Stephen or Steven (generally pronounced IPA ) is an English masculine first name, derived through the Latin form Stephanus from the Greek Στέφανος (Stephanos), which means "crown" or "wreath."
Less commonly encountered spellings include Stephan, Stefan, and Stevon. Steve is the common short form and various diminutives such as Stevie and Ste are also found. Many family names are derived from Stephen: the most common are Stephens/Stevens and Stephenson/Stevenson (others include Stephen, Stephan, Stefan, Stevin, and Stever). Stephen as a surname is thought to be derived from North Wales.citation needed]