Origin, Meaning, And History Of Stephen
The male given name Stephen is derived from the Greek name Stephanos, meaning ‘crown’ or ‘garland.’ It also conveys the broader meanings of ‘reward’, ‘honor’, ‘renown’, and ‘fame’. This association with crowns and wreaths stems from the verb stéphein, meaning ‘to encircle’ or ‘to wreathe’. It boasts of a rich history and has been widely used in various cultures and languages throughout the centuries.
The origin of the name Stephen can be traced back to ancient Greece. In Greek mythology, Stephanos was associated with victory and honor. The name gained popularity due to Saint Stephen, who was the first Christian martyr and one of the seven deacons appointed by the apostles. His steadfast faith and courage in the face of persecution made him a revered figure in Christianity (1).
The name spread across Europe during the medieval period and took the Anglicized version of Stephen. In England, several notable kings and nobles have borne the name, including Stephen of Blois, who became the King of England in the 12th century. (2)
The name is typically pronounced as ‘STEEV-ən.’ In English, it is often affectionately shortened to Steve or Stevie. The English female counterpart of the name is Stephanie. The name Stephen has given rise to numerous surnames, reflecting its historical prevalence. Surnames like Stephens, Stevens, Stephenson, and Stevenson all derive from the first name and share the meaning of “Stephen’s (son).” These surnames serve as a testament to the name’s enduring influence and ancestral lineage.
While the name’s most common variant is Steven, several other spelling variations exist including Stevan, Stevon, Stephan, Stefan, Esteban, and Stephano.
Fictional characters named Stephen have graced numerous stories, captivating readers with their unique personalities and compelling narratives. Stephen Dedalus, a central character in James Joyce’s novels A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Ulysses, embodies the journey of self-discovery and artistic awakening. Stephen Maturin is one of the captivating main characters in Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey–Maturin series, set during the Napoleonic Wars. Stephen is also the name of a beloved character in the TV series Thomas & Friends. Lastly, Stephen Falken is a character in the film WarGames and portrays the genius and moral complexities of a computer scientist who inadvertently becomes entangled in a high-stakes nuclear war simulation.
Stephen
Boy
Christianity
Greek
33
Two
1 word, 7 letters, 2 vowels, 5 consonants
Medium length and easy to pronounce
How To Pronounce Stephen?
The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.
Listen to the sound of the name Stephen in English.
Famous People With The Name Stephen
- Stephen Edwin King American author of horror and science fiction known for his iconic novel The Shining
- Stephen Joseph Harper The 22nd Prime Minister of Canada who governed the country from 2006 to 2015
- Stephen William Hawking English theoretical physicist known for his groundbreaking work on black holes and cosmology
- Stephen Jay Gould American paleontologist and evolutionary biologist whose concept of punctuated equilibrium emphasized the importance of sudden evolutionary changes
- Stephen Joshua Sondheim American composer and lyricist who revolutionized the world of musical theater with Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods
Stephen On The Popularity Chart
Stephen was one of the popular baby names among parents during the 1980s. However, the name’s popularity declined in subsequent years.
Popularity Over Time
The name experienced the steepest decline in 1990. Take a look at the graph below for more insights.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Stephen achieved its best ranking in 1983. However, it experienced a steady decline ever since, showing slight improvement in 2007.
Source: Social Security AdministrationStephen On MomJunction Popularity Chart
Know how popular the name Stephen is among the MomJunction readers. We used a unique approach to gather relevant insights for creating this popularity chart by observing the interactions and interest around the name on our platform. See what the trend has been among our readers over these past years.
Names With Similar Sound As Stephen
Stephen has a strong, masculine sound. Here is a list of names that share a similar sound.
Popular Sibling Names For Stephen
If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Stephen, check our suggestions here.
Boy Sibling Names For Stephen
Find matching brother names for Stephen and create a wonderful team of siblings.
SatvantSatvinder Satyavaan Steaphan Stefano Stefanos Stefans Steffan Steffen Stefon Girl Sibling Names For Stephen
Looking for some suitable sister names for Stephen? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.
SaatvikaSadaf Sadhvi Sadoof Saduf Satvari Satvi Satviki Satyavati Sedef Other Popular Names Beginning With S
Looking for more baby names starting with the letter S to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.
Names With Same Meaning As Stephen
Stephen has a versatile meaning. Find below some names that convey a similar meaning.
Popular Songs On The Name Stephen
Acrostic Poem On Stephen
Dive into the lyrical charm of the name Stephen with this acrostic poem. Witness how each letter paints together a story, capturing the name’s individuality, strength, vitality, and sophistication. Inspiring, is it? Why not try a similar poem that describes what you think of your baby’s personality?
Spirited and sprightly, filling the house with contagious energy.
Tenacious resolve thrives, triumphant and enduring.
Energetic and enigmatic, eagerly embracing every new day.
Purity in heart and passion in every act.
Humble heart, showing no trace of pride.
Enchanting like a garden of wildflowers.
Naughty yet nice, you personify that variety is the spice of life.
Stephen’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology
Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name stephen. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.
Zodiac Sign (Rashi)
As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.
| Rashi (zodiac sign) | Kumbha (Aquarius) |
|---|---|
| Starting letters for Kumbha (Aquarius) rashi | G, S, SH |
| Representation | Water-bearer |
| Element | Air |
| Ruling body | Saturn |
| Quality | Fixed |
Birth Star (Nakshatra)
Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.
