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Home › Baby Names Directory › Stephan

Stephan

♂ Boy

Pronounced STEF-uhn /ˈstɛ.fən/Medium

Meaning: A variant of Stephen, from Greek 'stephanos' meaning 'crown' or 'garland'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Stephan is a variant of Stephen, from the Greek 'stephanos', meaning 'crown' or 'garland'.
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Origin MediumGreek
MeaningA variant of Stephen, from Greek 'stephanos' meaning 'crown' or 'garland'.
U.S. rank (2025)#1850 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births86 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1989
Total births (all-time)≈ 27,671

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198918952025

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

The name comes from the Greek 'stephanos', the crown or garland awarded as a mark of honor. Stephan is the spelling common in German and other European usage, set slightly apart from the English Stephen. The victorious, crowning image sits at its heart.

It travels in a broad family, from the German Stefan and Steffen to the Latin Stefanus and the accented Stéphan, all turning on that same garland meaning.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Stephan is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Stephan — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

StefanSteffenStevenStefanusStéphan

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Stephan El Shaarawy (1992-)
    Italian professional footballer and winger
  • ★Stephan James (1993-)
    Canadian actor known for Selma and If Beale Street Could Talk
  • ★Stephan Bonnar (1977-2022)
    American mixed martial artist and UFC Hall of Famer

If you like Stephan…

Stefan— a listed German form from the same 'stephanos' root
Steven— a listed English variant sharing the 'crown' meaning
Bastian— shares the -an ending
Titan— echoes that soft -an sound
Kristian— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Stephan

By themegermandutch
By meaningRoyal / Noble

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Stephan mean?

Stephan is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with German tradition.

How do you pronounce Stephan?

It's commonly said STEF-uhn /ˈstɛ.fən/.

Is Stephan a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Stephan is used as a boy name.

How popular is Stephan?

In 2024, Stephan ranked #1723 in the U.S. for boys, with 96 births recorded.

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