How Many People Are Named Stephen?
Complete statistics for the name Stephen: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Stephen comes from the Greek name Stephanos, meaning crowned or wreath, and it's a name with serious staying power. About 651,637 people named Stephen are living in the US today, making it 1 in 506 Americans. The wild stat? It spent 58 years in the US top 10, which tells you just how dominant this name once was.
📖 Meaning & Origin
The life path number 33 is considered the Master Teacher in numerology, representing compassion, creative expression, and a deep sense of responsibility toward others. Those with the number 33 are thought to inspire and uplift the people around them.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 60All 866,658 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1952Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Stephen Through the Generations
Stephen had a genuine golden era. Its peak came in 1952 with 23,081 babies named Stephen in a single year, and it held a top-10 spot for 58 years total. That's not a flash-in-the-pan name, that's a generational staple. Of the 866,658 Stephens ever born in the US, around 651,637 are still living, a reasonably healthy survival rate that reflects how concentrated the births were in the mid-20th century. The age story is where it gets really telling. A full 53% of living Stephens are over 60, and the average age sits at 60. Only 63,035 are under 30, compared to 460,476 over 60. That's a steep slope. The name is still out there, but it belongs mostly to grandfathers now, not kindergartners. It's declining, and the numbers make clear why: parents today are reaching for something newer.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named Stephen
Stephen or Steven is an English male first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen, an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; he is widely regarded as the first martyr of the Christian Church.…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Stephen's Greek roots
📄 About the Name Stephen
How Many People Have the Name Stephen?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 9,333 people in the United States currently share the name Stephen. That works out to roughly 1 in every 35,514 Americans, placing it in the Rare category.
Is Stephen a Common or Rare Name?
Stephen is classified as Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Stephen Mean?
Stephen means "crowned one, wearer of wreath" and comes from Greek origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 33.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Stephen in SSA data, approximately 100% are male and 0% are female.
When Was Stephen Most Popular?
The name Stephen reached peak popularity in 1952, with 23,081 babies registered that year. Current trend: Declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Stephen?
Approximately 9,333 people named Stephen live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 9,333. That works out to roughly 1 in 35,514 Americans.
Is Stephen a rare name?
Stephen is classified as Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 35,514 Americans has this name.
What does the name Stephen mean?
Stephen means "crowned one, wearer of wreath" and comes from Greek origins.
Is Stephen more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 100% of people named Stephen are male and 0% are female.
When was Stephen most popular?
Stephen peaked in 1952 with 23,081 births that year. Current trend: Declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.