Sten

The first name Sten, a male name, has its roots in the Old Norse term steinn, which means 'stone' or 'rock'. Additionally, Sten is sometimes used as a shortened form of Nordic names that end in '-sten', such as Thorsten.

What does the name Sten mean?

Sten is a male first name that traces back to the Old Norse word steinn, which means 'stone' or 'rock'. This name is also used as a short form for other Nordic names ending in '-sten', such as Thorsten. Sten is primarily common in Scandinavia as well as in Germany and the Netherlands. A well-known bearer of this name is the German writer Sten Nadolny.

Where does the name Sten come from?

The name Sten has Old Norse origins and means 'the stone'. The Old Norse word steinn is composed of terms for stone or rock. It can be found in several languages, including Old Danish, Old Swedish, Danish, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, and is part of Scandinavian naming.

How do you pronounce Sten?

The sound quality and pronunciation of the name Sten is monosyllabic and distinctive. It is pronounced as [ʃteːn] or [steːn], with the long 'e' having a soft, clear sound. The initial sound 'St-' provides a strong start, while the nasal sound at the end softens the name. Sten conveys a Nordic, clear impression - a compact name with a calm presence.

Popularity

Sten is a rather rare first name in Germany. Currently, it ranks 5,840th on the list of most common male first names. Its best placement was in 2006, when it reached 930th place. In the last ten years, Sten has been given as a first name about 60 times, placing it 3,083rd in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 2,817th.

Nicknames & pet names

Steni / Stenley / Stenni / Stenny

Famous people

• Sten Andersson (Swedish politician)
• Sten Elfstrom (Swedish actor)
• Sten Eriksson (Swedish biathlete)
• Sten Glenn Haberg (Norwegian footballer)
• Sten Gosta William Wahlund (Syrian geneticist)
• Sten Grytebust (Norwegian footballer)
• Sten Hagander (Swedish athlete)
• Sten Ingelf (Swedish composer)
• Sten Lindroth (Swedish historian)
• Sten Ljunggren (Swedish actor)
• Sten Lundin (Swedish motorcycle racer)
• Sten Melin (Swedish composer)
• Sten Mellgren (Swedish footballer)
• Sten Nadolny (German writer)
• Sten Odenwald (American astronomer)
• Sten Olmre (Estonian basketball player)
• Sten Ove Eike (Norwegian football player)
• Sten Palsson (Swedish footballer)
• Sten Pentus (Estonian racing driver)
• Sten Pettersson (Swedish hurdler)