The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Kumbha (Aquarius) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.
| Nakshatra | Degrees Of The Nakshatra | Nakshatra Lord (Ruler) | Name Syllables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dhanishta (Avittam) | Aquarius (0 to 6.40 degrees) | Mars | Ga, Gi, Gu, Ge, Gee |
| Satabhisha (Shatabhisham, Chathayam) | Aquarius (6.40 to 20 degrees) | Rahu | Go, Sa, Saa, Si, Su, Soo, See, Gau |
| Poorvabhadrapada (Purvabhadra, Pururuttathy) | Aquarius (20 to 30 degrees) | Jupiter | Se, So, Dha, Dhi, Di, Da, Daa, Dee |
Infographic: Know The Name Stephen‘s Personality As Per Numerology
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Stephen In Different Languages
It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell Stephen in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying Stephen, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!
| Name | Language | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen | English | en |
| 斯蒂芬 | Chinese | zh-CN |
| स्टीफन | Hindi | hi |
| Stephen | Spanish | es |
| Stephen | French | fr |
| ستيفن | Arabic | ar |
| স্টেফেন | Bengali | bn |
| Stephen | Portuguese | pt |
| Стивен | Russian | ru |
| سٹیفن | Urdu | ur |
| Stephen | Indonesian | id |
| Stephen | German | de |
| スティーブン | Japanese | ja |
| स्टीफन | Marathi | mr |
| స్టీఫెన్ | Telugu | te |
| Stephen | Turkish | tr |
| ஸ்டீபன் | Tamil | ta |
| Stephen | Vietnamese | vi |
| Stephen | Tagalog | tl |
| 스티븐 | Korean | ko |
| Stephen | Hausa | ha |
| Stephen | Swahili | sw |
| Stephen | Javanese | jv |
| Stephen | Italian | it |
| ਸਟੀਫਨ | Punjabi | pa |
| સ્ટીફન | Gujarati | gu |
| สตีเฟ่น | Thai | th |
| ಸ್ಟೀಫನ್ | Kannada | kn |
| ስቴፈን | Amharic | am |
| स्टीफन | Bhojpuri | bho |
| Stephen | Yoruba | yo |
How To Communicate The Name Stephen In Sign Languages
In Nautical Flags
stephen
In Sign Language
stephen
In Braille Alphabet
stephen
In Morse Code
stephen
In Binary
01110011 01110100 01100101 01110000 01101000 01100101 01101110
Name Numerology For Stephen
Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name Stephen, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.
Baby Name Lists Containing Stephen
Read through our baby name lists that include the name Stephen and several other similar names. The wider the choice, the better your selection. Isn't it?
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Movie Titles Inspired By The Name Stephen
Discover the presence of Stephen in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.
| Movie title | Other titles | Release year |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Curry: Underrated | Stephen Curry: infravalorado, Stephen Curry: Subestimado, Stephen Curry: un jugador subestimado, Стефен Карри: Недооцененный, ステフィン・カリー：アンダーレイテッド, 史蒂芬柯瑞：不容小覷, 斯蒂芬·库里：不容小觑 | 2023 |
| Stephen Fry Live: More Fool Me | 2014 | |
| Stephen Faulkner: J'm'en va r'viendre | Stephen Faulkner: I Ain't Gonna Leave | 2011 |
| Stephen K Amos: The Feelgood Factor | 2010 | |
| Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party | 2005 | |
| Omagh the Legacy: Claire and Stephen's Story | 1999 | |
| Stephen the Great - Vaslui 1475 | Die Kreuzritter 1475, Stefan cel Mare, Stefan cel Mare - Vaslui 1475, Stefan Wielki, Stephen the Great, Stephen the Great: Vaslui 1475, Türkenschlacht im Nebel, Штeфaн Вeликий - 1475 гoд | 1975 |
| The Crimes of Stephen Hawke | Crimen y pasión | 1936 |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Stephen?
The name Stephen means ‘crown,’ ‘wreath,’ ‘fame,’ ‘honor,’ and ‘reward.’
2. What is the origin of the name Stephen?
The name Stephen has a Greek origin.
3. How to pronounce the name Stephen?
Stephen is pronounced as step-hen.
4. Is Stephen a popular baby name?
Stephen has ranked among the 1000 most popular baby names since 1900 (3). Although the name’s popularity has fluctuated over the years, it is still a popular baby name choice among parents in the US. According to the US SSA, the name ranked 359 in 2022.
5. What are some positive characteristics or traits associated with people named Stephen?
In numerology, the name Stephen is associated with personality number 5. People with this name are believed to be highly social beings who love and care for their near and dear ones. It is considered they enjoy adventure activities and love traveling. However, it’s worth noting that individual traits may vary among individuals despite the numerological associations of the name.
6. Are there any notable variations of the name Stephen in different languages?
Stephen has several variations in different languages. It can be shortened to Steve or Stevie in English, and Stephanie is its female version. Stevan, Stevon, Stephan, Stefan, Esteban, and Stephano are more variations of Stephen, demonstrating the name’s use across cultures and languages.
7. Is there any specific meaning or symbolism attached to the name Stephen in different cultures?
The name Stephen holds symbolic significance across cultures. It gained fame from Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and its association with victory in Greek mythology. It became Anglicized as Stephen in medieval Europe and was linked to notable kings such as Stephen of Blois. The name’s history and diverse forms highlight its profound meaning and cultural influence.
References:
- Feast Day of St, Stephen The First Martyr.
https://stboniface-lunenburg.org/feast-day-of-saint-stephen-the-first-martyr - King Stephen of England.
https://www.worldhistory.org/King_Stephen_of_England/ - Popular Baby Names.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
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