Stephen
STEE-vən
A classic name meaning “crown” or “garland,” long tied to St. Stephen and Christian tradition.
Meaning
Stephen comes from the Greek name Stephanos, meaning “crown” or “garland.” In Christian usage it became especially associated with St. Stephen, the proto-martyr, and the name spread widely through medieval Europe and into English.
Origin
GreekEnglishmasculine
Fun fact
The name’s old charm comes from the image of a victor’s crown, not a royal title in the modern sense.
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.