Holding steady.
Popularity of Stein since 1960
Babies named Stein per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1965, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Stein's real moment was 1974.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 47 |
| 1970s | 34 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 16 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 6 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Stein is a rare but straightforward given name, drawn directly from the German and Dutch word for 'stone'. Its peak year as a baby name in the United States was 1974, though it has never ranked among the top 1,000 names. In the most recent year with available Social Security data (2025), Stein remains infrequently used, with no recorded 1-in-N rate since the name is given to fewer than five newborns annually in most years. The name's trajectory has been stable over the past several decades, never experiencing a revival. Stein is primarily a boy's name, and its top state usage has been too sparse to identify regional preferences. As a short, sturdy name, it appeals to parents seeking a single-syllable surname-as-first-name with a strong natural meaning.
Stein is a German and Dutch surname meaning 'stone', often used as the second element in compound names. It originated as a topographic name for someone who lived near a notable stone or rock, or as a metonymic occupational name for a stonecutter. As a given name, Stein was used primarily in the 20th century, particularly in the United States, often as a standalone name or a short form of longer names. Its usage peaked in the 1970s.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Steen, Steyne
Sibling names for Stein
Names that share Stein's style, for a brother or sister.
