Steven Name Meaning

This article is where you can learn about Steven name meaning, its root, nicknames, similar names, and more. It’ll help parents find the answer to whether to choose this name for babies or not and provide gorgeous middle names to pair with Steven.

Steven isn’t a rare name when it’s frequently mentioned in the art world. There are countless celebrities whose names are Steven. More than that, the history and little-known facts behind this name may also surprise you.

The Overview Of The Name Steven

Read this overview to acquire general information about the name Steven. For more details, you can scroll down to the parts below.

Meaning	Steven means “wreath”, “crown”, “to encircle”, and “to wreathe”.
Pronunciation	stee-vuhn
Origin	The name Steven can come from the Greek name Stéphanos or the verb stéphein. Some say it can also originate in English, Dutch, North German, and Scottish.
Gender	Steven is mostly given to boys.
Popularity	From 1955 to 1961, Steven remained in the top 10 most popular names for boys. In 2021, its rank significantly dropped to 235th place.
Variations	Stefan, Stefano, Steffen, Esteban, etc.
Nicknames	Stevie, Stewie, Stef, Teven, etc,
Similar Names	Brian, Sterling, Teagan, Evan, etc.
Middle Names	Mateo, Tristan, Bradley, Apollo, etc.
Sibling Names	For Boys: Risley, Colton, Vance, Brandon, etc. *For Girls:* Carrington, Caroline, Teresa, Virginia, etc.

The Exact Meaning Of The Name Steven

Steven (pronounced stee-vuhn) or the spelling Stephen is a masculine name with various meanings. It can convey “wreath”, “crown”, “reward”, “honor”, “fame”, and “renown”. It can also come from a Greek verb indicating “to encircle” and “to wreathe”.

The Origin Of The Name Steven

Many say that Steven and Stephen originate from the Latin name Stephanus, the Greek Stéphanos, and the verb stéphein. Besides, it may have English, Dutch, North German, and Scottish origins. ⁽¹⁾

It’s also associated with the name of a monk in Old English and popularized after the Conquest, Saint Stephen. He is the first Christian martyr and a Christian deacon in Jerusalem.

According to the Acts of the Apostles, Stephen’s defense of his faith before the rabbinic court angered the Jewish, and he was stoned to death. However, his final words were still a prayer of forgiveness for his attackers. ⁽²⁾

How Popular Is The Name Steven Over Decades?

Steven hasn’t been quite popular recently when it was ranked 235th in 2021. Nevertheless, tracing back from 1955 to 1961, it had stayed in the top 10 most common names for boys, according to the Social Security Administration data.

Although before the 20th century, the spelling Stephen was more frequently chosen as a male name than Steven, at present, Steven seems to have gained more popularity. In 2021, the ranking of the name Stephen was 341st. ⁽³⁾

Name Variations Of Steven

You can find many variations of the name Steven in almost all major languages around the globe. Here are some notable ones.

Stefan (Bulgarian/Polish/Dutch/Turkish)
Stefano (Italian)
Steffen (Danish)
Esteban (Spanish)
Étienne (French)
Estebe (Basque)
Estevão (Portuguese)
Štěpán (Czech)

Cool Nicknames For Steven

Besides Steve, there are various cute and amazing nicknames to call your child. Here are some cool ones you can try.

Stevie
Stewie
Stef
Teven
Stevino
Stevol
Storm

Similar Names For Steven

Here are some options if you want more name ideas similar to Steven. Most of these names have two syllables or similar pronunciations, like Steven.

Name	Pronunciation	Meaning	Origin
Brian	bry-uhn	High or noble	Irish and Breton
Sterling	stur-luhng	Little star, starling, or of the highest quality	English
Teagan	tee-gun	Attractive, beautiful, or poet	Irish
Evan	ev-uhn	God is gracious, youth, rock, good messenger, or good man	Welsh and Hebrew
Seven	seh-vn	Seven, loving one, completion, or perfection	English
Eden	ee-duhn	Place of pleasure or delight	Hebrew
Sylvan	sil-vn	Of the forest	Latin
Stockton	staak-tn	Tree-stump settlement	Old English

What Are Perfect Middle Names For Steven?

Have you decided on giving this name to your child but still haven’t chosen a suitable middle name? Let’s consider this list.

