Fun Facts About the Name Sebastian
- A newer favorite: Sebastian first entered the U.S. top 100 in 2000 and stayed there through 2025 - a run of 26 consecutive years.
- More than 218 thousand babies named Sebastian: U.S. records list 218,398 babies given the name Sebastian from 1880 through 2025. Even 408 girls received the name Sebastian - about 1 girl for every 534 boys.
What Does the Name Sebastian Mean?
Sebastian is the English form of the Latin Sebastianus, which comes from the Greek Sebastianos. The Greek name was originally a civic or ethnic term meaning "from Sebaste," a city in Asia Minor named in honor of the Roman emperor Augustus. The city name Sebaste derives from the Greek adjective sebastos, "venerable" or "revered," which was used to translate the Latin title Augustus. The literal sense of the personal name is therefore "from Sebaste," while the customary meaning given today is "venerable" or "revered."
Sebastian Name History & Origins
The name entered Christian use through Saint Sebastian, a Roman soldier traditionally martyred during the persecution of Diocletian in the late third century. His feast is observed on January 20 in the Western church, and his veneration spread widely in the Middle Ages, when he was invoked against plague and became a patron of archers and soldiers. From the Latin Sebastianus, the name passed into the vernacular languages of Europe, including Italian Sebastiano, Spanish Sebastián, French Sébastien, German Sebastian, and English Sebastian.
In Portugal, King Sebastian (1554 - 1578) died at the Battle of Alcácer Quibir; because no body was recovered, a belief arose that he would return to save Portugal, a movement known as Sebastianism. In German-speaking lands the name is familiar from the composer Johann Sebastian Bach. In English literature, Shakespeare gave the name to characters in Twelfth Night and The Tempest, but these are later literary uses, not the source of the name.
How Popular is the Name Sebastian?
Sebastian recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2016. Sebastian entered the top 100 U.S. boy names in 2000.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,995 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #6,338 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 2023 | #7,578 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2022 | #17,357 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #8,888 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #13,238 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #8,074 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2018 | #9,712 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #8,712 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2016 | #7,549 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2015 | #6,204 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2014 | #10,822 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #12,962 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #9,038 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2011 | #10,281 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2010 | #16,632 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #14,973 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #9,398 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #9,451 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2006 | #7,094 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2005 | #9,356 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #5,184 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2003 | #11,172 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #6,082 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2001 | #9,970 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #10,588 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #8,689 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #12,169 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #13,407 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #15,402 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #8,623 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #11,533 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #10,279 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #7,866 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #14,061 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #10,142 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #11,770 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #16 | 8,605 | 0.5038% |
| 2024 | #14 | 8,562 | 0.4992% |
| 2023 | #13 | 8,890 | 0.5203% |
| 2022 | #13 | 9,393 | 0.5385% |
| 2021 | #19 | 8,930 | 0.5108% |
