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Home › Baby Names Directory › Stephani

Stephani

♀ Girl

Pronounced STEF-uh-nee /ˈstɛf.ə.ni/High

Meaning: Stephani is Stephanie with the final -e dropped, from Greek stephanos, 'a crown or garland' — the feminine of Stephen. The shortened spelling was a late-century way to lighten a popular name.Medium

In 30 seconds: Stephani is Stephanie minus the last letter (said 'STEF-uh-nee'). Its Greek root means 'crown, garland.'
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Origin HighGreek
MeaningStephani is Stephanie with the final -e dropped, from Greek stephanos, 'a crown or garland' — the feminine of Stephen. The shortened spelling was a late-century way to lighten a popular name.
U.S. rank (2024)#14998 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1989
Total births (all-time)≈ 5,305

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198919402024

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

Stephani is one of the pared-down spellings that appeared as Stephanie dominated the girls' charts. The name is the feminine of Stephen, from Greek stephanos, 'crown, garland,' a symbol of victory. Stephani crested at the end of the eighties and faded as the full spelling reasserted itself.

A Stephani from her peak is now in her mid-thirties, a late-eighties cohort name. The trimmed spelling dates her to that moment; parents today write Stephanie or reach for Stella and Stevie, so Stephani stays a period variant.

Did you know? Stephani peaked at the end of the eighties, riding the crest of a Stephanie boom so large that clipped and respelled versions multiplied to help each girl stand out.
Overall data confidence 80%
References — Stephani — Trimmed form of Stephanie (Gk stephanos); late-1980s peak

Variations

StephanieStefaniSteffani

Nicknames

StephSteffi

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Stephani…

Stephanie— the full standard spelling Stephani trims
Stefanie— a like alternate spelling of the same name
Tiffany— a same-era popular three-beat girls' name
Melanie— a like Greek-rooted -anie name of the period

Explore names like Stephani

By themegreekrespelling1980s

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Stephani mean?

Stephani is a short spelling of Stephanie, from Greek stephanos, 'crown, garland.'

How do you pronounce Stephani?

It's said STEF-uh-nee /ˈstɛf.ə.ni/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Stephani a boy or girl name?

Stephani is used as a girl's name, a pared-down spelling of Stephanie.

How popular is Stephani?

Stephani was a late-eighties respelling that peaked around the turn of the nineties and has been uncommon since.

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