The first name Fabian
A boy’s name from Latin meaning “belonging to fabius”.
Pronounced /ˈfeɪ.bi.ən/ 3 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Fabian means “belonging to fabius” in Latin.
From Latin Fabiānus (“belonging to Fabius”), derived from Fabius + -ānus.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 71 boys were named Fabian, making it the 549th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2015, with 190 births (#270).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Fabian with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Fabian at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 655 boys born in the United States were named Fabian, the 468th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2007, when 1,396 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Fabian in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Fabian in German, Polish and Swedish too.
Famous people named Fabian
76 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Fabian Gottlieb von BellingshausenBaltic German officer in the Imperial Russian Navy, cartographer and explorer (1778–1852)
- Fabian DelphEnglish association football player (born 1989)
- Fabian JohnsonAmerican soccer player, born 1987
- Fabián OrellanaChilean footballer, born 1986
- Fabian ErnstGerman footballer, born 1979
- Fabian HambüchenGerman artistic gymnast (born 1987)
- Fabian HürzelerGerman football manager, born 1993
- Fabian von SchlabrendorffGerman jurist, soldier, and member of the resistance against Adolf Hitler (1907-1980)
- Fabián EstayChilean footballer, born 1968
- Fabián CancelarichArgentine association football player (1965–2024)
- Fabian GieferGerman footballer, born 1990
- FabianAmerican singer and actor, born 1943
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Fabian mean?
- Fabian means “belonging to fabius” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Fabian?
- From Latin Fabiānus (“belonging to Fabius”), derived from Fabius + -ānus.
- How popular is the name Fabian?
- In 2025, 71 boys born in England and Wales were named Fabian, ranking 549th. Its peak was 2015, with 190 births.
- Is Fabian a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 44,577 US babies named Fabian since 1880 were boys.
- When was Fabian most popular?
- 2007 in the United States, when 1,396 babies were named Fabian, its highest rank at 253rd.
- How do you pronounce Fabian?
- Fabian is /ˈfeɪ.bi.ən/, 3 syllables.
- Is Fabian also a surname?
- Yes. Fabian is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.