Mateo: Mateo is a Spanish variant of the Hebrew name Matthew. Because its meaning refers to the “gift of God”, many parents choose this name to indicate their children are as precious as a present from God.
Tristan: Tristan is derived from the Welsh “Drystan” and the French word “triste”. Even though Tristan signifies “sad” and “sorrow”, it is still the name of many renowned people like Tristan Thompson (Canadian basketball player), Tristan Wilds (American actor), etc.
Bradley: This name is associated with renowned actors such as Brad Pitt (William Bradley Pitt) and Bradley Cooper. It originates from a habitational name meaning “broad meadow” or “broad wood” in Old English.
Apollo: It’s a boy name of Greek origin meaning “destroyer”. In Greek and Roman mythology, Apollo, the son of Zeus and Leto, is a god of healing and diseases, the Sun and light, etc. Also, Project Apollo, with the mission to the moon, was named after the Greek God.
Kyle: Kyle is a gender-neutral name of Scottish and Irish origins. It’s interpreted as “a narrow” or “a strait”. These terms describe a narrow channel that connects two larger bodies of water.
Madden: Madden is believed to come from the Irish Ó Madadháin, meaning “descendant of Madadhán”. A shortened version of Madadháin is madadh, which indicates “dog”. The Madden Brothers is a pop rock duo formed by American twin brothers.
Charlie: Charlie is a nickname of Charles, Charlotte, or Charlene. Charlie is a unisex name meaning “free man”. Giving your children this name is an excellent way to encourage them to be independent.
Princeton: This cute boy’s name is of English origin, composed of “prince” and the placename suffix -ton (“town”). Its meaning is “princely town” referring to a charming place where a prince resides.

Sibling Names For Steven

Here are some name suggestions that have the same style as Steven that parents can choose for Steven’s siblings.

For Sons

This list includes great name ideas with multiple meanings and origins that parents pick for Steven’s brothers.

Risley: Risley is composed of hrīs, meaning “brushwood” or “branch” and lēah, which conveys “woodland clearing” in Old English so that it can mean “meadow with shrubs” or “from the brushwood meadow”.
Colton: Colton may have its origin in Old English and carry the meaning “coal town”, “settlement”, or “swarthy person”. Some speculate that the name is reminiscent of coal miners working in coal factories in England during the Industrial revolution.
Vance: Transferred from an English surname, Vance can denote “marshland” or “from the marsh”. One of the famous name bearers is Vance Amory, the 2nd and 4th Premier of Nevis. He is the founder of the Concerned Citizens’ Movement, the largest political party in Nevis.
Brandon: Brandon carries various meanings rooted in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon. It indicates “gorse-hill” in Old English, “prince” and “chieftain” in Old Welsh. Brandon is common in Australia, Canada, Chile, the Netherlands, etc.
Daniel: The name Daniel is explained as “God is my judge” in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament, Daniel is the follower of the God El and is notable for his wisdom and righteousness.
Kevin: Anglicized from the name Caoimhín, Kevin is a gorgeous name with the meaning “of noble birth”. This name has an association with Saint Kevin. He is the founder of the monastery of Glendalough in County Wicklow, Ireland.

For Daughters

These elegant names for girls won’t make you feel disappointed. They are perfect names with great meanings and pair well with the name Steven.

Carrington: It can originate from the name of a village in Scotland and is composed of Cērihere, -ing (“belonging to”), and tūn (“town” or “settlement”), so the name can refer to “settlement of Cērihere’s people”. Besides, it also means “Cara’s town” or “rocky settlement”.
Caroline: As the feminine version of Charles, the name Caroline signifies “free man” or “free woman”. Many say this girl’s name is from German and French origins. The British queen consort of King George II, Caroline of Ansbach, is one of the famous name bearers.
Teresa: Teresa is rooted in the Greek therízō (“to harvest”) or in theros (“summer”). Teresa is a beautiful name that suits the most for girls born in the summer months. It’s also the name of several saints like Saint Teresa of Jesus, Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa), etc.
Virginia: “Maiden”, “virgin”, and “pure” are the meanings of this Latin female name. You may not know that people named the state of Virginia to honor Elizabeth I, also known as the Virgin Queen.
Elyssa: The feminine name Elyssa has the same root as Elizabeth. They both ultimately come from the Hebrew name Elisheba, meaning “God is my oath”, “satisfaction of God”, “God is abundance”, etc.
Susan: People explain this name as “lily” in Persian and Hebrew or “lotus flower” in Egyptian. Whether what its meaning is, Susan always refers to beautiful and fragrant flowers that bring pleasure to others.

Steven In Popular Culture

Many filmmakers gave the name Steven to fictional characters in their movies. Not only in films but this name also appeared in other visual arts.

