Christopher Name Meaning

What Does Christopher Mean?

The name Christopher is derived from the Greek wordChristóforos, meaning “bearer of Christ.” It is composed of two Greek elementsChristós(Christ) andphero(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.

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:

• Christian
• Christiano
• Cristian or Kristian
• Kristen

Other boy names starting with C:

• Caleb
• Calvin
• Camden
• Cameron
• Carlos
• Carson
• Carter
• Cayden
• Charles
• Charlie
• Chase
• Cole
• Colin
• Colt
• Connor
• Cooper
• Corbin

Common Nicknames

Some popular nicknames for Christopher:

• Chip
• Chris
• Kester
• Kit
• Kris
• Topher

Suggested Sibling Names

Looking for a sibling name for Christopher? Here are some popular options:

• Abigail
• Addison
• Ava
• Benjamin
• Charlotte
• Daniel
• Dylan
• Elijah
• Grace
• Kiara
• Michael
• Norah
• William

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 Coldplay
• Christopher (Chris) Reaves Messina, American blogger and speaker known as the inventor of the hashtag currently used on social media platforms
• Christopher Columbus, Italian explorer and navigator, who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain
• Christopher 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 champion
• Christopher Nolan, British-American film director, producer, and screenwriter known for directing the “Batman” series of movies starring Christian Bale
• Christopher Paolini, American author best known for his works, a tetralogy called “The Inheritance Cycle”
• Christopher Robin Milne、英国作家和作者的唯一的孩子of “Winnie-the-Pooh” stories author A. A. Milne
• Sir Christopher Wren, acclaimed English architect known for designing St Paul’s Cathedral in London