Christopher
Christopher: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkɹɪs.tə.fɚ/ · /ˈkɹɪs.tə.fə/
Meaning and origin of Christopher
- A male given name from Ancient Greek.
Etymology
From Late Latin Christophorus, from Koine Greek Χρῑστόφορος (Khrīstóphoros, “carrier of Christ”), from Ancient Greek Χριστός (Khristós, “Christ”) + φόρος (phóros, “carrier, bearer”), from φέρειν (phérein, “to carry, to bear”) + -ος (-os, “-er: forming agent nouns”), from the legend of Saint Christopher carrying the infant Jesus across a river.
How popular is Christopher?
Since 1880, 9,507 girls and 2,069,596 boys in the U.S. have been named Christopher (0% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #476 in 1983. Its highest rank for boys was #2 in 1972. In 2025 it ranked #68 for boys, with 4,748 babies given the name.
Names similar to Christopher
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Greek boy names
Sibling name ideas for Christopher
Sister and brother names that share Christopher's Greek roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Christopher FAQ
What does the name Christopher mean?
A male given name from Ancient Greek. From Late Latin Christophorus, from Koine Greek Χρῑστόφορος (Khrīstóphoros, “carrier of Christ”), from Ancient Greek Χριστός (Khristós, “Christ”) + φόρος (phóros, “carrier, bearer”), from φέρειν (phérein, “to carry, to bear”) + -ος (-os, “-er: forming agent nouns”), from the legend of Saint Christopher carrying the infant Jesus across a river.
What is the origin of the name Christopher?
Christopher is listed as a name of Greek origin.
How popular is the name Christopher?
Since 1880, 9,507 girls and 2,069,596 boys in the U.S. have been named Christopher (0% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #476 in 1983. Its highest rank for boys was #2 in 1972. In 2025 it ranked #68 for boys, with 4,748 babies given the name.
Is Christopher a boy or girl name?
Christopher is mostly a boy name in the U.S.: 9,507 girls and 2,069,596 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.