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Bastian

♂ Boy

Pronounced BAS-chun /ˈbæs.tʃən/High

Meaning: Venerable; revered; short form of Sebastian, from Greek Sebastianos (of Sebastos: venerable, revered, from sebastos: worthy of reverence)High

In 30 seconds: A short form of Sebastian meaning 'venerable' or 'revered,' from Greek sebastos (worthy of reverence). Made famous in modern culture by the protagonist of Michael Ende's The Neverending Story (1979).

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Origin HighGreek, Latin

MeaningVenerable; revered; short form of Sebastian, from Greek Sebastianos (of Sebastos: venerable, revered, from sebastos: worthy of reverence)

U.S. rank (2025)#1021 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births219 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2024

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,612

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Bastian is a short form of Sebastian, from Greek Sebastianos (of Sebastos, a Greek word for 'venerable, revered,' also used as the Greek equivalent of the Latin title Augustus). Saint Sebastian (d. c.288 CE) was an early Christian martyr.

Bastian entered U.S. boys' charts partly through The Neverending Story and has grown steadily. It ranked #1001 for boys in 2024.

Did you know? Bastian Balthazar Bux — the lonely boy hero of Michael Ende's The Neverending Story (1979) — reads himself into the magical land of Fantasia in one of children's literature's great celebrations of the power of storytelling and imagination.

Overall data confidence 92%

Behind the Name — Bastian — Greek/Latin etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

SebastianBastien

Nicknames

BasBasti

Famous Bearers

★Bastian Balthazar Bux (fictional)
The protagonist of Michael Ende's The Neverending Story (1979), a lonely boy who reads himself into the magical land of Fantastica.

If you like Bastian…

Sebastian— the full form from which Bastian derives

Cassian— Latin -ian ending name with the same classical educated feel

Dorian— Greek -ian ending name with the same literary, sophisticated character

Damian— Greek -ian ending saint name with the same Christian classical heritage

Fabian— Latin -ian saint name with the same elegant, slightly old-world quality

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Bastian mean?

Bastian means 'venerable' or 'revered,' as a short form of Sebastian, from Greek sebastos (worthy of reverence).

How do you pronounce Bastian?

It's said BAS-chun — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Bastian a boy or girl name?

Bastian is used as a boys' name.

How popular is Bastian?

Bastian ranked #1001 for U.S. boys in 2024.