Stefani
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "crown" or "wreath".
Name Census estimates that about 6,517 living Americans carry the first name Stefani. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Stefani today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Stefani births was 1990 (282 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Stefani. 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
6.5K
~ 1 in 52,594 Americans
Peak year
1990
282 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,109
Tracked since 1939
Popularity
Stefani: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Stefani from the 1930s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 1,898 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Stefani 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 Stefani during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Stefanis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 32 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Stefani, while South Carolina, Montana, Kansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 129 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Stefani
The name Stefani is derived from the Greek name Stephanos, which means "crown" or "garland." It has its origins in ancient Greece and was initially given to individuals who had achieved significant accomplishments or held positions of honor and distinction.
The name gained popularity during the early Christian era, as it was associated with St. Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity. The Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament describes Stephen as a man "full of grace and fortitude" who was stoned to death for his faith in 33 AD.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Stefani can be found in the writings of the 4th-century historian Eusebius of Caesarea, who mentioned a woman named Stefani who was martyred during the Diocletian persecution of Christians in the early 4th century.
In the Middle Ages, the name Stefani became popular across Europe, particularly in Italy, where it was often spelled as Stefania or Stefano for males. One notable figure from this period was Stefano Tempesta (1555-1630), an Italian painter and engraver known for his landscapes and historical scenes.
During the Renaissance, the name Stefani was associated with several prominent figures, including Stefano Guazzo (1530-1593), an Italian writer and courtier who authored the influential work "Civil Conversation," which explored the art of polite discourse and societal etiquette.
Another notable figure was Stefano della Bella (1610-1664), an Italian artist and engraver celebrated for his etchings and engravings depicting scenes of everyday life in 17th-century Europe.
In more recent history, the name Stefani has been borne by several influential individuals, such as Stefani Germanò (1856-1915), an Italian mathematician and physicist known for his contributions to the study of electromagnetism and the kinetic theory of gases.
Additionally, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga (born 1986), is a world-renowned American singer, songwriter, and actress who has won numerous awards and accolades for her music and performances.
People
Stefani + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Stefani 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
Stefani: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Stefani?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6,517 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Stefani 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 52,594 US residents.
Is Stefani a common name?
We classify Stefani as "Rare". It ranks above 97.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7,017 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Stefani most popular?
The single biggest year for Stefani was 1990, when 282 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Stefani is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Stefani a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Stefani in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.