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BabyNames
Boy name#11 of boy names

Steven

Pronounced S EY1 N T EH1 V AH0 N (ARPABET)

  • 3 syllables
  • Peaked 1956
  • 145 years in use
  • Biblical
  • 4 spellings
Compare

How popular is Steven?

Steven is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 2,170,547 children — the 11th most common boys' name on record.

It has been slipping, down 49% on the previous decade. Its best single year was 1956, when 59,713 children were given it.

Four other spellings are counted in that total — Stephen, Stevan, Stevon and one more — because they are pronounced identically.

025,00050,00075,000100,00018901920195019802010
1956Boys: 59,713Girls: 113

Spelling variants

These spellings sound identical to Steven and are counted together with it, which is why the totals here are higher than a single-spelling count.

  • Stephen
  • Stevan
  • Stevon
  • Stevin

Nicknames

Common short forms: Steve, Stevie.

Characteristics

  • Biblical (Person)
  • 3 syllables
Phonetic detail
Pronunciations:
S EY1 N T EH1 V AH0 N · S EY1 N T EH1 V IH0 N · S T IY1 V AH0 N · S T R IY1 T EH1 V AH0 N · S T R IY1 T EH1 V IH0 N
Stress pattern:
110 · 110 · 10 · 110 · 110
Syllables:
3

Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.

Names like Steven

Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.

Sibling names for Steven

Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.

Frequently asked questions

How popular is the name Steven?
Steven ranks 11th among boys' names in US records, with 2,170,547 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 30,082.
Is Steven a unisex name?
No. Steven is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
When was Steven most popular?
1956, when 59,713 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.
What are common nicknames for Steven?
Steve, Stevie. These are recorded as separate names in their own right, so each has its own page and its own popularity curve.
How else is Steven spelled?
Stephen, Stevan, Stevon, Stevin. All of these sound the same and are counted together in the totals on this page.