Steve
Boy name · #1609 in 2025 · Uniqueness 77/100
Steve is currently the #1609 boy name in the United States — 105 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #939, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,143 boys born in 2025 was named Steve.
The 145-year story
Steve first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 52 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1959, when 11,068 boys were named Steve — good for #41 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Steve per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Steve against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Steve in class?
Steve scores 77 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Steve will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Steve is most common
Geography matters for names, and Steve is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Steves were CA (21), FL (8), GA (8), TX (8), IL (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Steve
Statistically, parents drawn to Steve tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dave, Stevie, Dale, Dwayne, and Monte.
DaveStevieDaleDwayneMonteDuaneMikeBarry
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Steve | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 105 | #1609 |
| 2024 | 99 | #1685 |
| 2023 | 114 | #1539 |
| 2022 | 122 | #1479 |
| 2021 | 135 | #1365 |
| 2020 | 148 | #1250 |
| 2019 | 159 | #1202 |
| 2018 | 167 | #1151 |
| 2017 | 189 | #1056 |
| 2016 | 205 | #993 |
| 2015 | 224 | #939 |
| 2014 | 256 | #863 |
| 2013 | 242 | #872 |
| 2012 | 303 | #754 |
| 2011 | 324 | #707 |
| 2010 | 279 | #785 |
| 2009 | 415 | #611 |
| 2008 | 422 | #595 |
| 2007 | 448 | #573 |
| 2006 | 472 | #535 |
| 2005 | 475 | #518 |
| 2004 | 484 | #505 |
| 2003 | 563 | #443 |
| 2002 | 545 | #451 |
| 2001 | 624 | #401 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Steve a popular boy name?
Steve ranked #1609 among boys in 2025 with 105 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #939.
When was the name Steve most popular?
Steve peaked in 1959, when 11,068 American boys received the name (ranked #41 that year). Since 1959 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Steve?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,143 newborn American boys was named Steve. It scores 77/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "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.