Sebastian \s(e)-bas-tian, seb(a)-stian\ as a boy's name is pronounced se-BASS-tian. It is of Greek origin, and the meaning of Sebastian is "revered". The original form of this name referred to those from a particular city or region of Asia minor, whose Greek name was from the Latin imperial title "Augustus". Saint Sebastian, who probably was a native of that place, was a third-century martyred centurion who became patron saint of soldiers. Shakespeare gave the name to the twin brother of Viola in "Twelfth Night". British use since the 1940s may have been influenced by a character in Evelyn Waugh's popular "Brideshead Revisited". Sebastien is popular in France. Track celebrity Sebastian Coe.

Sebastian has 8 variant forms: Bastian, Bastien, Sabastian, Seb, Sebastiano, Sebastien, Sebestyen and Sebo.