Sabastian
A boy's name with 3,635 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
At 9 letters and three syllables, Sabastian is a longer name that carries presence on a page and formality in full, while likely inviting a natural nickname in daily life. It has been used as a boy's name in the U.S. since 1917, with 3,635 total recorded births.
Currently ranked #3756, Sabastian is familiar enough that people will recognize it but not so common that your child shares it with three classmates.
In the most recent SSA release, Sabastian ranks #3756 among U.S. boy names — distinctive enough to stand out.
Sabastian is a boy's baby name of Greek origin, a variant spelling of Sebastian, from the Latin Sebastianus, meaning 'from Sebastia' — an ancient city in Turkey whose name derived from the Greek sebastos, meaning 'venerable' or 'revered.'
Saint Sebastian — the Roman soldier martyred by arrows who became a symbol of endurance — has inspired art for centuries. Sabastian, with the simplified middle spelling, preserves the name's full elegance and history while creating a slightly distinctive written form that some families choose to honor a specific Sebastian ancestor.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Sabastian's final sounds are clean, contemporary — among the most common endings in modern American names. In English-language naming, masculine names frequently end on harder consonants or closed syllables, creating a sense of decisiveness and strength. Sabastian softens that pattern, giving it a more versatile feel.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Sabastian's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Sabastian was #1223 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #3756, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 248 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 971 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 1,552 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 697 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 73 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 68 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 16 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 5 | — |
| 1910s | 5 | — |
The Story of Sabastian
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 2001, Sabastian is a name that defines a generation. Boys named Sabastian are most likely born between 1991 and 2011.
How rare is Sabastian?
Only about 1 in every 120,000 babies born in 2024 was named Sabastian — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1917, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2000s with 1,552 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Sabastian by the numbers
- Would fill 76 school buses
- Meeting one Sabastian per day would take 10 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(56 years, 1917–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 30 | #3756 |
| 2023 | 45 | #2835 |
| 2022 | 48 | #2744 |
| 2021 | 65 | #2189 |
| 2020 | 60 | #2283 |
| 2019 | 81 | #1864 |
| 2018 | 78 | #1916 |
| 2017 | 76 | #1912 |
| 2016 | 81 | #1857 |
| 2015 | 94 | #1675 |
| 2014 | 93 | #1666 |
| 2013 | 99 | #1577 |
| 2012 | 109 | #1487 |
| 2011 | 124 | #1362 |
| 2010 | 136 | #1281 |
| 2009 | 138 | #1277 |
| 2008 | 146 | #1208 |
| 2007 | 142 | #1242 |
| 2006 | 146 | #1160 |
| 2005 | 146 | #1127 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sabastian a boy's or girl's name?
When was Sabastian most popular?
How popular is the name Sabastian?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1917–2024