Baby Names Christopher Name Meaning By Meena Azzollini Meena Azzollini Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Meena Azzollini is a health and wellness content creator with experience covering parenting, women's health, and mental health. Learn about our editorial process Updated on July 28, 2021 Fact checked by Emily Swaim Fact checked by Emily Swaim on July 23, 2021 LinkedIn Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell. Learn about our editorial process Print fizkes / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Does Christopher Mean? How Popular Is the Name Christopher? Name Variations Similar Names Common Nicknames Suggested Sibling Names Famous People Named Christopher What Does Christopher Mean? The name Christopher is derived from the Greek word Christóforos, meaning “bearer of Christ.” It is composed of two Greek elements Christós (Christ) and phero (to bear, carry). Christopher was also associated with Saint Christopher, patron saint of travelers who according to legend carried the Christ Child over a dangerous river. Origin: Christopher is an English name of Greek origin meaning “bearer of Christ.”Gender: Christopher is most commonly used as a boy’s name.Pronunciation: krihs-tuh-fer Although many baby names are separated by gender, Verywell Family believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best. How Popular Is the Name Christopher? Christopher is one of the most popular names in existence. You can also find it in various ethnolinguistic forms throughout the world. As an English first name, Christopher is a classic, regularly used since the 15th century. In the U.S., the name has been in the Top 500 names since 1900. According to data from the Social Security Administration, it ranked at the No. 2 spot from 1979 to 1994—its most popular year. From 1955 to 2020 the name features in the Top 50 names in the U.S. for boys. Name Variations The following are variations of the name Christopher: Christie (Scottish & Irish)Christoffel (Dutch)Christoph (German)Christophe (French)Christoforos (Greek)Christophorus (Latin)Christos (Greek)Cristóbal (Spanish)Cristoforo (Italian)Cristóvão (Portuguese)Kristoffer (Scandinavian)Krištof (Slavic)Krzysztof (Polish)Risto (Finnish) Similar Names Names with similar meaning as Christopher: ChristianChristianoCristian or KristianKristen Other boy names starting with C: CalebCalvinCamdenCameronCarlosCarsonCarterCayden CharlesCharlieChaseColeColinColt ConnorCooperCorbin Common Nicknames Some popular nicknames for Christopher: ChipChrisKesterKitKris Topher Suggested Sibling Names Looking for a sibling name for Christopher? Here are some popular options: AbigailAddisonAvaBenjaminCharlotteDanielDylanElijahGraceMichaelNorahWilliam Famous People Named Christopher Here are some of the most notable Christophers: Christopher (Chris) Isaak, American musician known for his songs “Wicked Game, ”Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing,” and “Somebody’s Crying”Christopher (Chris) Martin, English singer, songwriter, lead singer, and co-founder of the alternative rock band ColdplayChristopher (Chris) Reaves Messina, American blogger and speaker known as the inventor of the hashtag currently used on social media platformsChristopher Columbus, Italian explorer and navigator, who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean from SpainChristopher John Grace, American actor known for playing Eric Forman in the sitcom “That ‘70s Show”Christopher Keith Irvine, also known as Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler and six-time world WWF/WWE championChristopher Nolan, British-American film director, producer, and screenwriter known for directing the “Batman” series of movies starring Christian BaleChristopher Paolini, American author best known for his works, a tetralogy called “The Inheritance Cycle”Christopher Robin Milne, English author, and the only child of the author of “Winnie-the-Pooh” stories author A. A. MilneSir Christopher Wren, acclaimed English architect known for designing St Paul’s Cathedral in London 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 100 Greek Baby Names 100 Biblical Baby Names Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 1 Source Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Social Security Administration. Popular baby names. Updated 2021.