Steffan

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A masculine first name of Welsh origin, the Welsh form of the name Stephen
2. A male personal name common in Wales, a variant of the English name Stephen
3. Used as a boy's given name in Wales, corresponding to the English Stephen and Greek Stephanos

Etymology: The name goes back to Greek "stephanos", meaning a wreath or garland, the kind awarded to victors at the games. Early Christians gave it a second meaning. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was stoned to death in Jerusalem, and the name came to suggest the crown of martyrdom he had won. The name spread across Christian Europe through Latin, "Stephanus", and developed local forms in each language. "Steffan" is the Welsh version, shaped by the sound and spelling habits of Welsh, while "Stefan" and "Stephanie" come from the same Greek root. Each keeps the original idea of a crown.