Boy nameCurrently #14 in the USSteady
Sebastian
suh-BAS-chun//səˈbæstʃən//
3 syllablesPeak year: 20169 lettersStarts with S
Meaning & origin
Venerable, revered (from Sebastia)
Sebastian comes from the Greek 'Sebastos', meaning venerable or revered, originally an honorific title, and was borne by an early Christian martyr and saint. Its elegant, romantic sound has made it a fast-rising favorite in the 2010s and 2020s.
Sebastian's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Sebastian |
|---|---|
| 1881 | 6 |
| 1882 | 10 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 7 |
| 1889 | 6 |
| 1892 | 11 |
| 1894 | 5 |
| 1895 | 8 |
| 1896 | 5 |
| 1898 | 8 |
| 1899 | 6 |
| 1901 | 8 |
| 1902 | 5 |
| 1903 | 11 |
| 1904 | 9 |
| 1905 | 10 |
| 1906 | 5 |
| 1907 | 12 |
| 1908 | 15 |
| 1909 | 14 |
| 1910 | 14 |
| 1911 | 20 |
| 1912 | 51 |
| 1913 | 63 |
| 1914 | 82 |
| 1915 | 112 |
| 1916 | 134 |
| 1917 | 122 |
| 1918 | 114 |
| 1919 | 126 |
| 1920 | 139 |
| 1921 | 130 |
| 1922 | 127 |
| 1923 | 130 |
| 1924 | 137 |
| 1925 | 108 |
| 1926 | 131 |
| 1927 | 104 |
| 1928 | 128 |
| 1929 | 97 |
| 1930 | 113 |
| 1931 | 94 |
| 1932 | 87 |
| 1933 | 75 |
| 1934 | 81 |
| 1935 | 79 |
| 1936 | 65 |
| 1937 | 62 |
| 1938 | 65 |
| 1939 | 53 |
| 1940 | 51 |
| 1941 | 60 |
| 1942 | 77 |
| 1943 | 60 |
| 1944 | 47 |
| 1945 | 47 |
| 1946 | 55 |
| 1947 | 56 |
| 1948 | 70 |
| 1949 | 51 |
| 1950 | 42 |
| 1951 | 44 |
| 1952 | 51 |
| 1953 | 52 |
| 1954 | 47 |
| 1955 | 56 |
| 1956 | 42 |
| 1957 | 50 |
| 1958 | 63 |
| 1959 | 53 |
| 1960 | 70 |
| 1961 | 105 |
| 1962 | 151 |
| 1963 | 109 |
| 1964 | 130 |
| 1965 | 104 |
| 1966 | 99 |
| 1967 | 115 |
| 1968 | 116 |
| 1969 | 117 |
| 1970 | 165 |
| 1971 | 188 |
| 1972 | 155 |
| 1973 | 130 |
| 1974 | 125 |
| 1975 | 127 |
| 1976 | 124 |
| 1977 | 120 |
| 1978 | 143 |
| 1979 | 137 |
| 1980 | 173 |
| 1981 | 176 |
| 1982 | 220 |
| 1983 | 192 |
| 1984 | 242 |
| 1985 | 289 |
| 1986 | 281 |
| 1987 | 354 |
| 1988 | 403 |
| 1989 | 527 |
| 1990 | 790 |
| 1991 | 1,044 |
| 1992 | 1,303 |
| 1993 | 1,307 |
| 1994 | 1,312 |
| 1995 | 1,445 |
| 1996 | 1,595 |
| 1997 | 1,774 |
| 1998 | 1,704 |
| 1999 | 2,389 |
| 2000 | 5,038 |
| 2001 | 4,989 |
| 2002 | 5,156 |
| 2003 | 4,658 |
| 2004 | 4,546 |
| 2005 | 4,968 |
| 2006 | 6,305 |
| 2007 | 6,287 |
| 2008 | 6,054 |
| 2009 | 5,999 |
| 2010 | 6,371 |
| 2011 | 6,562 |
| 2012 | 6,756 |
| 2013 | 7,560 |
| 2014 | 9,323 |
| 2015 | 9,649 |
| 2016 | 10,324 |
| 2017 | 10,210 |
| 2018 | 10,146 |
| 2019 | 9,895 |
| 2020 | 9,028 |
| 2021 | 8,942 |
| 2022 | 9,398 |
| 2023 | 8,905 |
| 2024 | 8,581 |
Sebastian through the decades
- Sebastian peaked in 2016, when 10,324 babies were named Sebastian in the US.
- The 2020s were Sebastian's strongest decade, averaging 8,971 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Sebastian has risen 44% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Sebastian currently ranks #14 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
SebBastian
Variants & spellings
Sebastián