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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Steve

Steve

β™‚ Boy

Pronounced STEEV /ˈstiv/Medium

Meaning: short form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning "crown, garland"Medium

In 30 seconds: Steve is a short form of Stephen, from the Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown' or 'garland'.
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Origin MediumEnglish
Meaningshort form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning "crown, garland"
U.S. rank (2025)#1617 β†— Rising
2025 U.S. births105 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1959
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 241,227

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 195918802025

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

Steve clips the longer Stephen, whose Greek root Stephanos means a crown or garland. The short form became a friendly, familiar standalone name in English-speaking countries. Its sense of a victor's crown comes through even in the trimmed-down version.

Steve is brisk and approachable, a single syllable that pairs with softer forms like Stevie and Steph. Those variations show the range from casual nickname to fuller name.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Steve 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 - Steve β€” etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration β€” 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

SteStephStevieSteeveStephon

Nicknames

β€”

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Steve Jobs (1955-2011)
    American co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc.
  • β˜…Steve Carell (1962-)
    American actor and comedian known for The Office
  • β˜…Steve Martin (1945-)
    American comedian, actor and musician
  • β˜…Steve McQueen (1930-1980)
    American actor known as 'The King of Cool'
  • β˜…Steve Wozniak (1950-)
    American engineer and co-founder of Apple Inc.

If you like Steve…

Stephenβ€” The full name Steve is the short form of, meaning 'crown'.
Stevenβ€” The common alternate spelling of Stephen behind Steve.
Stevieβ€” A warmer pet form, listed among Steve's variations.
Coveβ€” a fellow English choice
Daveβ€” a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Steve

By themeenglishfrench
By meaningRoyal / Noble

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Steve mean?

Steve is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Steve?

It's commonly said STEEV /ˈstiv/.

Is Steve a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Steve?

In 2024, Steve ranked #1692 in the U.S. for boys, with 99 births recorded.

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