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Christian Baby boy name meaning, origin, and popularity

Christian name meaning and origin

Christian is a name of Latin origin that means "follower of Christ." The name was first used in the New Testament of the Bible to refer to early Christians. Interestingly, it may have been used derisively at first – but Christian quickly became the preferred term for followers of the young religion.

Christian rose to popularity as a name for both men and women during the Middle Ages in Europe. It was the name of many kings of Denmark and a Queen (Christina) of Sweden. It's also the middle name of the beloved 19th-century author Hans Christian Andersen, who's famous for writing fairy tales including The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen, and The Emperor's New Clothes. There are also many modern famous folks who bear this name, like actor Christian Bale and fashion designer Christian Dior.

The name Christian is popular around the world, and has many variations in both spelling and pronunciation, such as:

  • Kristian (Czech, Swedish)
  • Karsten (Norwegian)
  • Cristiano (Italian, Portuguese)
  • Cristian (Spanish)
  • Christian (French)
  • Christiaan (Dutch)
  • Kristijan (Croatian)
  • Krystian (Polish)

Christian can be a gender-neutral name but is mostly used for boys. Female variations of the name include Christina, Christine, Christiane, Kristine, Kristen, Kirsten, and Christa.

Christian has longevity: It's been in the top 1,000 names for boys on the Social Security Administration (SSA) list since 1900. But it has gradually declined in popularity since its peak in 2006, when it ranked number 21. On BabyCenter, Christian is following a similar trend. (BabyCenter's ranking is based on data from hundreds of thousands of parents who share their baby's name with us.)

The decline may be because fewer Americans identify as religious, or simply because Christian is going through the typical baby name cycle in which popular names eventually fall out of favor. But many parents still choose Christian – either for religious reasons, to honor a family member, or because they like the sound or flow of the name. Christian remains a classic with a rich history, and it's likely to continue as a popular name.

Christian name popularity

Popularity over time

babies per million
Source: Social Security Administration & BabyCenter user data

Christian in pop culture

Christian Grey
Character in the E.L. James book series 50 Shades of Grey
Christian Troy
Character in the FX TV show Nip/Tuck
Christian Clarke
Character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders
Christian
Main character in John Bunyan's 1678 book The Pilgrim's Progress
Christian Shephard
Character in the ABC TV show Lost
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Famous people named Christian

Christian Bale
English actor known for American Hustle, The Fighter, The Dark Knight, and other films
Christian Siriano
American fashion designer, rose to fame after winning on Project Runway
Christian Dior
French fashion designer and founder of Christian Dior SE
Christian Slater
American actor known for Heathers, True Romance, and Mr. Robot
Christian Louboutin
French-Egyptian fashion designer famous for his shoes
Christian Serratos
American actress known for The Walking Dead

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