Rising since 1985, #16 for boys today.
Popularity of Sebastian since 1881
Babies named Sebastian per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 34 |
| 1890s | 43 |
| 1900s | 89 |
| 1910s | 838 |
| 1920s | 1,231 |
| 1930s | 774 |
| 1940s | 574 |
| 1950s | 500 |
| 1960s | 1,113 |
| 1970s | 1,413 |
| 1980s | 2,839 |
| 1990s | 14,599 |
| 2000s | 53,866 |
| 2010s | 86,688 |
| 2020s | 53,454 |
Meaning & origin
Sebastian is maximal in an era that rewards it, four flowing syllables, an arrow-pierced saint, a Shakespeare role, Bach's middle name, and its climb into the American top 20 shows how completely tastes swung from the clipped Marks and Todds of midcentury. The 2025 numbers place it 16th among boys, with about 1 in every 198 newborns receiving the name.
The rise has been remarkably sustained: upward since 1985, cresting in 2018, and holding near that level since. Two currents feed it. English-speaking parents came to the name through its literary, faintly aristocratic register (Brideshead Revisited's Sebastian Flyte, the crab in The Little Mermaid for a generation of 1990s kids). Hispanic families, meanwhile, made Sebastián one of the leading names in the Spanish-speaking world, and the name's strongest states, California, New Mexico, and the District of Columbia, reflect exactly that bicultural fluency.
Few top-20 names offer this much room to maneuver: Seb for the understated, Bash for the playful, the full four-syllable sweep for formal occasions. Its companions in style are the other romance-language revivals, Leonardo, Mateo, Valentina, all names that would have sounded operatic on an American playground in 1985 and now simply sound current.
Sebastian descends from Latin Sebastianus, originally an ethnic label meaning "man from Sebastia," a city in Asia Minor. The city's name comes from Greek sebastos, "venerable" or "revered", the word Greeks used to translate the Roman imperial title Augustus, which gives the name an imperial glint at one remove. Its spread owes everything to Saint Sebastian, a third-century soldier-martyr whose arrow-pierced figure became one of the most painted subjects in Western art; invoked against plague, he made the name common in medieval France, Spain, and Italy. Shakespeare used it twice (Twelfth Night, The Tempest), and Johann Sebastian Bach fixed it in the cultural firmament. American use was modest for most of the twentieth century before a long climb that began in 1985 and carried the name into the top 20.
Read more: Sebastian on Wikipedia
Where Sebastian is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Sebastian” around the world
Where Sebastian lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
35
babies in 2024
Ireland
43
babies in 2025
New Zealand
#78
in 2025
Quebec
21
babies in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#31
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Seb, Bash, Baz
Variants: Sebastián, Sébastien, Sebastiano, Bastian
