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At a Glance: Name: Fabian – Meaning: belonging to the Fabius family; Fabius itself is traditionally linked to Latin faba, bean – Origin: Latin – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: FAY-bee-un
Fabian is a classic boy's name with a vintage feel, pronounced FAY-bee-un. It comes from Latin and means "belonging to the Fabius family." You'll sometimes see it said to mean 'bean grower,' but that's not quite right: Fabian comes from 'Fabianus,' meaning 'of the Fabius clan,' and the bean link belongs to the older clan name Fabius, one step further back.
Meaning & Origin of Fabian
Meaning: Belonging to the Fabius family; Fabius itself is traditionally linked to Latin faba, bean.
Origin: Latin.
A common claim: Fabian means 'bean grower' Actually: Not quite right — Fabian comes from 'Fabianus,' meaning 'of the Fabius clan,' not directly 'grower'; the bean connection belongs to the ancestral clan name Fabius, one step further back.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Fabian
Phonetic: FAY-bee-un IPA: /ˈfeɪbiən/
Popularity of Fabian
Fabian peaked at #253 in 2007, when 1,396 boys received the name. In 2024 it ranked #442 with 711 babies, so it's less common than at its height but still a familiar name.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1882–2024.
Make Fabian Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Fabian, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Fabian mean?
Belonging to the Fabius family; Fabius itself is traditionally linked to Latin faba, bean. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Fabian)
How do you pronounce Fabian?
Fabian is pronounced FAY-bee-un (IPA: /ˈfeɪbiən/).
Is Fabian a popular name right now?
Fabian peaked at #253 in 2007 and is ranked #442 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1882–2024.)
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