Stefana is a feminine name of Greek origin. It is derived from the Greek word "stephanos," which means "crown" or "garland." The name has been used in various forms throughout history, including Stephanie and Stefanie.
In ancient Greece, a stephanos was a wreath made of laurel leaves that was awarded to victorious athletes or heroes as a symbol of their achievements. The name Stefana is believed to have originated from this tradition, reflecting the idea of wearing a crown or being victorious.
The name Stefana has been used in various cultures throughout history. In medieval Europe, it was often used as a female form of Stephen, which comes from the Latin name "Stephanus." This name was popular among early Christian martyrs and saints, including Saint Stephen, who was the first Christian martyr according to the Acts of the Apostles.
In Bulgaria, Stefana is also a popular name, with the Bulgarian version being "Стефана" or "Stefana." In this culture, it is often given as a name day (celebration of the saint's day) rather than a birthday. The feast day of Saint Stefana is celebrated on January 21st.
Today, Stefana remains a popular name in many cultures around the world. While its origins and meanings vary slightly depending on the language and culture, the name continues to reflect ideas of victory, achievement, and crowns or wreaths.
Based on the provided statistics, Stefana appears to have been a relatively uncommon name for newborn girls in the United States over the past century. The data spans from 1917 to 2006, with the highest number of births recorded at seven, which occurred twice, once in 1917 and again in 1995.
Interestingly, there seems to be a pattern of fluctuation in popularity for the name Stefana over time. During the earlier decades (1917-1929), the name saw more usage with five or six births each year. However, it then experienced a decline in popularity from the 1930s until the late 1980s.
The name's popularity began to pick up again in the early 1990s, with consistently five births each year between 1991 and 1994. The peak of recent popularity was reached in 1995 when seven girls named Stefana were born. After this spike, the number of births decreased once more to five per year in 1998 and 2006.
In total, over these years, there were 67 births with the name Stefana recorded in the United States. While not a extremely popular choice, it has still managed to leave its mark on American demographics throughout various decades of the twentieth century.