Boy's name

Stiofán

“STIFF-awn”

from Greek stephanos, 'crown' or 'wreath'

SteafánStiabhánStephenSteven

Source: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923) ↗

The story behind the name

The name of the first Christian martyr. Woulfe lists seven Irish spellings for it, from Steafán to Stiabhna, and says it was rather common among the early Anglo-Norman settlers.

Quick answers

How do you pronounce Stiofán?

Stiofán is pronounced “STIFF-awn”. Irish has three main dialect groups (Ulster, Connacht and Munster) and many names are said differently in each. The respellings here give the pronunciation most commonly heard in Irish English; where a well-known variant exists, both are shown.

What does the name Stiofán mean?

Stiofán means from Greek stephanos, 'crown' or 'wreath'.

Is Stiofán a boy's or a girl's name?

Stiofán is traditionally a boy's name in Ireland.

How else is Stiofán spelled?

Other spellings and equivalents include Steafán, Stiabhán, Stephen, Steven. Irish names were written down by English-speaking clerks for centuries, which is why so many spellings survive for one name.

Meanings follow Ó Corráin & Maguire's Irish Names and Woulfe; pronunciations give the commonest Irish-English form. Know this name better — a dialect pronunciation, a family tradition? Tell us. · All Irish names A–Z