Christian Name Meaning

Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Christian.

Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah Scott

Are you looking for a traditional masculine name that highlights your faith? If you follow Christianity, Christian might be the perfect choice for you.

The name Christian comes from a Latin word that means “follower of Christ,” just as the word Christian does in English.

• Origin: Christian is derived from the Latin christianus, which means “a follower of Christ.”

• Gender: Christian can be used for both boys and girls, though it is more commonly used as a masculine name. Feminine variants include Christa, Christine, and Christina.

• Pronunciation: KRIS-chin

Editor's Note

Although baby names are often separated by gender, Parents believes that sex need not play any role in your name selection process. It’s important to select the name that you feel is best suited for your new baby.

How Popular Is the Name Christian?

Christian is a consistently popular name in the US and has only become more popular with time. In 1986, it joined the top 100 names for boys in the US, ranking as No. 89. It continued to rise, reaching its peak at No. 21 in 2006. In 2023, Christian ranked as the No. 77 boy's name in the US.

Name Variations

As the Christian religion has spread across the globe, there are equivalents to the name Christian in virtually every known language. Some of the most common forms include:

• Christiaan (Afrikaans)

• Chrétien (French)

• Críosdaidh (Gaelic)

• Cristian (Galician)

• Cristián (Spanish)

• Cristiano (Italian)

• Karsten (Dutch)

• Kristen (Danish)

• Kristian (Swedish)

• Kristián (Czech)

• Kristiāns (Latvian)

• Kristijan (Croatian)

• Kristijonas (Lithuanian)

• Kristjan (Estonian)

• Kristján (Icelandic)

• Kristo (Albanian)

• Krisztián (Hungarian)

• Krystian (Polish)
  

Traditionally feminine variants include:

• Christina

• Christine

• Cristina

• Kirsten

• Kristen

• Kristin

• Kristina

• Kyrsten
  

Similar Names

Closely related is the name Christopher (meaning “Christ-bearer”) and its family of similar names:

• Christoffel

• Christoffer

• Cristoforo

• Kristobal

• Kristoff

• Kristofor

• Krisztofer

Other names starting with "C" include:

• Caleb

• Calvin

• Cameron

• Carson

• Carter

• Charles

• Chase

• Cole

• Colton

• Connor

• Cooper

• Colin

• Colt
  

Nicknames for Christian

The most popular nickname for Christian is Chris. Other possible spellings include Cris, Chrys, Kris and Krys.

Suggested Sibling Names

Looking for a sibling name for baby Christian? Here are some popular options:

• Austin

• Destiny

• Gavin

• Hailey

• Jonathan

• Lauren

• Luke

• Morgan

• Samuel

• Victoria

Famous People Named Christian

There have been a number of notable people named Christian. These include:

• Christian Alexander, American actor known for his role on General Hospital

• Christian Bale, English actor known for playing Batman in the Dark Knight film series

• Christian Bauman, American novelist known for his book The Ice Beneath You

• Christian Bergman, American baseball player who played for the Colorado Rockies and Seattle Mariners

• Christian Bethancourt, Panamanian baseball player who plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates

• Christian Bizot, French winemaker, head of the Bollinger Champagne house

• Christian Boros, German advertising agency founder and art collector

• Christian Bryant. American football player

• Christian Cooke, English actor known for his roles in the films Where the Heart Is, Demons, and Trinity

• Christian DiLauro, American football player

• Christian Dior, French fashion designer and founder of one of the world’s best-known fashion brands

• Christian Doppler, Austrian mathematician and physicist who discovered the principle known as the “Doppler Effect”

• Christian Garcia, American baseball player who pitched for the Washington Nationals

• Christian Hosoi, American professional skateboarder

• Christian Kirk, American football player who plays for the Arizona Cardinals

• Christian Lacroix, French fashion designer

• Christian Latouche, French businessman and founder and CEO of Fiducial SA

• Christian Jimenez, American soccer player

• Christian Kälin, Swiss lawyer, businessman, and chairman of Henley & Partners

• Christian Navarro, American actor known for his role in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why

• Christian Okoye, Nigerian-American football player who played for the Kansas City Chiefs

• Christian Ponder, American football player who played quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings

• Christian Reiher, German mathematician known for solving Kemnitz's conjecture

• Christian Rosenmeier, American politician known for the legislation that created Charles A. Lindbergh State Park and Camp Ripley

• Christian Siriano, American fashion designer who gained fame as the winner of the Project Runway competition

• Christian Slater, American actor known for his roles in such films as Heathers, Pump Up the Volume, and True Romance

• Christian Taylor, American athlete who won the gold medal for the triple jump in the 2016 Olympic Games

• Christian Wulff, German politician who served as President of Germany from 2010 to 2012

• Christian Yelich, American baseball player who plays for the Milwaukee Brewers

More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options:

• Top 1,000 Baby Boy Names

• 20 Angel Names With Spiritual Meaning

• How To Choose a Name for Your Baby

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Read the original article on Parents.