Steve
Every Steve since 1880 — 242,131 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Steve
Steve is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,617 in 2025 with 105 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 242,131 American babies have been named Steve. Its peak came in 1959, when 11,095 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Steve stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Steve year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 105 | #1,617 |
| 2024 | — | — | 99 | #1,697 |
| 2023 | — | — | 114 | #1,545 |
| 2022 | — | — | 122 | #1,490 |
| 2021 | — | — | 135 | #1,370 |
| 2020 | — | — | 148 | #1,253 |
| 2019 | — | — | 159 | #1,207 |
| 2018 | — | — | 167 | #1,153 |
| 2017 | — | — | 189 | #1,057 |
| 2016 | — | — | 205 | #997 |
| 2015 | — | — | 224 | #940 |
| 2014 | — | — | 256 | #863 |
| 2013 | — | — | 242 | #875 |
| 2012 | — | — | 303 | #756 |
| 2011 | — | — | 324 | #708 |
| 2010 | — | — | 279 | #786 |
| 2009 | — | — | 415 | #611 |
| 2008 | — | — | 422 | #597 |
| 2007 | — | — | 448 | #576 |
| 2006 | — | — | 472 | #535 |
| 2005 | — | — | 475 | #519 |
| 2004 | — | — | 484 | #507 |
| 2003 | — | — | 563 | #446 |
| 2002 | — | — | 545 | #451 |
| 2001 | — | — | 624 | #401 |
| 2000 | — | — | 649 | #394 |
| 1995 | — | — | 754 | #334 |
| 1990 | 8 | #10,072 | 1,007 | #267 |
| 1985 | 9 | #7,486 | 990 | #234 |
| 1980 | 11 | #6,269 | 1,218 | #201 |
| 1975 | 16 | #4,107 | 1,383 | #171 |
| 1970 | 15 | #4,018 | 2,930 | #114 |
| 1965 | 11 | #4,169 | 5,685 | #55 |
| 1960 | 21 | #2,716 | 10,645 | #43 |
| 1955 | 16 | #2,953 | 5,509 | #72 |
| 1950 | 14 | #2,893 | 4,207 | #83 |
| 1945 | 10 | #3,104 | 3,384 | #79 |
| 1940 | 6 | #4,291 | 1,555 | #121 |
| 1935 | — | — | 773 | #176 |
| 1930 | 7 | #4,000 | 862 | #169 |
| 1925 | 7 | #4,379 | 1,145 | #144 |
| 1920 | — | — | 1,281 | #127 |
| 1915 | — | — | 1,335 | #110 |
| 1910 | — | — | 245 | #136 |
| 1905 | — | — | 126 | #161 |
| 1900 | — | — | 139 | #150 |
| 1895 | — | — | 71 | #204 |
| 1890 | — | — | 66 | #202 |
| 1885 | — | — | 60 | #205 |
| 1880 | — | — | 52 | #232 |
Famous people named Steve
- Steve Jobs Designer · 1955–2011
- Steve McQueen Actor · 1930–1980
- Steve Ballmer Businessperson · b. 1956
- Steve Wozniak Inventor · b. 1950
- Steve Reich Composer · b. 1936
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Steve in 2025?
Steve ranked #1,617 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 105 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Steve?
242,131 babies have been named Steve in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Steve most popular?
Steve peaked in 1959, when 11,095 newborns received the name.
Is Steve a boy or girl name?
Steve is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Steve rising or falling?
Steve is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Steve?
Well-known people named Steve include Steve Jobs (designer), Steve McQueen (actor), Steve Ballmer (businessperson).