Stephen

“Crown; wreath” — Greek origin

Boy's name · #383 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Stephen has appeared in US records since 1880 — best rank #19 (1949) · 864,739 babies named Stephen all-time · 1 in 2,000 boys born in 2025.

Around the world: about 1 in 1,200 boys in N. Ireland (2025) · about 1 in 1,200 boys in Ireland (2025) · about 1 in 2,500 boys in Scotland (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 40 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Stephens

Stephen Hawking — British theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author (1942–2018)
Stephen King — American novelist and writer (born 1947)
Stephen Harper — 22nd prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015
Stephen Hillenburg — American marine science educator and artist (1961-2018)
Stephen I — Pope and Bishop of Rome from 254 to 257

In stories & tradition

Stephen (Doctor Strange) — Strange Tales · Doctor Strange
Stephen Strange — Doctor Strange · Thor: Ragnarok
Stephen Dedalus — A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man · Ulysses

What Stephens become

Among 7,090 notable people named Stephen:

Scientists & scholars appear 1.47× more often than among typical names — e.g. Stephen Hawking, British theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author (1942–2018).

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.