Sebastian

Updated Sept 2015

Sebastian ~ Venerable, Respected ~ Greek, Latin

History
Sebastian used to be a name given to boys who were born in Sebastia, which was an ancient city in Rome. One such boy became a roman soldier in adulthood, and was martyred for his Christian faith during the third century. And that is how Sebastian became the patron saint of infantrymen, and is probably also the reason the name has survived since that time.

Fictional Namesakes
Shakespeare used Sebastian for a character in The Tempest as well as Twelfth Night. If you've seen the movie She's the Man, which is a loose adaptation of the play, you might have been exposed to this name in a more modern context. Fans of classical music will know that this is Bach's middle name. And of course, you might associate this name with a certain comical crab from The Little Mermaid. Sebastian is also a character in the TV show Glee.

Popularity
I think Sebastian is a lyrical name with an air of history and sophistication about it. It's gaining momentum as parents look for fresh-yet-familiar names for their boys, and I can see why. It's in the top 40 names for boys in America, which is the most popular it's ever been in this country. Internationally, Sebastian is a hit as well, and has been for much longer.

Variations

• Bas
• Bash
• Bastien 
• Sabastian
• Seb 
• Sebby 
• Sebasten