Total births
170
Boys' name · since 1945
Sten
Since 1945, U.S. Social Security records show 170 babies named Sten, peaking in 1965. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 170
- total births
- 1945–2003
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
170 boys have been named Sten since 1945, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Sten recorded 170 times among boys since 1945, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1945 to 2003.
- 170 total births
- 1945–2003 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 39% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
170 boys have been named Sten since 1945, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2003.
- 170
- total births
- 1945–2003
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Sten was born in this single decade.
1965
Single peak year
10 babies were named Sten in 1965 - its busiest year on record.
Sten's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Sten's SSA record in two at 1970 and the more recent half accounts for 52% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 48%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1945, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1965 peak of 10, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Sten at a glance
Last recorded 2003Peak year
1965
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1945
Sten popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1945–2003
- Peak year (1965)
- 10
- Annual births at peak, across 59 years of records
Sten by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Sten's strongest decade.
66 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Sten births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 11
1950s
11 births
- 1960s
1960s
66 births
- 1970s
1970s
37 births
- 1980s 23
1980s
23 births
- 1990s 20
1990s
20 births
- 2000s 8
2000s
8 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 66 births (39% of all-time use).
Sten by state
Where Sten concentrates geographically, total births since 1945
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 2.9% |
California share of Sten's total US births 2.9%
5 of 170 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sten? ▼
Sten has been given to 170 babies in the U.S. since 1945, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2003. 10 babies were born in 1965, its single highest year.
When was Sten most popular? ▼
Sten was most popular in the 1960s decade with 66 total births. The single peak year was 1965.
Where is Sten most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Sten are California (5 births).
How long has the name Sten been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Sten since 1945 -- 59 years through the most recent 2003 data.
What names are similar to Sten? ▼
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 Sten's data
- Sten's decade-level peak was the 1960s (66 total births); usage has since declined to 8 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Stens (5 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 Sten
Nearby Names Like Sten
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sten
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 Sten side by side: Sten vs Steven Sten vs Stephen Sten vs Steve
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1945–2003 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sten: Baby Name Since 1945 - 170 Births, Peak 1965." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sten. 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 Sten 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.