Famous people named Sebastian
- Saint Sebastian · third-century Christian martyr, a favorite subject of Renaissance painters
- Sebastian Vettel · German four-time Formula One world champion
- Sebastian Stan · Romanian-American actor known as Bucky Barnes in the Marvel films
Sibling names for Sebastian
Names that share Sebastian's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Valentina, Isabella, Penelope, Anastasia, Camila, Emilia, Sofia, Sophia, Adriana, Adrienne, Alicia, Angelica, Angelique, Arabella, Ariana, Arianna, Cecelia, Celeste, Daniela, Gabriela, Gabrielle, Genevieve, Itzel, Juliana, Juliette, Liliana, Lilliana, Marina, Miranda, Natalia, Noemi, Priscilla, Valeria, Viviana, Vivienne, Ximena, Abriella, Adelina, Adriane, Adrianna, Adrianne, Aitana, Alethea, Amairani, Anabel, Anahi, Analia, Angeline, Annabella, Annastasia, Audriana, Aurelia, Calista, Callista, Camellia, Camilla, Caprice, Carina, Carolina, Casandra, Cataleya, Catalina, Cecily, Celestine, Christianna, Clementina, Cordelia, Corinne, Corrina, Cristina, Daniella, Dayana, Dayanara, Delphine, Demetra, Eleanora, Emmeline, Esmeralda, Estefania, Estefany, Estela, Evangelina, Evangeline, Evelina, Faviola, Fernanda, Francisca, Galilea, Grecia, Hortense, Ileana, Iliana, Isabela, Izabella, Jimena, Juliet, Julieta, Julissa, Kalliope, Katalina, Laryssa, Leandra, Leonor, Leonora, Leticia, Luciana, Magdalena, Magdalene, Marcela, Mariana, Marianna, Marlena, Martina, Mathilda, Matilda, Micaela, Mirabelle, Nathalia, Nathaly, Nicholette, Nicolette, Noelia, Ophelia, Philomena, Portia, Rebeca, Rosalina, Rosalinda, Rowena, Serina, Sirena, Stephania, Tatianna, Theodora, Thomasina, Ursula, Valorie, Vanesa, Vienna, Violeta, Xiomara, Yamile, Yamileth, Yaretzi, Yuliana, Abrielle, Adamari, Adamaris, Adriene, Adrina, Alejandrina, Alethia, Aleyda, Anahy, Analee, Anali, Analicia, Analiese, Analise, Anamaria, Anastacia, Andreina, Andriana, Angelene, Angelika, Anjelica, Annalia, Annaliese, Antonina, Arabelle, Aranza, Ariadna, Arianne, Arizbeth, Augustina, Avelina, Bibiana, Briseida, Calandra, Camillia, Celestina, Cesia, Charlette, Clarabelle, Clarisa, Coralie, Corrinne, Dariana, Darianna, Dayami, Dominica, Eimy, Eleonora, Elliette, Emiliana, Estefani, Estephanie, Evalina, Fabiana, Florencia, Gisella, Gissell, Harmonie, Hermione, Honora, Illiana, Imogen, Isadora, Izabel, Izabela, Jenevieve, Joceline, Josephina, Juliane, Julietta, Julisa, Kathia, Klarissa, Korina, Lavender, Leanora, Lillianne, Lucia, Lucila, Madelaine, Madelene, Madelon, Marena, Mariaelena, Maribelle, Marielena, Merida, Milla, Mirabella, Mirian, Nayelli, Nerissa, Nidia, Odalis, Odette, Oriana, Orianna, Priscila, Romelia, Rosana, Samanta, Samaria, Sarena, Sebrina, Seraphina, Tatyanna, Theadora, Venetia, Viktoria, Viridiana, Vivianna, Yahaira, Yanira, Yoselyn, Ysabella, Adelena, Adreana, Adrena, Adrienna, Adryanna, Airabella, Aleecia, Alexanderia, Alexiana, Aliciana, Alisandra, Alissandra, Alydia, Alynna, Alyxandra, Amariana, Amarianna, Amarilis, Ameliana, Anaisa, Anaiz, Analea, Analiah, Analilia, Analiz, Analucia, Anasofia, Anastazia, Andreya, Andrianna, Anelise, Angelicia, Angelin, Angelise, Angelli, Angelyna, Anjelina, Annaleise, Annelyse, Antasia, Anyeli, Arcadia, Arianah, Ariani, Ariany, Arienne, Asiana, Astoria, Atziri, Aurianna, Berenise, Beronica, Bianey, Biridiana, Camilia, Carolena, Catalaya, Cattaleya, Cecillia, Cesilia, Charlese, Charlise, Charlotta, Charmian, Christabel, Christella, Cintia, Cipriana, Clairissa, Clarrissa, Clorissa, Constantina, Constanza, Coraima, Corinthia, Corynne, Cristel, Dallana, Damiana, Daviana, Davianna, Delphina, Demitria, Eleora, Eleyna, Elianny, Eliany, Ellarose, Emanuelle, Emelina, Esmerelda, Estefanie, Eugena, Evaluna, Evamarie, Evianna, Ezabella, Ezmeralda, Florentina, Florentine, Genavieve, Genevive, Genieve, Giavana, Glorianna, Hannia, Ilianna, Illeana, Iriana, Isabeau, Ivania, Ivyanna, Jacqulin, Jamileth, Janeli, Jatziry, Jezabel, Josiephine, Kalysta, Karianna, Karmella, Katalaya, Katalyna, Katiana, Katrinia, Katryna, Kristianna, Lacretia, Lareina, Latitia, Laurena, Lavena, Leonela, Letticia, Lilianne, Lissett, Lizett, Lizmarie, Lizzet, Loralie, Lorelie, Loriana, Lorianna, Madeliene, Madelina, Mariafernanda, Mariaisabel, Maribell, Maribella, Marifer, Marionna, Marquerite, Massiel, Mayeli, Meridian, Michaeline, Michalene, Miliana, Milliana, Natallie, Natally, Nathalee, Nayelie, Nicolasa, Nikolette, Nohemy, Oliviana, Orelia, Patrisia, Pennelope, Pricila, Primrose, Princella, Priscillia, Raissa, Reigna, Romayne, Rosabella, Rosiland, Rosmery, Sabreena, Sabryna, Samarra, Sapphira, Sareena, Selenia, Seraphine, Sheccid, Soliana, Steffi, Sujey, Talina, Talulah, Teretha, Titania, Toria, Toriana, Vaneza, Viviane, Willamina, Xandra, Yamila, Yamilett, Yamilette, Yeimy, Yennifer, Yliana, Yomaira, Ysabelle, Yuriana, Adaliz, Adianna, Adilenne, Adraine, Adrianah, Adriannah, Adriella, Adriyanna, Aeliana, Aerabella, Aerianna, Ahtziry, Alessandria, Alexandrina, Alexianna, Alexina, Alexzandrea, Aliani, Alitzel, Alixandra, Almadelia, Alysandra, Amarilys, Amarissa, Amayrani, Ambriel, Amiliana, Anaalicia, Anahis, Analena, Analeya, Analina, Analisia, Analissa, Analiza, Anallely, Analysa, Anasophia, Anastasha, Anastashia, Anelis, Aneliz, Angelice, Angelik, Angelisse, Annalese, Annalisia, Annalisse, Annaliza, Annalysia, Annalyssa, Antania, Anthonella, Anthonia, Antonique, Antonya, Antoria, Anysia, Apolonia, Arabell, Ariabella, Arianelly, Aribelle, Arielis, Artemisa, Aubreyana, Audreana, Audreyana, Audrielle, Auriana, Auriella, Averianna, Aviyana, Bellamie, Bellarose, Biviana, Carinne, Carolyna, Castella, Catalea, Catalia, Catalyna, Cathalina, Ceceilia, Celenia, Celest, Chandelle, Christabella, Clarrisa, Claryssa, Coriana, Corrinna, Cristabel, Dahiana, Daliana, Danyela, Darianny, Darielys, Demiana, Doriann, Elanora, Elasia, Eleonore, Elianis, Elianne, Elianys, Elisandra, Elisea, Elizeth, Emilianna, Esperanza, Eugina, Evalise, Evangela, Evangelene, Evelia, Everlina, Evolette, Febe, Felishia, Felisia, Francenia, Franziska, Genecis, Geneieve, Geneveive, Genoveva, Graciana, Graciella, Gwendoline, Gyselle, Haidee, Hiliana, Irianna, Itzabella, Jacquelynne, Jacquiline, Jamilet, Jeneva, Jeweliana, Jilliana, Jissel, Juliannah, Julianny, Juliany, Julionna, Julliana, Karolyne, Kataleia, Katalia, Kateria, Kathalina, Katherina, Katiria, Klaryssa, Krystiana, Laritza, Larrissa, Lauriel, Lilieth, Lissandra, Loralye, Lucciana, Lucianne, Madelena, Magdalynn, Magdelena, Marcedes, Margueritte, Mariesa, Marimar, Marleni, Meliana, Meriel, Millianna, Mirranda, Monse, Natalyah, Nathalya, Omayra, Pahola, Prisila, Rosabell, Rosalena, Roselina, Roselyne, Sabrine, Sabrinia, Safira, Saprina, Saraphina, Sebastiana, Sedalia, Sereena, Serenna, Serrina, Seryna, Sinthia, Siria, Stefanny, Stephana, Subrena, Subrina, Sybella, Sylvanna, Syriana, Taliana, Trinita, Ulyssa, Valaria, Valecia, Vanessia, Varonica, Venicia, Veronia, Yareliz, Yarelli, Yuliet, Yulieth, Zabella, Zarianna, Alicianna, Allyssia, Alyscia, Amanie, Analese, Anelisse, Arabela, Estefanny, Estephani, Evangaline, Isabele, Jacqulyne, Lilianah, Marabella, Maryori, Mija, Nasly, Norielle, Savonna, Simmone, Adabella, Adaleya, Adamarie, Adeana, Adreanne, Adreena, Adrieana, Adriona, Adriyana, Alegandra, Alejandria, Alencia, Alexandera, Alezandra, Alianis, Alichia, Aliviana, Alixandrea, Alondria, Amaranta, Amarea, Amarise, Ambriella, Amelianna, Amilliana, Amoreena, Anadelia, Anagabriela, Anaissa, Analisse, Analycia, Analysse, Anarely, Anastaisa, Anatasia, Angeligue, Anisia, Anitta, Anjelika, Annahi, Annalaya, Annalyce, Annalysse, Anyela, Anyelin, Anyelina, Arelly, Ariatna, Aricela, Arielly, Arielys, Arienna, Arisbel, Arrabella, Athene, Austina, Avangelina, Avilene, Aynara, Belina, Benedicta, Benicia, Calandria, Caralina, Cataleah, Catalena, Cateleya, Cathaleya, Christasia, Christyanna, Cicilia, Cressida, Daianna, Damyla, Danahi, Danniela, Dariane, Dariella, Darriana, Dayannara, Desarie, Destina, Doriana, Dorianna, Driana, Elianni, Elinora, Elisabel, Elisabella, Elizabella, Emanuella, Emmelina, Eustacia, Evalette, Evangelyne, Evanora, Evarose, Ezmerelda, Filippa, Fransheska, Genavie, Gizzelle, Guiselle, Idalie, Iliani, Iliany, Illyria, Irelia, Iridiana, Ismelda, Isobelle, Jamilett, Jaquelinne, Jariana, Jasminne, Jewelianna, Jezabelle, Jiovanna, Julianah, Julitza, Jullianna, Julliette, Kabella, Karolyna, Katalena, Kataryna, Kattaleia, Koraima, Kordelia, Kristiane, Krystianna, Laetitia, Larrisa, Lauriana, Lianette, Liliahna, Lilliauna, Lilliona, Lillionna, Lillyth, Lilyahna, Lilyona, Liticia, Loreley, Lorenna, Lucendia, Lucillia, Luzma, Lylith, Marguerette, Mariaalice, Mariabelen, Marializ, Mariany, Mariavictoria, Mariena, Meilany, Mercadies, Miabelle, Michaline, Mirajane, Montzerrat, Monzerrath, Natacia, Nataline, Natalyia, Nathali, Nefeli, Odessia, Penelopi, Princessa, Quintara, Renesmay, Rosaleah, Rosangelica, Roselena, Roselynne, Santasia, Santoria, Sarabella, Saryna, Satoria, Satrina, Secilia, Selyna, Sephira, Serana, Sevana, Skarleth, Suprina, Tariana, Tatayana, Tattiana, Taviana, Timothea, Titiana, Totiana, Valerya, Vannia, Velencia, Venissa, Verania, Vyctoria, Yahritza, Yameli, Yanin, Yaqueline, Yarelie, Yariana, Yarianna, Yariela, Yarielys, Yizel, Yoceline, Ysabela, Yurani
