Sebastyan
Derived from the Latin name Sebastianus, meaning "venerable" or "revered".
Name Census estimates that about 103 living Americans carry the first name Sebastyan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Sebastyan today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sebastyan births was 2014 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sebastyan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
103
~ 1 in 3,327,712 Americans
Peak year
2014
12 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2021 SSA rank
#9,539
Tracked since 2000
Popularity
Sebastyan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sebastyan from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 55 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sebastyan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Sebastyan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Sebastyan
The name Sebastyan has its origins in the ancient Greek language and culture, tracing back to the 3rd century BC. It is derived from the Greek word "sebastos," which means "venerable" or "revered." The name gained popularity during the Roman Empire, where it was associated with the imperial cult and the worship of Roman emperors.
In the early days of Christianity, the name Sebastyan became associated with Saint Sebastian, a Roman soldier who was martyred for his faith during the 3rd century AD. The legend of Saint Sebastian, depicted in many works of art throughout history, contributed to the widespread use of the name across Europe.
The earliest recorded use of the name Sebastyan can be found in the writings of the Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea, who lived in the 6th century AD. He mentions a prominent figure named Sebastyan who served as a military commander under Emperor Justinian I.
One of the most famous historical figures bearing the name Sebastyan was Sebastyan Munster (1488-1552), a German cartographer, cosmographer, and Hebrew scholar known for his contributions to the field of geography and mapmaking.
Another notable Sebastyan was Sebastyan Klonovic (1545-1602), a Polish poet and Renaissance humanist who wrote extensively on religious and philosophical themes.
In the world of music, Sebastyan Bach (1685-1750), the renowned German composer and organist, stands out as one of the most celebrated figures with this name. His works, including the Brandenburg Concertos and the Well-Tempered Clavier, have had a lasting impact on Western classical music.
The Spanish artist Sebastyan Herrera Barnuevo (1619-1671) was a prominent Baroque sculptor and architect known for his work on various churches and monasteries in Spain.
In the realm of literature, Sebastyan Fabian Klonowic (1545-1602), a Polish poet and playwright, made significant contributions to the development of Polish Renaissance literature with his works focused on morality and satire.
These are just a few examples of the many historical figures who have borne the name Sebastyan, which has carried a sense of reverence and cultural significance across various regions and time periods.
People
Sebastyan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sebastyan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Sebastyan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sebastyan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 103 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sebastyan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 3,327,712 US residents.
Is Sebastyan a common name?
We classify Sebastyan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 65% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 104 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sebastyan most popular?
The single biggest year for Sebastyan was 2014, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sebastyan is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Sebastyan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Sebastyan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sebastyan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Sebastyan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Sebastyan in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Sebastyan can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Sebastyan?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.