| 2020 | #19 | 9,021 | 0.5229% |
| 2019 | #18 | 9,881 | 0.5510% |
| 2018 | #18 | 10,135 | 0.5583% |
| 2017 | #23 | 10,197 | 0.5511% |
| 2016 | #23 | 10,308 | 0.5433% |
| 2015 | #35 | 9,628 | 0.5024% |
| 2014 | #34 | 9,313 | 0.4849% |
| 2013 | #46 | 7,552 | 0.3993% |
| 2012 | #64 | 6,743 | 0.3555% |
| 2011 | #68 | 6,551 | 0.3450% |
| 2010 | #68 | 6,365 | 0.3318% |
| 2009 | #70 | 5,992 | 0.3021% |
| 2008 | #74 | 6,041 | 0.2961% |
| 2007 | #73 | 6,274 | 0.3023% |
| 2006 | #76 | 6,287 | 0.3059% |
| 2005 | #86 | 4,956 | 0.2482% |
| 2004 | #97 | 4,521 | 0.2278% |
| 2003 | #93 | 4,649 | 0.2354% |
| 2002 | #80 | 5,137 | 0.2646% |
| 2001 | #81 | 4,979 | 0.2563% |
| 2000 | #81 | 5,029 | 0.2561% |
| 1999 | #152 | 2,378 | 0.1238% |
| 1998 | #198 | 1,697 | 0.0888% |
| 1997 | #189 | 1,768 | 0.0938% |
| 1996 | #195 | 1,590 | 0.0839% |
| 1995 | #207 | 1,435 | 0.0754% |
| 1994 | #222 | 1,305 | 0.0675% |
| 1993 | #227 | 1,307 | 0.0666% |
| 1992 | #229 | 1,295 | 0.0648% |
| 1991 | #262 | 1,033 | 0.0511% |
| 1990 | #320 | 790 | 0.0385% |
| 1989 | #411 | 522 | 0.0261% |
| 1988 | #455 | 396 | 0.0207% |
| 1987 | #472 | 354 | 0.0190% |
| 1986 | #528 | 281 | 0.0153% |
| 1985 | #515 | 289 | 0.0156% |
| 1984 | #555 | 242 | 0.0134% |
| 1983 | #618 | 192 | 0.0107% |
| 1982 | #581 | 220 | 0.0121% |
| 1981 | #642 | 176 | 0.0098% |
| 1980 | #669 | 168 | 0.0094% |
| 1979 | #739 | 137 | 0.0080% |
| 1978 | #703 | 143 | 0.0087% |
| 1977 | #782 | 120 | 0.0073% |
| 1976 | #747 | 124 | 0.0079% |
| 1975 | #739 | 127 | 0.0081% |
| 1974 | #729 | 125 | 0.0079% |
| 1973 | #707 | 130 | 0.0083% |
| 1972 | #638 | 155 | 0.0096% |
| 1971 | #607 | 188 | 0.0106% |
| 1970 | #633 | 165 | 0.0089% |
| 1969 | #723 | 117 | 0.0065% |
| 1968 | #702 | 116 | 0.0067% |
| 1967 | #696 | 115 | 0.0066% |
| 1966 | #744 | 99 | 0.0056% |
| 1965 | #732 | 104 | 0.0056% |
| 1964 | #679 | 130 | 0.0065% |
| 1963 | #745 | 109 | 0.0054% |
| 1962 | #630 | 151 | 0.0073% |
| 1961 | #753 | 105 | 0.0049% |
| 1960 | #909 | 70 | 0.0033% |
| 1959 | #1,066 | 53 | 0.0025% |
| 1958 | #962 | 63 | 0.0030% |
| 1957 | #1,087 | 50 | 0.0023% |
| 1956 | #1,188 | 42 | 0.0020% |
| 1955 | #1,009 | 56 | 0.0027% |
| 1954 | #1,099 | 47 | 0.0023% |
| 1953 | #1,014 | 52 | 0.0026% |
| 1952 | #1,012 | 51 | 0.0026% |
| 1951 | #1,093 | 44 | 0.0023% |
| 1950 | #1,103 | 42 | 0.0023% |
| 1949 | #983 | 51 | 0.0029% |
| 1948 | #820 | 70 | 0.0040% |
| 1947 | #954 | 56 | 0.0031% |
| 1946 | #896 | 55 | 0.0034% |
| 1945 | #951 | 47 | 0.0035% |
| 1944 | #946 | 47 | 0.0034% |
| 1943 | #866 | 60 | 0.0042% |
| 1942 | #736 | 77 | 0.0056% |
| 1941 | #826 | 60 | 0.0049% |
| 1940 | #889 | 51 | 0.0044% |
| 1939 | #844 | 53 | 0.0048% |
| 1938 | #762 | 65 | 0.0059% |
| 1937 | #786 | 62 | 0.0058% |
| 1936 | #753 | 65 | 0.0063% |
| 1935 | #676 | 79 | 0.0076% |
| 1934 | #677 | 81 | 0.0078% |
| 1933 | #693 | 75 | 0.0076% |
| 1932 | #655 | 87 | 0.0083% |
| 1931 | #615 | 94 | 0.0090% |
| 1930 | #568 | 113 | 0.0103% |
| 1929 | #618 | 97 | 0.0090% |
| 1928 | #541 | 128 | 0.0116% |
| 1927 | #616 | 104 | 0.0092% |
| 1926 | #532 | 131 | 0.0118% |
| 1925 | #609 | 108 | 0.0097% |
| 1924 | #543 | 137 | 0.0121% |
| 1923 | #536 | 130 | 0.0119% |
| 1922 | #565 | 127 | 0.0117% |
| 1921 | #548 | 130 | 0.0118% |
| 1920 | #520 | 139 | 0.0131% |
| 1919 | #530 | 126 | 0.0129% |
| 1918 | #570 | 114 | 0.0112% |
| 1917 | #524 | 122 | 0.0132% |
| 1916 | #493 | 134 | 0.0151% |
| 1915 | #527 | 112 | 0.0132% |
| 1914 | #545 | 82 | 0.0125% |
| 1913 | #549 | 63 | 0.0123% |
| 1912 | #567 | 51 | 0.0119% |
| 1911 | #728 | 20 | 0.0089% |
| 1910 | #855 | 14 | 0.0072% |
| 1909 | #801 | 14 | 0.0085% |
| 1908 | #708 | 15 | 0.0097% |
| 1907 | #806 | 12 | 0.0082% |
| 1906 | #1,391 | 5 | 0.0038% |
| 1905 | #830 | 10 | 0.0076% |
| 1904 | #866 | 9 | 0.0070% |
| 1903 | #727 | 11 | 0.0092% |
| 1902 | #1,291 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1901 | #846 | 8 | 0.0075% |
| 1899 | #1,039 | 6 | 0.0056% |
| 1898 | #880 | 8 | 0.0065% |
| 1896 | #1,245 | 5 | 0.0042% |
| 1895 | #861 | 8 | 0.0068% |
| 1894 | #1,212 | 5 | 0.0043% |
| 1892 | #680 | 11 | 0.0090% |
| 1889 | #959 | 6 | 0.0054% |
| 1886 | #835 | 7 | 0.0063% |
| 1885 | #1,079 | 5 | 0.0046% |
| 1882 | #642 | 10 | 0.0088% |
| 1881 | #851 | 6 | 0.0060% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Sebastian
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
Recent Favorite Boy Names
Explore More Lists with Name Sebastian
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with S
How the Name Sebastian Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Sebastian's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Sebastian's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.