Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Steven

The name Steven is a phonetic respelling of Stephen, the name of the first Christian martyr in Roman Catholic tradition. 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 is known for his eloquence and wisdom which successfully gains many followers of Jesus; so much so that he attracts the notice of some very bad men. They accuse 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 asks only for his enemies’ salvation: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” [Acts 7:60]. It turns out that Stephen’s public stoning had the opposite effect the executioners had intended because many Christ followers fled Jerusalem fearing for their lives to Judea and Samaria, taking with them a belief system that had been relatively 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.

All About the Baby Name – Steven

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME STEVEN

The number Four personality is marked by stability and discipline. This is the personality that follows the rules and is conservative by nature.  They have an earth-bound energy that prefers to build things methodically on top of firm foundations; they don't cut corners. Fours take their time and don't like to be hurried. But the outcome of their endeavors is likely to result in some strong and useful structure, which makes them great engineers and inventors. Fours are anything but frivolous or controversial. This is a trustworthy, straight-forward personality that embodies dedication and organization. They are the backbone and anchor in their relationships, careers and communities. They are tidy, punctual, and full of integrity. Hard-work comes naturally to a Four and they are immensely reliable. This is the personality you can always count on.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME STEVEN

The name Steven has been on the U.S. popularity charts for boys’ names for well over a century. The height of the name’s popularity began in the late 1940s and lasted all the way through the 1970s. Essentially, for 30 straight years, Steven was a Top 25 favorite. In fact, 2008 marks the first year in almost 70 years that the name does not make the Top 100 list. The name has been on the decline since 1985 and has lost almost 100 positions on the charts since that time. Clearly, the name’s popularity is waning, but it’s still in relatively high usage (given to about 3,400 baby boys each year); and it’s still almost twice as popular as the name Stephen. Even though the name has Biblical origins, and has been in use in America for well over a century, the name maintains a modern style while still being considered a classic. There’s an unpretentious and gentle quality to the name Steven, while the short version, Steve, signifies a ‘tough guy’ thanks to the ever-manly actor Steve McQueen.

Quick Facts

ON STEVEN

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

136

PRONUNCIATION:

STEE-vin

SIMPLE MEANING:

Crown, garland, reward

Characteristics

OF STEVEN

Dependable

Solid

Practical

Hard-working

Industrious

Studious

Conservative

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Steven

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME STEVEN

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Steven

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME STEVEN

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Steven


Popular Songs

ON STEVEN

Regarding Steven
a song by the Blues Traveler

Steven
a song by Alice Cooper

Famous People

NAMED STEVEN

Steven Paul "Steve" Jobs (founder of Apple)
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen (actor)
Steven Seagal (actor/martial artist)
Steven Spielberg (director)
Steven Tyler (musician)
Steven Wright (stand-up comic)
Steven Paul "Steve" Jobs (founder of Apple)
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen (actor)
Steven Seagal (actor/martial artist)
Steven Spielberg (director)
Steven Tyler (musician)
Steven Wright (stand-up comic)
Steven Paul "Steve" Jobs (founder of Apple)
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen (actor)
Steven Seagal (actor/martial artist)
Steven Spielberg (director)
Steven Tyler (musician)
Steven Wright (stand-up comic)

Children of Famous People

NAMED STEVEN

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Steven

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME STEVEN

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Steven