Steven or Stephen?

[penelopemay]

I'm leaning towards Stephen, as there's Stephanie. Which do you prefer Steven or Stephen?

[Gruffalosfriend]

Would you pronounce Steven = Steve-ven and
Stephen = Stee-fen?

[WhatchaMaCalllit]

Whenever I see the Steven vs Stephen topic, it brings to mind this routine from Michael McIntyre:

[TheLegendOfBeans]

Spell it with a "ph" - that's the regal spelling!

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen,_King_of_England

[Footle]

Well there's Stefania, come to that.

[TheNaze73]

Stephen, every time

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

I prefer Stephen.

[pourmeanotherdrink]

Stephen is much nicer.



Or you could doge the issue completely and have a Stefan?

AuntieStella, in that case you would have a Stefan vs. Stephan dilemma, although, again, Stephan is of course the far superior spelling.

[KoalaDownUnder]

Stephen.

I feel it is like David, though. Still too ubiquitous among middle-aged men to be ready for a revival.

[JudgeJudySheidlin]

If I was a boy I would of been Stephen. I'm glad I wasn't a Stephen as there were so many in my year group at school. Personally I'm not keen on the name but I can see it making a comeback

[Flowercat16]

Stephen.

[ClaraLane]

Steven looks wrong to me. My husband is a Steven and I always tell him it's spelt wrong Go for Stephen.

[ScarletSienna]

I prefer Stephen and agree with what you say re Stephanie.

Steven looks dated and Stephen classic.

[JessieDoops]

That's meant to say 'as an 'f' sound **

[JessieDoops]

My father is a Stephen. My grandmother always pronounces the 'ph' and an 'f' sound. Ste'f'en. No one else does.

[CakeRattleandRoll]

I prefer Stephen. Lovely name, it was on our list for DS.

[SquirrelPaws]

I prefer Stephen, although I can't work out why.

DH made an interesting observation, which doubtless you'll all quickly disprove - most Steves seem to be over 40. Young Stephens seem to use the full name.

[crunched]

My 'maiden name' - never realised how dated that phrase was til now - was the version with a 'V', so I always see Stephen as preferable for a forename.
I know a Stephen aged 18. Solid name.

[Raines100]

I think the OP means that, given the female version uses the ph spelling, the ph is likely the original and the v spelling a later alternative.

OP, you're right. Stephen is derived from the Greek Stephanos. The biblical St Stephen (as in the one from Boxing Day) was a ph Stephen. Steven is an accepted and widely used Anglicisation.

[Chinlo]

To me the fact that Stephanie is spelt with PH is evidence that Steven should not be! Unless you're going to pronounce Stephen as Stefan. Or Stephanie as Stevenie.

[KatherinaMinola]

Stephen is the more classic version. It's like Denis/Dennis, or Jane/Jayne.

Steven is more 70s/80s and could be considered naff.

[maz210]

OP I understand what you mean, you feel the correct way of spelling it should be with a ph as Stephanie is spelt with a ph and there is only one variation of that name.

My personal opinion is that Stephen seems the correct way of spelling it to me. I don't know why but that's always the spelling is assume if I hear the name.

[Bubbles1986]

I think there is confusion about whether u mean Stephen pronounced as Stefan of Steven as I have known Stephans with both pronunciations. The "interrogation" is confusion over whether this is solely about spelling or pronunciation and Stephen and Stephanie would lead me to believe you want to decide between pronunciation rather than spelling

[ScarletForYa]

Stephen.

[SaltyBitch]

Ph is the far superior spelling

[Meadows76]

You are not being interrogated? You said

I'm leaning towards Stephen, as there's Stephanie

And have been asked what you mean about 'as there's stephanie'