UK boy's name
Sabastian
Of Portuguese origin, meaning "one from Sebastia".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sabastian is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sabastian popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 5 births.
This profile covers 29 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 1996 to 2021. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 29 living people in the UK are called Sabastian. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sabastian ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 5 boys were registered as Sabastian.
- • About 29 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sabastian as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4789
2021
Births in 2021
3
Latest year
Peak year
2008
5 births
Estimated living
29
2026
Meaning
What does Sabastian mean?
The name Sabastian has its origins in the ancient Greek name Sebastianos, which was derived from the Greek word "sebastos," meaning "venerable" or "revered." The name gained popularity during the Roman era, particularly after the Roman emperor Augustus was given the title "Augustus," which also stems from "sebastos."
The earliest recorded use of the name Sabastian can be traced back to the 3rd century AD, when a Christian martyr named Sebastianus was venerated for his steadfast faith and courage in the face of persecution. According to legend, Sebastianus was a Roman soldier who secretly converted to Christianity and was eventually executed for his beliefs during the reign of Emperor Diocletian.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Sabastian was widely used across Europe, particularly in regions with strong Christian traditions. One notable figure was Saint Sebastian, a 3rd-century Christian martyr who is often depicted in art and literature as a handsome young man pierced by arrows.
In the 16th century, the name Sabastian gained further prominence with the birth of Sebastian I, King of Portugal from 1557 to 1578. His reign was marked by significant naval exploration and the expansion of Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia.
Another famous figure was Sebastian Munster, a German Renaissance scholar and cartographer born in 1488. He is best known for his contributions to the study of geography and for publishing one of the earliest modern world maps, the "Cosmographia Universalis," in 1544.
During the Baroque period, the name Sabastian was associated with several notable composers and musicians. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), one of the most influential composers of the Baroque era, is perhaps the most famous bearer of the name. His compositions, including the Brandenburg Concertos and the Well-Tempered Clavier, are considered masterpieces of Western classical music.
Another notable figure was Sebastian Brant (1457-1521), a German humanist and satirist known for his influential work "Das Narrenschiff" (The Ship of Fools), a biting satire on the follies and vices of society at the time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sabastian over time
The chart below shows babies named Sabastian registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sabastian, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sabastian by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sabastian was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4789 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4794 | 12 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3478 | 11 | 3 |
| 1990s | #2863 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Sabastian
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Sabastian: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sabastian in the UK right now?
In 2021, Sabastian was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Sabastian most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 5 babies registered as Sabastian in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sabastian?
Of Portuguese origin, meaning "one from Sebastia".
How many people are called Sabastian in the UK?
A total of 29 babies have been registered as Sabastian across the 9 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.