Holding steady.
Popularity of Stephenson since 1944
Babies named Stephenson per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 31 |
| 1950s | 50 |
| 1960s | 16 |
| 1970s | 27 |
| 1980s | 53 |
| 1990s | 25 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 10 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Stephenson is an English patronymic surname that has seen occasional use as a first name, typically for boys. According to Social Security data, the first recorded year of use as a given name was 1944, with a peak in 1953 when it was given to 5 baby boys. In 2024, it was given to fewer than 5 newborns, placing it well outside the top 1000. The name has remained consistently rare, with a stable trajectory showing no significant increase or decline over the decades. It is almost exclusively chosen by families with the surname Stephenson or a stylistic preference for surname names. Despite its low frequency, it carries the familiar "son of" structure and association with the classic name Stephen.
Stephenson is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Stephen, which comes from the Greek Stephanos meaning "crown" or "garland." It emerged in medieval England to denote "son of Stephen" and was later adopted as a given name, especially in the United States during the mid-20th century. Its use as a first name remains uncommon, often chosen to honor a family surname.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Steve, Stevie
Variants: Stevenson, Stephenson
Sibling names for Stephenson
Names that share Stephenson's style, for a brother or sister.
