boy's name
Christian
KRIS-chun
- Origin Latin
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 9
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 907,472
the United States
#96
2025 births
Christian is a boy's name from the Latin christianus, meaning "a follower of Christ." The word itself comes from the Greek Christos, the anointed one, which translated the Hebrew title Messiah — so the name carries a translation inside it.
- Christian is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in 1996, when 16,544 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 904 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Christian over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 497 |
| 1890s | 414 |
| 1900s | 321 |
| 1910s | 1,149 |
| 1920s | 1,279 |
| 1930s | 896 |
| 1940s | 1,602 |
| 1950s | 3,778 |
| 1960s | 10,847 |
| 1970s | 26,903 |
| 1980s | 35,366 |
| 1990s | 133,584 |
| 2000s | 145,259 |
| 2010s | 85,407 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 26,541 |
What Christian means
Christian means a follower of Christ. The underlying Greek Christos means anointed, and was chosen by Greek-speaking Jews to render the Hebrew mashiach, messiah, which means the same thing — so the name preserves a translation of a translation.
Where Christian comes from
Christian comes from the Latin christianus, from the Greek Christos, meaning anointed. Christos was the Septuagint's rendering of the Hebrew mashiach, an anointed one, a title used for kings and priests consecrated with oil. Acts records that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch, apparently as an outsiders' label before it was adopted. As a given name Christian became common across Europe from the medieval period, and was especially favored in Denmark, where ten kings have borne it. Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress gave it enduring literary standing in English through its protagonist.
Christian in use
Christos translates the Hebrew messiah, and both simply mean anointed — the name carries a translation inside it.
How popular is Christian?
In 2025, Christian was given to 3,668 babies in the United States, ranking #96 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Christian is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Christian
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Christian also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Christian over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Christian
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Christian in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Christian
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Christian — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Christian
What does the name Christian mean?
Christian means "a follower of Christ," from the Latin christianus.
What does Christ mean?
Christos is Greek for "anointed," translating the Hebrew mashiach, or messiah.
Where were people first called Christians?
Acts records that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch.
How popular is the name Christian?
In 2025, Christian was given to 3,668 babies in the United States, ranking #96 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Christian a girl's or a boy's name?
Christian is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Christian?
Christian has 2 syllables.
When was Christian most popular?
Christian peaked in 1996, when 16,544 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Christian?
Christian is usually shortened to Chris and Kit.
Is Christian a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Christian currently ranks #96 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.