Meaning: Its source is Stephanos, a Greek name meaning "Crown or garland."

Popularity: The name Stephani ranked 1755th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: According to Christian scripture, Stephen was the first martyr, and the influence of this saint accounts for the popularity of both male and female variations of his name in many Western languages.

The Bible describes Stephen as a righteous and compassionate person who refused to disguise his beliefs, even though his frankness cost him his life.

He was condemned to death by stoning, and the cloaks of those commissioned to do the bloody work were held by a fellow persecutor of the Christians, Saul of Tarsus.

In time, Saul became Paul the Apostle, shaper of Christian doctrine and Christian missionary to the entire ancient world.