Brothers: Leonardo, Julian, Adrian, Mateo, Lucas, Alexander, Christian, Gabriel, Alejandro, Armando, Cristian, Dorian, Josue, Matias, Maximiliano, Nicolas, Nikolas, Rafael, Raphael, Tomas, Victor, Xavier, Agustin, Aleczander, Alexandro, Aloysius, Amadeus, Augustine, Aurelio, Camilo, Caspian, Cristobal, Dariel, Demetri, Demetrious, Demetrius, Dominik, Dorien, Ezequiel, Fabian, Ferdinand, Giovanny, Jairo, Joaquin, Karlos, Leandro, Leonel, Lucian, Marcos, Matthias, Mauricio, Maximilian, Maximillian, Maximo, Octavio, Orlando, Tristan, Ulises, Valentin, Valentine, Adrain, Alexavier, Alexsander, Antoni, Arsenio, Augustin, Augusto, Baltazar, Bartholomew, Benedict, Benicio, Christofer, Cipriano, Cristhian, Cristofer, Dashiell, Demetrio, Demetris, Domonic, Esequiel, Exavier, Favian, Geovanni, Geovanny, Geovany, Ignatius, Jacobo, Jeremias, Jeronimo, Jovanny, Matheo, Natanael, Niklaus, Nikolaus, Patricio, Richardo, Serafin, Timoteo, Victoriano, Vincente, Agustine, Agustus, Albaro, Alegandro, Alekzander, Angelus, Antonyo, Aristeo, Calixto, Christien, Christoffer, Christophor, Cruzito, Demetruis, Diago, Dimitrius, Dionisio, Domanic, Elisandro, Enmanuel, Esteven, Frederik, Gillermo, Javiel, Jeancarlo, Jeovani, Jeovany, Jhoan, Jhonatan, Joachim, Joshue, Kristofor, Lizandro, Luciel, Lysander, Maxamillion, Maximilliano, Maximillion, Nicanor, Nicolaus, Orian, Philipp, Recardo, Romulo, Santhiago, Thadeus, Theordore, Valerian, Yoshua, Yulian, Zacarias, Alexio, Alezander, Alixander, Alyxander, Amilio, Andrian, Antonious, Balthazar, Barnaby, Constantin, Dartanian, Demetreus, Domenik, Eliceo, Elizandro, Emilian, Erubiel, Estaban, Estefan, Estiven, Eulises, Grabiel, Graciano, Gustabo, Horatio, Jhovanny, Kassian, Leovardo, Maciel, Mattheus, Maurico, Maxemiliano, Maxmillian, Miqueas, Octavion, Oliverio, Rodriques, Romon, Sabien, Savier, Timothee, Yancarlos, Boniface, Daemian, Demetrias, Dominyk, Isahi, Jhair, Lathaniel, Lazarius, Maxamillian, Adorian, Albeiro, Alekxander, Amiliano, Amyas, Antario, Anyelo, Avier, Cristofher, Daemien, Dameian, Dionis, Dominie, Duvan, Edinson, Eduar, Elisio, Elizeo, Elonzo, Emilliano, Erasmus, Estefano, Estephan, Estiben, Fernado, Givanni, Jahvier, Javy, Jesua, Joanthony, Josuel, Laureano, Leonell, Lexander, Lucciano, Maikol, Malaquias, Marcelus, Mataeo, Maxmilian, Miliano, Nicoles, Nikholas, Nikolaj, Olivander, Ossiel, Peregrin, Ramces, Santy, Sanuel, Silviano, Thadeo, Theodoro, Wyndham, Yeremi
Names like Sebastian
Names whose popularity has moved with Sebastian's over the last 50 years.

