UK boy's name
Sebastien
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "venerable, revered".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sebastien is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sebastien popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1595, with 16 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 70 births.
This profile covers 1,131 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 23% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,150 living people in the UK are called Sebastien. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sebastien ranked #1595 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 16 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 70 boys were registered as Sebastien.
- • Sebastien ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #614 in 2023.
- • About 1,150 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sebastien as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1595
2024
Births in 2024
16
Latest year
Peak year
2014
70 births
Estimated living
1,150
2026
Meaning
What does Sebastien mean?
The name Sebastien has its origins in the Latin name Sebastianus, derived from the Greek word "sebastos", meaning "venerable" or "revered". It is believed to have its roots in the ancient Roman Empire, where it was used as a title of respect for the emperor.
In the early days of Christianity, the name Sebastien gained significance as it was borne by several early Christian martyrs and saints. One of the most notable was Saint Sebastian, a 3rd-century Roman soldier who was martyred for his Christian faith during the reign of Emperor Diocletian.
The name Sebastien gained widespread popularity across Europe during the Middle Ages, particularly in France, where it was commonly spelled as Sébastien. It was embraced by the French nobility and royal families, as evidenced by the presence of several notable figures bearing this name throughout history.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sebastien can be found in the 6th century, with Saint Sebastien of Narbonne, a French bishop and hermit. In the 12th century, Sebastien Riant, a French knight and crusader, accompanied King Louis VII on the Second Crusade.
During the Renaissance period, the name Sebastien was associated with several prominent figures, including Sebastien Castellio (1515-1563), a French Renaissance humanist and theologian known for his advocacy of religious tolerance, and Sebastien Bourdon (1616-1671), a French painter and engraver.
In the realm of literature, Sebastien Brant (1457-1521) was a German humanist and satirist, best known for his work "Das Narrenschiff" (The Ship of Fools). The French playwright and actor Sebastien Le Prestre de Vauban (1633-1707) was renowned for his contributions to military architecture and fortifications.
During the Enlightenment era, Sebastien Leclerc (1637-1714), a French engraver and designer, made significant contributions to the field of book illustration. Another notable figure was Sebastien Erard (1752-1831), a French instrument maker who revolutionized the design of the modern piano.
In more recent times, the name Sebastien has been carried by several influential figures, such as Sebastien Loeb (born 1974), a French professional rally driver and nine-time World Rally Championship winner, and Sebastien Ogier (born 1983), another French rally driver and eight-time World Rally Champion.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sebastien over time
The chart below shows babies named Sebastien registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sebastien, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 16 births in 2024, compared with 70 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sebastien by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sebastien 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 | #1374 | 100 | 5 |
| 2010s | #696 | 513 | 10 |
| 2000s | #619 | 418 | 10 |
| 1990s | #688 | 100 | 4 |
Geography
Where Sebastien is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Sebastien. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Sebastien ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #614 in 2023.
Across the UK
Sebastien in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#614 in 2023
8 years of NRS records, 27 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Sebastien
-
Sebastien Emenalo
basketball player
British basketball player (born 2006)
2006-
-
Sebastien Edgar
handball player
British handball player
1991-
-
Sebastien Torkia
film actor; actor
British actor
1972-
-
Sebastien Boyesen
sculptor
English sculptor
1960-
-
Sebastien Bowden
presbyter
Related
Names similar to Sebastien
- 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
Sebastien: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sebastien in the UK right now?
In 2024, Sebastien was ranked #1595 for boys in England and Wales, with 16 births registered.
When was Sebastien most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 70 babies registered as Sebastien in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sebastien?
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "venerable, revered".
How many people are called Sebastien in the UK?
A total of 1,131 babies have been registered as Sebastien across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 27 more in Scotland.
Where is Sebastien most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Sebastien ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #614 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.