Stefan
From Ancient Greek στεφανίζω (stephanízō, “to crown”) & Ancient Greek στέφανος (stéphanos, “that which surrounds, crown, wreath”).
Every Stefan since 1910 — 21,237 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Stefan
Stefan is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,023 in 2025 with 219 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1910, 21,237 American babies have been named Stefan. Its peak came in 1991, when 725 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Stefan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Stefan 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 | — | — | 219 | #1,023 |
| 2024 | — | — | 226 | #996 |
| 2023 | — | — | 234 | #962 |
| 2022 | — | — | 239 | #951 |
| 2021 | — | — | 257 | #895 |
| 2020 | — | — | 257 | #881 |
| 2019 | — | — | 258 | #861 |
| 2018 | — | — | 249 | #881 |
| 2017 | — | — | 314 | #751 |
| 2016 | — | — | 264 | #854 |
| 2015 | — | — | 293 | #800 |
| 2014 | — | — | 260 | #855 |
| 2013 | — | — | 256 | #837 |
| 2012 | — | — | 218 | #935 |
| 2011 | — | — | 238 | #880 |
| 2010 | — | — | 240 | #876 |
| 2009 | — | — | 202 | #984 |
| 2008 | — | — | 194 | #1,007 |
| 2007 | — | — | 212 | #938 |
| 2006 | — | — | 223 | #887 |
| 2005 | — | — | 241 | #800 |
| 2004 | — | — | 227 | #797 |
| 2003 | — | — | 274 | #697 |
| 2002 | — | — | 283 | #662 |
| 2001 | — | — | 304 | #625 |
| 2000 | — | — | 360 | #571 |
| 1995 | — | — | 530 | #429 |
| 1990 | — | — | 638 | #366 |
| 1985 | 13 | #5,625 | 423 | #414 |
| 1980 | — | — | 235 | #562 |
| 1975 | — | — | 220 | #543 |
| 1970 | — | — | 323 | #455 |
| 1965 | — | — | 155 | #616 |
| 1960 | — | — | 134 | #679 |
| 1955 | — | — | 57 | #1,001 |
| 1950 | — | — | 53 | #956 |
| 1945 | — | — | 21 | #1,488 |
| 1940 | — | — | 7 | #3,100 |
| 1935 | — | — | 9 | #2,689 |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | 8 | #3,368 |
| 1920 | — | — | 20 | #1,813 |
| 1915 | — | — | 12 | #2,291 |
| 1910 | — | — | 7 | #1,406 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Stefan
- Stefan Zweig Writer · 1881–1942
- Stefan Dušan Politician · 1308–1355
- Stefan Nemanja Politician · 1113–1199
- Stefan Lazarević Politician · 1374–1427
- Stefan Banach Mathematician · 1892–1945
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Stefan mean?
From Ancient Greek στεφανίζω (stephanízō, “to crown”) & Ancient Greek στέφανος (stéphanos, “that which surrounds, crown, wreath”).
How popular is the name Stefan in 2025?
Stefan ranked #1,023 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 219 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Stefan?
21,237 babies have been named Stefan in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Stefan most popular?
Stefan peaked in 1991, when 725 newborns received the name.
Is Stefan a boy or girl name?
Stefan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Stefan rising or falling?
Stefan has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Stefan?
Well-known people named Stefan include Stefan Zweig (writer), Stefan Dušan (politician), Stefan Nemanja (politician).