Later canon law, in force until 1 October 1975, considered that a man became pope at the moment when he accepted his election to the papacy, and this Stephen was then anachronistically called Pope Stephen II.
A modificación do dereito canónico, en vigor ata o 1 de outubro de 1975, considerado o momento cando un home pasa a ser papa o momento no que acepta a súa elección como tal, e este Estevo foi anacronisticamente chamado papa Estevo II.