Steve

Steve - A very unique male name

Steve appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #139. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Steve and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Steve? 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 Steve. The baby boy name Steve was given to 55 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1646 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 26,660 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Steve peaked in popularity 67 years ago in 1959 on position 41.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Steve, 1-5?

Steve is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Steve is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #1,036 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,054.

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 Steve is where you live.

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Steve origin and meaning

English — short form of Stephen

Crown; garland — as the everyday short form of Stephen, from Greek stephanos

Steve is the clipped form of Steven and Stephen that became a name in its own right, peaking in 1959 during Stephen's long reign. It has been falling for decades and now reads as a friendly mid-century dad name.

Attested etymology

Steve is a 5 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to Steve

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

Stevie / Sukhdeep /

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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 Steve

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 Steve 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 Steve?

1 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

STEEV · /stiːv/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Steven — A full form of the name; a separate established name.
• Stephen — The original full form; a separate established name.

Nicknames: Stevie

Famous bearers

• Steve Jobs — Co-founder of Apple; born Steven Jobs and known throughout his career as Steve (1955–2011) Contemporary
• Steve Martin — Comedian, actor and writer; born Stephen Martin and known as Steve (b. 1945) Contemporary
• Steve McQueen — Actor known as the 'King of Cool' (1930–1980) Historical

Style

ClassicShort formNickname name

Why parents choose it

Parents choosing Steve today are usually honouring a Steve — or deliberately reviving a plain, friendly name nobody else is using.

Worth knowing

• It reads as a nickname for Steven or Stephen on paper, and firmly as a dad-generation name.