Total births
1,505
Boys' name · since 1948
Steffen
Since 1948, U.S. Social Security records show 1,505 babies named Steffen, peaking in 1991. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12572
- among boys today
- 1,505
- born since 1948
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 12%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Steffen is the #12572 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 1,505 recorded since 1948.
Steffen has 1,505 recorded births among boys since 1948, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #12572 as of the latest data, more common than 12% of boys, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1948 to 2025.
- #12572 among boys today
- 1,505 born since 1948
- 1990s peak decade
- 12% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Steffen is currently the #12572 boys' name in America, more common than 12% of boys - 1,505 born since 1948, peaking in the 1990s.
- #12572
- among boys today
- 1,505
- born since 1948
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 12%
- more common than other boys
Steffen vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12572
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 12% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Steffen was born in this single decade.
1991
Single peak year
77 babies were named Steffen in 1991 - its busiest year on record.
How Steffen compares
1,505 Top 25% higher than 75% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Steffen's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Steffen | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,505 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 77 | 23 | 22,252 |
Steffen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Steffen's SSA record in two at 1988 and the more recent half accounts for 61% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 39%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 2018, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1991 peak of 77, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Steffen at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1991
Current rank
#12,572
Active since
1948
Steffen popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1948–2025
- Peak year (1991)
- 77
- Annual births at peak, across 78 years of records
Steffen by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Steffen's strongest decade.
458 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Steffen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 6
1940s
6 births
- 1950s 65
1950s
65 births
- 1960s 125
1960s
125 births
- 1970s 132
1970s
132 births
- 1980s
1980s
374 births
- 1990s
1990s
458 births
- 2000s 179
2000s
179 births
- 2010s 122
2010s
122 births
- 2020s 44
2020s
44 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 458 births (30% of all-time use).
How Steffen compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Steffen's total volume
Steffen vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Steffen by state
Where Steffen concentrates geographically, total births since 1948
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 45 | 3.0% |
| #2 | Michigan | | 16 | 1.1% |
| #3 | Texas | | 14 | 0.9% |
| #4 | Washington | | 14 | 0.9% |
| #5 | New York | | 12 | 0.8% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 7 | 0.5% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #8 | Oklahoma | | 5 | 0.3% |
California share of Steffen's total US births 3.0%
Even split
45 of 1,505 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Steffen? ▼
Steffen has been given to 1,505 babies in the U.S. since 1948, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #12572 as of the latest data. 77 babies were born in 1991, its single highest year.
When was Steffen most popular? ▼
Steffen was most popular in the 1990s decade with 458 total births. The single peak year was 1991.
Where is Steffen most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Steffen are California (45 births), Michigan (16 births), Texas (14 births).
How long has the name Steffen been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Steffen since 1948 -- 78 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Steffen? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Steven, Stephen, Steve, Sterling, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Steffen's data
- Steffen's decade-level peak was the 1990s (458 total births); usage has since declined to 44 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Steffens (45 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Steffen
Nearby Names Like Steffen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Steffen
Steven Boy
#268 1,293,124 births
Stephen Boy
#374 864,739 births
Steve Boy
#1686 241,224 births
Sterling Boy
#370 37,474 births
Stewart Boy
#3898 31,200 births
Compare Steffen side by side: Steffen vs Steven Steffen vs Stephen Steffen vs Steve
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Steffen
Jann #12571
143 births · Peak 2004
Geraldo #12573
2,395 births · Peak 1988
Derell #12570
731 births · Peak 1986
Ridgley #12574
22 births · Peak 1949
Recardo #12569
670 births · Peak 1979
Errick #12575
1,326 births · Peak 1972
Cortney #12568
3,173 births · Peak 1987
Alric #12576
257 births · Peak 2020
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1948–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Steffen: #12572 Boys' Name - 1,505 Births, Peak 1991." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/steffen. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Steffen draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.