Unisex · #6,007 in 2026

Steph

Steph is often a short form of the feminine given name Stephanie and its other variants, or the masculine given name Stephen.

Current Rank
#6,007
Peak Rank
#3,921 (1960)
Total Babies
66
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #3,921 (66 total)
👦 Boy peak #12,141 (5 total)
👧As Girl Name
1959
First Year
1971
Last Year
1960
Peak Year
#3921
Peak Rank
66
Total Count
8
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
2021
First Year
2021
Last Year
2021
Peak Year
#12141
Peak Rank
5
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Steph

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Steph is often a short form of the feminine given name Stephanie and its other variants, or the masculine given name Stephen.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Steph

As a girl name

Steph first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1959, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1960, when 11 Stephs were born — ranking #3,921 that year. As of 2026, Steph ranks #6,007 for girls with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 66 Stephs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Steph first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2021, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 5 Stephs were born — ranking #12,141 that year. As of 2026, Steph ranks #12,141 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Stephs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2020s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Steph

Phonetically similar names — useful when Steph is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Stef
  • Steff
  • Stuff
  • Stiff
  • Stuf
  • Stif
  • Stough
  • Staff
  • Staph
  • Staf
  • Stav
  • Stoff

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Steph

What does the name Steph mean?
Steph is often a short form of the feminine given name Stephanie and its other variants, or the masculine given name Stephen.
How popular is Steph in 2026?
In 2026, Steph ranks #6,007 among girls' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.
When was Steph most popular?
Steph reached its peak popularity in 1960, ranking #3,921 that year with 11 babies given the name.
Is Steph a unisex name?
Yes — Steph is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 93% of Stephs assigned female and 7% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Steph?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Steph include Ane, Thelia, Soyla. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Steph

Steph is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1959 and has accumulated 66 births in the dataset. Steph's peak popularity came in 1960 when it ranked #3,921. Use the chart and map above to compare Steph's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.