Stephen
Boy name · #383 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Stephen? In official American birth records, Stephen has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Stephen is currently the #383 boy name in the United States — 829 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #246, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,171 boys born in 2025 was named Stephen.
The 145-year story
Stephen first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 176 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1952, when 23,055 boys were named Stephen — good for #21 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Stephen per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Stephen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Stephen in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Stephen is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Stephen is most common
Geography matters for names, and Stephen is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Stephen is most common in PA (1.2 per 1,000), MS (1.2 per 1,000), CT (0.9 per 1,000), MD (0.9 per 1,000), MA (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Stephen is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Stephen
Stephen carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Stephen family went to about 2,244 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #162, versus #383 for Stephen alone.
Names like Stephen
Statistically, parents drawn to Stephen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Steven, Allen, Stanley, Philip, and Kenneth.
StevenAllenStanleyPhilipKennethMartinLawrenceRussell
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Stephen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 829 | #383 |
| 2024 | 870 | #374 |
| 2023 | 898 | #363 |
| 2022 | 919 | #358 |
| 2021 | 958 | #339 |
| 2020 | 1,024 | #322 |
| 2019 | 1,095 | #310 |
| 2018 | 1,246 | #283 |
| 2017 | 1,334 | #270 |
| 2016 | 1,379 | #265 |
| 2015 | 1,497 | #246 |
| 2014 | 1,452 | #257 |
| 2013 | 1,452 | #252 |
| 2012 | 1,568 | #225 |
| 2011 | 1,579 | #228 |
| 2010 | 1,820 | #201 |
| 2009 | 1,920 | #199 |
| 2008 | 2,092 | #191 |
| 2007 | 2,376 | #172 |
| 2006 | 2,552 | #164 |
| 2005 | 2,745 | #143 |
| 2004 | 2,851 | #140 |
| 2003 | 3,142 | #128 |
| 2002 | 3,349 | #114 |
| 2001 | 3,738 | #102 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Stephen?
In official American birth records, the name Stephen first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 176 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Stephen a popular boy name?
Stephen ranked #383 among boys in 2025 with 829 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #246.
When was the name Stephen most popular?
Stephen peaked in 1952, when 23,055 American boys received the name (ranked #21 that year). Since 1952 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Stephen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,171 newborn American boys was named Stephen. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.