Sebastian
From Latin Sebastiānus, name of an early Christian saint, from ancient city of Sebaste in Asia Minor (modern Sivas, Turkey), from Ancient Greek Σεβαστός (Sebastós…
Every Sebastian since 1881 — 218,463 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sebastian
Sebastian is a top-50 name for boys in the United States, ranked #16 in 2025 with 8,605 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 218,463 American babies have been named Sebastian. Its peak came in 2016, when 10,325 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sebastian stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sebastian year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | #9,995 | 8,605 | #16 |
| 2024 | 19 | #6,362 | 8,593 | #14 |
| 2023 | 15 | #7,581 | 8,892 | #13 |
| 2022 | 5 | #17,368 | 9,403 | #13 |
| 2021 | 12 | #8,899 | 8,932 | #19 |
| 2020 | 7 | #13,252 | 9,029 | #19 |
| 2019 | 14 | #8,076 | 9,884 | #18 |
| 2018 | 11 | #9,716 | 10,137 | #18 |
| 2017 | 13 | #8,713 | 10,197 | #23 |
| 2016 | 16 | #7,550 | 10,309 | #23 |
| 2015 | 21 | #6,205 | 9,632 | #35 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,824 | 9,315 | #34 |
| 2013 | 8 | #12,962 | 7,553 | #46 |
| 2012 | 13 | #9,039 | 6,744 | #64 |
| 2011 | 11 | #10,282 | 6,551 | #68 |
| 2010 | 6 | #16,633 | 6,366 | #68 |
| 2009 | 7 | #14,973 | 5,993 | #70 |
| 2008 | 13 | #9,399 | 6,041 | #74 |
| 2007 | 13 | #9,452 | 6,274 | #73 |
| 2006 | 18 | #7,094 | 6,287 | #76 |
| 2005 | 12 | #9,356 | 4,956 | #86 |
| 2004 | 25 | #5,186 | 4,521 | #97 |
| 2003 | 9 | #11,172 | 4,649 | #93 |
| 2002 | 19 | #6,082 | 5,137 | #80 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9,970 | 4,979 | #81 |
| 2000 | 9 | #10,588 | 5,029 | #81 |
| 1995 | 10 | #8,623 | 1,435 | #207 |
| 1990 | — | — | 790 | #320 |
| 1985 | — | — | 288 | #515 |
| 1980 | 5 | #11,769 | 168 | #669 |
| 1975 | — | — | 127 | #739 |
| 1970 | — | — | 165 | #633 |
| 1965 | — | — | 104 | #731 |
| 1960 | — | — | 69 | #915 |
| 1955 | — | — | 56 | #1,009 |
| 1950 | — | — | 42 | #1,103 |
| 1945 | — | — | 47 | #951 |
| 1940 | — | — | 51 | #889 |
| 1935 | — | — | 79 | #676 |
| 1930 | — | — | 113 | #568 |
| 1925 | — | — | 108 | #609 |
| 1920 | — | — | 139 | #520 |
| 1915 | — | — | 112 | #527 |
| 1910 | — | — | 14 | #855 |
| 1905 | — | — | 10 | #830 |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | 8 | #861 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #1,079 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Sebastian
- Sebastian of Portugal Politician · 1554–1578
- Sebastian Brant Philosopher · 1458–1521
- Sebastian Cabot Explorer · 1484–1557
- Sebastian Münster Geographer · 1488–1552
- Sebastian Shaw Actor · 1905–1994
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sebastian mean?
From Latin Sebastiānus, name of an early Christian saint, from ancient city of Sebaste in Asia Minor (modern Sivas, Turkey), from Ancient Greek Σεβαστός (Sebastós, “august, venerable, exalted”), itself a translation of the Roman…
How popular is the name Sebastian in 2025?
Sebastian ranked #16 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 8,605 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sebastian?
218,463 babies have been named Sebastian in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sebastian most popular?
Sebastian peaked in 2016, when 10,325 newborns received the name.
Is Sebastian a boy or girl name?
Sebastian is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sebastian rising or falling?
Sebastian has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Sebastian?
Well-known people named Sebastian include Sebastian of Portugal (politician), Sebastian Brant (philosopher), Sebastian Cabot (explorer).