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Name at a glance

Stephen

Stephen is a Greek name meaning crown or wreath.

Ranked #383 in US baby names in 2025, peaked at #19 in 1949, declining over the past 5 years.

Stephen is remembered in Acts as a Spirit-filled servant, bold witness, and the first Christian martyr.

Browse names
OriginGreek
GenderBoy
FeelMartyr
PronunciationSTEE-vun

Is Stephen biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Stephen is a named person in Acts, one of the seven chosen to serve and remembered as the first Christian martyr (Acts 7).

Is Stephen a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Foundational, across traditions

Stephen is venerated as the protomartyr across Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran tradition, with wide use across Christian traditions.

Plain answer

Stephen is a biblical name borne by the first Christian martyr in Acts, and it is a foundational Christian name across traditions.

Confidence High Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Stephen

Stephen comes from Greek Stephanos, meaning crown or wreath. In Christian memory, the meaning is poignant because Stephen is crowned through faithful witness and martyrdom.

Acts

Stephen's witness

Stephen appears in Acts as one of the seven chosen to serve the community. He is described as full of faith and the Holy Spirit.

His speech before the council retells Israel's story and confronts resistance to God. His death becomes a turning point in Acts and introduces Saul, who later becomes Paul.

Christian memory

The first martyr

Stephen is traditionally remembered as the first Christian martyr. That gives the name a serious and courageous tone.

The story also includes forgiveness, because Stephen prays for those killing him. The name therefore carries both conviction and mercy.

Sound

How to pronounce Stephen

Phonetic
STEE-vun
IPA
/ˈstiːvən/

2 syllables · stress: STEE-vun · ends in a consonant

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Steven
  • Stefan
  • Stephan
  • Estevan
  • Esteban
  • Stefano
  • Stepan

Short forms and nicknames

  • Steve
  • Stevie

Languages

Stephen in other languages

Greek
ΣτέφανοςStephanos
Latin
Stephanus
Spanish
Esteban
French
Étienne
German
Stefan
Italian
Stefano
Portuguese
Estêvão
Russian
СтефанStefan
Polish
Stefan

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Stephen has deep Christian meaning through service, Spirit-filled witness, martyrdom, and forgiveness. It has been widely used across Christian traditions.

Scripture

The biblical figure

Stephen is a servant and witness in Acts who is killed after testifying before the council.

Bearers

Notable people named Stephen

  • biblical

    StephenOne of the seven chosen in Acts 6 and the first Christian martyr, stoned outside Jerusalem in Acts 7

  • historical

    Stephen CraneAmerican naturalist novelist and poet, author of The Red Badge of Courage, 1871 to 1900

  • historical

    Stephen HawkingEnglish theoretical physicist and cosmologist, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, 1942 to 2018

  • modern

    Stephen KingAmerican novelist of horror and suspense, author of The Shining and It, born 1947

  • historical

    Stephen SondheimAmerican composer and lyricist of Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and many other Broadway musicals, 1930 to 2021

  • modern

    Stephen ColbertAmerican comedian and host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, born 1964

  • modern

    Stephen CurryAmerican NBA point guard for the Golden State Warriors, four-time NBA champion, born 1988

Saint

Saint Stephen Protomartyr

Traditions
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran
Patron of
deacons, stonemasons, bricklayers, against headaches, Hungary

Stephen is venerated as the first Christian martyr, stoned outside Jerusalem in Acts 7. His feast falls the day after Christmas in Western tradition, and he is commemorated in the Orthodox tradition as well. Stephen of Hungary is a separate, later saint honored as the country's first Christian king.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Stephen and Steven have both been common in English. The name is biblical, saintly, and familiar without feeling ornate.

Recent US use

Stephen in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#383
Peak rank
#19 in 1949
Recent trend
declining over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

For families

For families looking at Stephen

For a Christian family, Stephen offers a classic name with a strong story of courage and mercy. It may suit parents who want a familiar name with real spiritual depth.

Common questions

What does Stephen mean?

Stephen means crown or wreath.

Is Stephen a biblical name?

Yes. Stephen appears in Acts and is remembered as the first Christian martyr.

Is Steven a variant of Stephen?

Yes. Steven is a common spelling variant of Stephen.

Sources

Sources for Stephen

  • A Greek-English Lexicon, Liddell, Scott, and JonesSupports: Greek etymology (Stephanos); meaning 'crown' or 'wreath'.
  • The Acts of the Apostles, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: biblical figure, first Christian martyr (Acts 7).
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Saint Stephen Protomartyr; feast day (December 26).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

PaulSaul of Tarsus (later Paul) consents to Stephen's stoning and holds the cloaks of the witnesses (Acts 7:58-8:1); the moment is the first appearance of Paul in the New Testament.PeterBoth are bold Spirit-filled preachers in the early Acts narrative; Peter preaches Pentecost (Acts 2), Stephen the speech in Acts 7 that gets him stoned.GabrielBoth names carry direct theological substance; Stephen ('crown' from Greek stephanos) and Gabriel ('God is my strength') anchor strong Christian devotional registers.