Christian Name Meaning
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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:
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Read the original article on Parents.