Sebastian
/S-IH-B-AE-S-CH-AH-N/
Revered, venerable, the soldier-saint who survived his own martyrdom — Saint Sebastian was a Roman officer secretly Christian, shot through with arrows and left for dead, only to recover and confront the emperor again. His name carries the resilience of faith that cannot be killed on the first attempt, the beauty that Renaissance painters saw in his suffering, and the soldier's code that places duty above survival
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How well does Sebastian fit your family?
This page tells you what Sebastian means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
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Six signals — scored for your family & heritage, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Yes — Sebastian is a Christian boy name of Latin origin, meaning “Revered, venerable, the soldier-saint who survived his own martyrdom — Saint Sebastian was a Roman officer secretly Christian, shot through with arrows and left for dead, only to recover and confront the emperor again. His name carries the resilience of faith that cannot be killed on the first attempt, the beauty that Renaissance painters saw in his suffering, and the soldier's code that places duty above survival”.
Sebastian is a boy's name of Latin origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "Revered, venerable, the soldier-saint who survived his own martyrdom — Saint Sebastian was a Roman officer secretly Christian, shot through with arrows and left for dead, only to recover and confront the emperor again. His name carries the resilience of faith that cannot be killed on the first attempt, the beauty that Renaissance painters saw in his suffering, and the soldier's code that places duty above survival" and belongs to the Courage cluster — names for children who will grow into bold, fearless hearts.
Common among Italian, American, European, Latino, Filipino families, Sebastian carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
The patron saint & feast day behind Sebastian
Many Christian names carry a patron saint and a feast day (name day) — a tradition of choosing a name for the saint a child is born near, or one the family holds dear. Sebastian lives in this tradition of meaning and heritage.
NameRoot connects the dots. See Sebastian's patron saint, its feast day, and whether it aligns with your baby's birth — alongside its full family score.
See Sebastian's saint & feast day →What does Sebastian's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Sebastian resonates in either tradition.
Sebastian's destiny number is 9 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Sebastian's full reading →
Does Sebastian go with your family's names?
Sebastian breaks into 8 sounds: /S-IH-B-AE-S-CH-AH-N/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Sebastian sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Sebastian beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Sebastian — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Sebastian
If Sebastian resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian boy names, common in Italian families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian boy names from the Courage cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian boy names that open with the same syllables as Sebastian
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Sebastian — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Sebastian
What does the name Sebastian mean?
Sebastian means "Revered, venerable, the soldier-saint who survived his own martyrdom — Saint Sebastian was a Roman officer secretly Christian, shot through with arrows and left for dead, only to recover and confront the emperor again. His name carries the resilience of faith that cannot be killed on the first attempt, the beauty that Renaissance painters saw in his suffering, and the soldier's code that places duty above survival." It is a boy name of Latin origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Sebastian a boy or girl name?
Sebastian is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Sebastian?
Sebastian is of Latin origin, used in Christian tradition, commonly among Italian, American, European families.
Is Sebastian a Christian name?
Yes. Sebastian is a boy name traditionally used in Christian families, of Latin origin.
What does Sebastian mean in Latin?
Sebastian originates from Latin, where it means "Revered, venerable, the soldier-saint who survived his own martyrdom — Saint Sebastian was a Roman officer secretly Christian, shot through with arrows and left for dead, only to recover and confront the emperor again. His name carries the resilience of faith that cannot be killed on the first attempt, the beauty that Renaissance painters saw in his suffering, and the soldier's code that places duty above survival."
What are common nicknames for Sebastian?
Common short forms of Sebastian include Seb, Bash.
What is the numerology of Sebastian?
Sebastian has a Pythagorean destiny number of 9 — compassion and humanitarian service.
Is Sebastian a saint's name?
Yes — Sebastian is honoured as a Christian saint's name, linked to the patron saint of athletes.
See how Sebastian scores for your family
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