| Sebastián | Angel | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | venerable, revered | Angel, messenger |
| Origin | spanish | Spanish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | seh-bah-stee-AHN | AHN-hel |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1881 | 1888 |
| Peak year | 2016 (10,309) | 2006 (11,602) |
| In 2025 | 8,605 | 4,757 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Sebastián | Angel |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 53,454 | 28,990 |
| 2010s | 86,688 | 62,959 |
| 2000s | 53,866 | 94,334 |
| 1990s | 14,599 | 36,990 |
| 1980s | 2,839 | 15,798 |
| 1970s | 1,413 | 11,178 |
| 1960s | 1,113 | 7,404 |
| 1950s | 500 | 4,224 |
| 1940s | 574 | 1,377 |
| 1930s | 774 | 1,088 |
| 1920s | 1,231 | 1,089 |
| 1910s | 838 | 391 |
| 1900s | 89 | 34 |
| 1890s | 43 | 22 |
| 1880s | 34 | 8 |
The Spanish form of Sebastian, from the Latin Sebastianus 'from the city of Sebaste', whose name derives from the Greek sebastos 'venerable, revered' (the Greek equivalent of the imperial title Augustus). Borne by the early Christian martyr Saint Sebastian.
Angel comes from the Greek angelos, “messenger,” and the Latin angelus. It is common for boys in Spanish-speaking cultures (Ángel) and used for girls in English.
Sebastián is more popular than Angel today: about 8,605 US babies were given the name Sebastián in 2025, compared with 4,757 named Angel.
Sebastián means venerable, revered (spanish origin), while Angel means Angel, messenger (Spanish origin).
In US records, Sebastián first appears in 1881 and Angel in 1888, so Sebastián has the longer recorded history.