Stephan
Boy name · #1841 in 2025 · Very rare
Stephan ranks #1841 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 86 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1139, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 20,930 boys born in 2025 was named Stephan.
The 130-year story
Stephan first appears in the Social Security records in 1895, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1989, when 579 boys were named Stephan — good for #382 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Stephan per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Stephan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Stephan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Stephan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Stephan will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Stephan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Stephan is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Stephan is most common in FL (0.1 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Stephan is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Stephan
Statistically, parents drawn to Stephan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Stefan, Sheldon, Johnathan, Brenton, and German.
StefanSheldonJohnathanBrentonGermanDejuanJonathonJean
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Stephan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 86 | #1837 |
| 2024 | 97 | #1709 |
| 2023 | 115 | #1530 |
| 2022 | 116 | #1540 |
| 2021 | 132 | #1383 |
| 2020 | 153 | #1225 |
| 2019 | 149 | #1258 |
| 2018 | 143 | #1282 |
| 2017 | 142 | #1276 |
| 2016 | 175 | #1116 |
| 2015 | 166 | #1139 |
| 2014 | 160 | #1170 |
| 2013 | 161 | #1128 |
| 2012 | 142 | #1244 |
| 2011 | 166 | #1108 |
| 2010 | 162 | #1143 |
| 2009 | 164 | #1125 |
| 2008 | 162 | #1129 |
| 2007 | 192 | #1005 |
| 2006 | 193 | #963 |
| 2005 | 200 | #900 |
| 2004 | 205 | #861 |
| 2003 | 216 | #804 |
| 2002 | 228 | #756 |
| 2001 | 238 | #730 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Stephan a popular boy name?
Stephan ranked #1841 among boys in 2025 with 86 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1139.
When was the name Stephan most popular?
Stephan peaked in 1989, when 579 American boys received the name (ranked #382 that year). Since 1989 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Stephan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 20,930 newborn American boys was named Stephan. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.