. STEFF,en) American basketball player
  • Stephen Joseph Malkmus
    American musician of band Pavement
  • Stephen John "Steve" Nash
    Candian basketball player
  • Stephen Tulloch
    American football player
  • Stephen Schilling
    American football player
  • Stephen Fuller Austin
    American founder of Texas
  • Stephen (born Kathlyn) Beatty
    now,son of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening
  • Stephen Mangan
    English actor
  • Stephen James Merchant
    English comedy writer and director
  • Stephen Gordon Hendry
    Scottish professional snooker player
  • Stephen Francis Sneddon
    American actor
  • Stephen Adam Amell
    Canadian actor
  • Stephen Dorff
    American actor
  • Stephen Manderson aka Professor Green
    British rapper
  • Stephen Meek
    American actor in YouTube sketch comedy show Studio C
  • Stephen Lawrence Schwartz
    American composer and lyricist
  • Stephen Furst (born Stephen Nelson Feuerstein)
    American actor
  • Stephen Gary "Steve" Wozniak aka "Woz
    " American cofounder of Apple, Inc.
  • Stephen Humphrey Bogart
    son of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart
  • Stephen Pearcy
    American metal singer for Ratt
  • Stephen McDannell Hillenburg
    late American animator, voice actor, and marine biologist known as Spongebob's creator.
  • Stephen Harold Tobolowsky
    American actor

Stephen in Pop Culture

  • Stephen Dedalus
    main character in "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" by James Joyce
  • Stephen Stotch
    character in "South Park"
  • Stephen
    engine based on Stephenson's Rocket in the TV series "Thomas and Friends"
  • Stephen Falken
    character in the film "WarGames"
  • Stephen Vincent Strange aka Doctor Strange
    character in Marvel Universe
  • Stephen Wilkins
    character in the film "Trick 'r Treat"
  • Stephen
    character in"The Post,it Note Affair" by Justine Avery
  • Stephen Wraysford
    main character in "Birdsong" (Sebastian Faulks)
  • "Hey Stephen
    " song by Taylor Swift
  • "Stephen
    " song by Ke$ha
  • Stephen Cornfoot
    character in J.K. Rowling's "The Original Forty"
  • Stephen Holder
    main character in The Killing, an American crime drama television series.
  • Stephen Maturin
    character in the Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian and film "Master and Commander"
  • Stephen van Petrol
    character in the Rooster Teeth animated series "Camp Camp"