Christian Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KRIS-chan //ˈkrɪs.tʃən//
Origin: Latin; Greek
Meaning: Latin: 'follower of Christ'; Greek: 'anointed one'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Christian derives from the Latin "Christianus," meaning "follower of Christ." This term itself is rooted in the Greek "Christianos," which is a derivative of "Christos," translating to "the anointed one" in reference to Jesus Christ. The earliest recorded use of the term "Christian" appears in the New Testament of the Bible, specifically in the Book of Acts, dated to the first century CE, where it is used to describe the disciples of Jesus in Antioch.
The name subsequently made its way into various languages, including Old French and Middle English, before becoming established in the English vernacular by the late Middle Ages. Throughout history, the name Christian has been associated with numerous significant figures, including saints and monarchs.
Notably, Saint Christian, a lesser-known figure, is recognized in some Christian traditions, while the name has been borne by various kings and nobles across Europe, particularly during the medieval period. The name's prominence was further bolstered by the spread of Christianity throughout Europe, especially during the conversion of various tribes and nations, where it became a symbol of faith and identity.
Culturally, the name Christian has often been linked to the ideals of faith, morality, and community, resonating deeply within Christian traditions. It has been used in various literary and artistic contexts, symbolizing devotion and the Christian way of life.
The name also has several diminutive forms, such as Chris or Kit, which have appeared in different cultures. Overall, Christian has maintained a significant presence in Christian communities and has been a name of choice for many families throughout the centuries, reflecting a rich heritage tied to religious and cultural identity.
Famous people named Christian
In this section, you will find notable people named Christian. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Christian who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Christian who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Christian Bale is an actor best known for Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and American Psycho.
Christian Slater is an actor best known for Heathers, Pump Up the Volume, and Mr. Robot.
Christian Serratos is an actress best known for The Walking Dead, Twilight, and Selena: The Series.
Christian Dior is a fashion designer best known for founding the Dior fashion house and the New Look collection.
Christian Pulisic is a professional soccer player best known for playing with Chelsea FC and the U.S. Men's National Team.
Christian McCaffrey is a professional football player best known for playing as a running back for the San Francisco 49ers and being a standout at Stanford University.
Christian von Koenigsegg is an entrepreneur best known for founding Koenigsegg Automotive and producing high-performance sports cars.
Christian Horner is a team principal best known for leading the Red Bull Racing Formula One team to multiple championships.
Christian Lacroix is a fashion designer best known for his haute couture collections and theatrical designs.
Christian Kane is an actor and musician best known for his roles in Angel, Leverage, and The Librarians.
Fictional characters named Christian
The following list of fictional characters named Christian is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Christian is a fictional character from the musical and film Moulin Rouge!. He is a young writer who falls in love with a cabaret actress in the bohemian underworld of Paris.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Christian, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Christian. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Christian was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Christian has ranked as high as #29 nationally, which occurred in 2000, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Christian has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Christian is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Christian was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Christian (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 681 | |
| CA | 598 | |
| FL | 316 | |
| NY | 212 | |
| NC | 161 | |
| GA | 157 | |
| PA | 136 | |
| IL | 126 | |
| VA | 114 | |
| MI | 110 | |
| OH | 110 | |
| LA | 94 | |
| AZ | 92 | |
| TN | 88 | |
| MA | 77 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Christian.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 4,247 |
| 2023 | 4,153 |
| 2022 | 4,483 |
| 2021 | 4,634 |
| 2020 | 5,101 |
| 2019 | 5,780 |
| 2018 | 6,581 |
| 2017 | 7,021 |
| 2016 | 7,668 |
| 2015 | 8,218 |
| 2014 | 8,479 |
| 2013 | 9,350 |
| 2012 | 9,639 |
| 2011 | 10,334 |
| 2010 | 11,109 |
| 2009 | 12,654 |
| 2008 | 13,068 |
| 2007 | 14,062 |
| 2006 | 14,487 |
| 2005 | 14,209 |
| 2004 | 13,925 |
| 2003 | 13,908 |
| 2002 | 14,596 |
| 2001 | 15,457 |
| 2000 | 16,057 |
| 1999 | 14,782 |
| 1998 | 14,522 |
| 1997 | 15,059 |
| 1996 | 15,823 |
| 1995 | 13,812 |
| 1994 | 11,987 |
| 1993 | 11,890 |
| 1992 | 11,954 |
| 1991 | 9,447 |
| 1990 | 6,782 |
| 1989 | 4,626 |
| 1988 | 3,936 |
| 1987 | 3,324 |
| 1986 | 3,214 |
| 1985 | 2,914 |
| 1984 | 2,727 |
| 1983 | 2,419 |
| 1982 | 2,576 |
| 1981 | 2,235 |
| 1980 | 2,318 |
| 1979 | 2,264 |
| 1978 | 2,207 |
| 1977 | 2,295 |
| 1976 | 2,268 |
| 1975 | 2,462 |
| 1974 | 2,490 |
| 1973 | 2,693 |
| 1972 | 2,962 |
| 1971 | 2,641 |
| 1970 | 2,623 |
| 1969 | 2,194 |
| 1968 | 1,781 |
| 1967 | 1,320 |
| 1966 | 889 |
| 1965 | 730 |
| 1964 | 711 |
| 1963 | 672 |
| 1962 | 650 |
| 1961 | 606 |
| 1960 | 662 |
| 1959 | 581 |
| 1958 | 427 |
| 1957 | 327 |
| 1956 | 389 |
| 1955 | 350 |
| 1954 | 352 |
| 1953 | 338 |
| 1952 | 319 |
| 1951 | 272 |
| 1950 | 268 |
| 1949 | 218 |
| 1948 | 202 |
| 1947 | 187 |
| 1946 | 182 |
| 1945 | 141 |
| 1944 | 135 |
| 1943 | 135 |
| 1942 | 108 |
| 1941 | 122 |
| 1940 | 99 |
| 1939 | 94 |
| 1938 | 99 |
| 1937 | 85 |
| 1936 | 91 |
| 1935 | 71 |
| 1934 | 92 |
| 1933 | 77 |
| 1932 | 86 |
| 1931 | 87 |
| 1930 | 94 |
| 1929 | 93 |
| 1928 | 114 |
| 1927 | 112 |
| 1926 | 113 |
| 1925 | 105 |
| 1924 | 125 |
| 1923 | 116 |
| 1922 | 160 |
| 1921 | 132 |
| 1920 | 143 |
| 1919 | 125 |
| 1918 | 155 |
| 1917 | 149 |
| 1916 | 154 |
| 1915 | 151 |
| 1914 | 122 |
| 1913 | 91 |
| 1912 | 91 |
| 1911 | 41 |
| 1910 | 40 |
| 1909 | 29 |
| 1908 | 29 |
| 1907 | 32 |
| 1906 | 33 |
| 1905 | 26 |
| 1904 | 30 |
| 1903 | 36 |
| 1902 | 33 |
| 1901 | 38 |
| 1900 | 35 |
| 1899 | 42 |
| 1898 | 30 |
| 1897 | 39 |
| 1896 | 36 |
| 1895 | 53 |
| 1894 | 40 |
| 1893 | 39 |
| 1892 | 42 |
| 1891 | 34 |
| 1890 | 49 |
| 1889 | 51 |
| 1888 | 51 |
| 1887 | 47 |
| 1886 | 33 |
| 1885 | 55 |
| 1884 | 54 |
| 1883 | 50 |
| 1882 | 49 |
| 1881 | 53 |
| 1880 | 43 |