Steve

Steve is the English short form of either Stephen or Steven. Saint Stephen is considered the very first Christian martyr in Roman Catholic tradition, so it was he who popularized the name Stephen among pious Christians for centuries thereafter. Stephen's name comes from the Greek word “stephanos” meaning “garland crown” because he was the first disciple of Jesus to receive the martyr's crown. His story is told in Acts 6:8-8:2: The apostles ordained seven deacons to look after the care of widows and the poor, and of these chosen administrators, Stephen was the most famous. He was known for his eloquence and wisdom which inspired many followers of Jesus. As a result of Stephen’s successful missionaries, he attracted the notice of some very bad men. They accused Stephen of blasphemy against Moses and God in front of an assembly of men which Stephen faced bravely (legend has it that his face took on the formation of an angel). The men exacted the requisite ancient punishment of stoning to death. In his parting words, Stephen asked only for his enemies’ salvation: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” [Acts 7:60]. As it turned out, Stephen’s public stoning had the opposite effect the executioners had intended because many Christ followers fled from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria fearing for their lives, taking with them a belief system that had previously been confined to Jerusalem. As the first Christian martyr, Stephen’s feast day comes right after Jesus’ on December 26. Like many names from the Bible, Stephen gained popularity in ancient times and on throughout the Middle Ages as people bestowed names upon their children in homage to those they revered. In more modern times, the English short form of Steve was adopted as an independently given name in its own right.