Steve is a name of English origin, derived from the Middle English word "steef", which means "crown" or "garland". It was originally used as a nickname for someone who wore a crown or Garland in their hair, possibly as part of a costume or uniform.
The name Steve became popular during the Middle Ages in England and was often used as a nickname for people with royal connections or those who worked in the royal household. Over time, however, it became more commonly used as a given name rather than a nickname.
In the United States, Steve was particularly popular in the early to mid 20th century. It peaked in popularity during the 1950s and 1960s, reaching its highest point on the Social Security Administration's list of most popular baby names in 1953, when it ranked #7 for boys' names.
Today, Steve remains a popular name around the world, with variations such as Stevie, Stephen, and Stefan also being commonly used. Despite its origins as a nickname, Steve is now considered a traditional given name with a strong history dating back centuries.
Based on the statistics provided, we can observe the popularity of the name Steve in the United States from 1912 to 1998.
In the early years, the number of births with the name Steve fluctuated between 5 and 14 per year. However, starting in the mid-1950s, there was a significant increase in popularity, reaching its peak in 1957 with 35 births.
The highest numbers of births for the name Steve occurred in the following years: 25 births in 1956, 35 births in 1957, and 30 births in 1958. This indicates that during this period, the name Steve was quite popular among parents.
After 1958, the popularity of the name Steve began to decline gradually. The numbers dropped below 20 births per year starting from 1960, with some fluctuations but generally maintaining a downward trend.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the popularity of the name Steve was relatively low, with fewer than 15 births per year. However, there was another slight increase in the late 1980s, reaching a peak of 22 births in 1988.
Overall, from 1912 to 1998, there were a total of 907 births with the name Steve in the United States. This demonstrates that while the popularity of the name has varied over time, it has remained a consistent choice among parents during this period.