Fabian

Fabian - A very unique male name

Fabian appeared on the charts for the first time in 1915 on position #1583. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Fabian and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Fabian? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Fabian. The baby boy name Fabian was given to 628 baby boys in 2025, ranking #468 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,335 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Fabian peaked in popularity 19 years ago in 2007 on position 254.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Fabian, 1-5?

Fabian is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Fabian is currently topping the baby name charts in New Mexico at position #137 - and is the least popular in Virginia at position #1,140.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Fabian is where you live.

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Fabian origin and meaning

Latin

From the Roman family name Fabianus, built on Fabius — traditionally linked to faba, 'bean'

Fabian descends from the great Roman gens Fabia; Pope Fabian and the general Fabius, famous for delaying tactics, carried it through history. In modern US use it is strongest in Spanish- and German-speaking families, peaking in 2007.

Attested etymology

Fabian is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Fabian, pop culture references for the name Fabian and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Fabian

We've found the following names that sound similar to Fabian, sorted by popularity.

Finn / Finnian / Favian / Fynn / Faheem / Fahim / Fionn / Fumio / Fabien / Finan /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Fabian

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Fabian a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Fabian?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

FAY-bee-un · /ˈfeɪbiən/

Around the world

• Fabien (French) — The French form.
• Fabiano (Italian) — The Italian form.
• Fabián (Spanish) — Used as-is in Spanish, with the accent on the final syllable.

Spellings and nicknames

• Fabien — French spelling used in English.

Nicknames: FabFabe

Famous bearers

• Fabian Cancellara — Swiss cyclist, multiple time-trial world champion (b. 1981) Contemporary
• Fabian Johnson — German-American footballer who played for the US national team (b. 1987) Contemporary

Style

InternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

Fabian is a cosmopolitan classic — Roman roots, at home across Europe and Latin America, yet never common in the US. Parents like its polished, slightly romantic sound for a boy.

Worth knowing

• Spanish speakers stress the last syllable (fah-bee-AHN), English speakers the first — decide which your family uses.