It’s weird to think the name Scuba Steve might come up in everyday conversation (unless, of course, you know Scuba Steve personally), but, oddly enough, it could.
The name is just pervasive enough in popular culture to end up the subject of small talk, whether you’re talking about movies, gaming, or music.
Today, the name applies to many different people/entities.
So, who Scuba Steve is really depends on what you’re talking about, but they all most likely stem from the same place.
Scuba Steve From the Movie Big Daddy
The Scuba Steve of all the Scuba Steves is the iconic Scuba Steve from the 1999 movie Big Daddy.
In this heartfelt comedy, Adam Sandler takes care of a young boy (badly) before realizing he needs to be a better influence.
That young boy he cares for has a favorite toy, a scuba action figure/doll named, you guessed it, Scuba Steve.
(For the record, the Scuba Steve action figure was invented for the movie, falls under copyright, and does not have a licensed real-life counterpart.)
The most iconic scene involving Scuba Steve doesn’t actually involve the Scuba Steve doll at all, but instead has Sandler donning a scuba costume and proclaiming himself Scuba Sam, Scuba Steve’s father, to convince his young ward to take a bath.
(While you can’t buy Scuba Steve, you can still find the Scuba Sam Funko POP! floating out there on the internet at sites like Walmart and Ebay.)
If someone mentions Scuba Steve and you have no idea who the heck they’re talking about, this is probably the Scuba Steve they mean 90% of the time.
Scuba Steve in Gaming
Though the Scuba Steve of movies is the most iconic Scuba Steve, he’s not the only character or real-life person who goes by the name.
Video games is an area in which you’ll find both, a character and a real-life person, using the Scuba Steve moniker.
Scuba Steve the Minecraft Character
Perhaps the most well-known Scuba Steve in gaming is the Scuba Steve character of the Minecraft “Little Club” series.
The character, created by Sharky Minecraft Adventures, was first introduced in Minecraft Adventures: Sharky & Scuba Steve – Bikini Bottom (an adventure set in the world of SpongeBob SquarePants) in 2015.
Scuba Steve the Doom Creator
The real-life Scuba Steve in gaming is more formally known as Stephen Browning.
Browning was the brains behind Action Doom, a conversion/mod for the first-person shooter video game Doom.
Browning went onto create multiple other Doom mods, and is still creating Doom artwork under the name Scuba Steve.
For more on Browning, see his page on Doom Wiki.
Scuba Steve in Music
While “Scuba” seems an odd signifier for a rapper or radio producer, the name’s legend has entered music in both of those ways.
There are two well-known Scuba Steve’s in the music industry, one on each side of the microphone.
Scuba Steve the Country Music Radio Producer
The Bobby Bones Show, a wildly popular morning radio show that made a splash in country music since its launch in 2013 and is syndicated to country music stations across the U.S., has a producer who goes by the on-air persona Scuba Steve.
Along with his behind-the-scenes work, Scuba Steve often appears on the show itself, becoming a beloved part of this popular broadcast.
Skuba Steve
The other well-known Scuba Steve in music is rapper Sada Baby, who also goes by Skuba Steve (with a ‘k’).
As for why he uses the alias, Sada Baby straight-up gives credit to the Scuba Steve from Big Daddy.
Other Scuba Steves
While the Scuba Steves above may be the most well-known Scuba Steves in popular culture, they are far from the only people using the name.
If you want to scan the internet for thousands of pages, you’ll find MANY instances of Scuba Steve.
In music. In art. On social media.
Basically, everywhere a Scuba Steve could be.
Apparently, a popular part of a popular film spawns many a fanboy.
Where does the name Scuba Steve come from?
As for where Scuba Steve originated (at least as a popular name/concept), it’s undoubtedly Big Daddy.
The Big Daddy action figure Scuba Steve came before any of these other Scuba Steves, serving as an inspiration for all the Scuba Steves to come.