Steven Universe: The titular character in the animated television series Steven Universe
Steven Grant Rogers (Steve Rogers): Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Stephen Maturin: Ship’s surgeon in Aubrey-Maturin of novels written by Patrick O’Brian
Steven Stone: A Pokémon champion in the Pokémon franchise
Steven Spence: A recurring character in the teen drama television series Gossip Girl
Steven Rockwell Trevor: An intelligence operative and officer in DC comics

Notable People Named Steven

Not many people know that the co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, bears the full name Steven Paul Jobs. Also, there are other notable bearers of this name that you may know.

Stephen Of Blois (1097-1154): King of England reigned from 1135 to 1154
Stephen Hawking (1942-2018): English theoretical physicist and one of the greatest scientists in history
Steven Wilson (born in 1967): English musician and member of the rock band Porcupine Tree
Steven Erikson (born in 1959): Canadian novelist known for the series Malazan Book of the Fallen
Steven Tyler (born in 1948): American singer and member of the rock band Aerosmith
Steven Gerrard (born in 1980): English professional football manager

FAQs

Don’t miss this section if you have any questions about Steven’s personality or other concerns with the name. I’ve compiled frequently asked questions and given my readers detailed answers.

Children named Steven tend to become practical men who perform concrete actions and possess a strong sense of reality. They are powerful, patient, hard-working, and maybe a little traditional and strict.

Many surnames are derived from this given name, such as Stevens, Stephenson, and Stevenson. The surname Stevens indicates “son of Steven” and appeared in England after the Norman Conquest.

In America, the Stevens family of Hoboken is famous as an engineering and inventor family. Colonel John Stevens, who belonged to the family, was an inventor of the first U.S steam locomotive and contributed to the development of American patent law.

As mentioned above, Estaban (pronounced as ehs-tai-bahn) is a Spanish variant of the name Steven. It’s also derived from the Greek Stéphanos and bears the same meaning.

Steven is predominantly a male name, but if you want to give this name to girls, you can pick Stephanie, Stefani, Stefany, etc.

Many say that because /f/ is a voiceless consonant between two vowels in the name Stephen, the voiceless consonant /f/ changes to its voiced counterpart /v/, like loaf – loaves, leaf – leaves, dwarf – dwarves, etc. Thus, Stephen can be pronounced as Steven.

However, this explanation isn’t uncertain, and you can also pronounce Stephen without changing /f/ to /v/. Like the feminine form Stephanie, it’s still pronounced as stef-uh-nee.

Will You Choose Steven To Be Your Child’s Name?

I’ve provided you with all details and answered questions about the name Steven. If you find this post helpful, don’t forget to support me by commenting on your opinions about this name and sharing this on social media.

Naming a child is an important and time-taking process. If you are looking up the meaning of other names, remember there are tons of other related articles waiting for you to check out. Goodbye, and I’ll see you soon!

References

Ancestry.com. 2022. Steven Name Meaning & Steven Family History at Ancestry.com®.
Encyclopedia Britannica. 2022. Saint Stephen | Facts, Feast Day, Death, Patron Saint, & Martyr.
Social Security. 2022. Popularity of a Name.

Helen Doanna

Editor in Chief, Educational Specialist, and Senior Content Creator

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Child Development Specialist, Child-care Coordinator, Family Support Specialist, Content Writer, Communications Specialist, Educational Consultant, STEAM Teacher

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1. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Program: Bachelor’s degree in Faculty of Literature and Journalism
Focus: In-depth knowledge of Literature, knowledge and skills to perceive, create literature or work in related fields; Basic knowledge of communications.

2. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Program: Bachelor’s degree in Education Faculty
Focus: Core knowledge of social sciences and humanities – the root for the development of progressive values of education, Multicultural communication in education, Contemporary education in the context of globalization, Learning in the digital technology era, Basic issues of STEAM education, Classroom Management, Special education.

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Program: Bachelor’s degree in Faculty of Human Development and Family Sciences – Child Development
Focus: Different stages of development, from infancy to adulthood; Develop a strong foundation for a career in early childhood programs or classrooms; Learn strategies for supporting young children’s development in early childhood settings.

Helen is an experienced educational specialist and content creator, known for her innovative approach to children’s learning. With a background in literature and child development, she composes engaging educational content for SimpleKids.net. Her work emphasizes creativity, engagement, and simplicity, aiming to make learning enjoyable and accessible for children and their families.