Emma Girl
EH-muh
“whole, universal” · Germanic
#3
Christen
UnisexEnglish, Greek· “follower of Christ; variant of Christian”
- Meaning
- follower of Christ; variant of Christian
- Origin
- English, Greek
- Pronunciation
- KRIHS-uhn
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #9,591
- US babies 2025
- 10
- Best rank
- #405 (1982)
- Peak year
- 1982
Meaning and origin of Christen
Christen is an English and Greek name that means “follower of Christ; variant of Christian”.
Christen is an old form of Christian, meaning follower of Christ, from the Greek Christianos. In the Middle Ages the name was used in England and Scandinavia, and it survives as a Danish given name. In modern American use Christen is often a variant of Kristen or Kirsten, and is used mainly for girls. It is pronounced KRIHS-uhn, the same as the verb to christen. For everyday use, Chris and Christy work well.
Popularity over time
Christen first appears in US Social Security records in 1910. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 28 different years, starting in 1969. Its best national rank was #405 in 1982, the same year it reached its highest count of 569 babies. In 2025, 10 babies were named Christen, and it ranked #9,591 nationally. That is 71% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #2,486 in 1920, #448 in 1980, #1,358 in 2000, #4,511 in 2010, and #9,591 in 2025. Of the 11,521 US girls named Christen since records began, 41% were born in the 1980s, its biggest decade. The 1990s come next, with 2,739 babies. Since 2010, 371 more have been named Christen.
Other babies' names that peaked around the same time include Dusty and Martine.
Gender, sound and spelling
Christen is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 59% of US babies named Christen were girls and 41% were boys.
Christen is usually pronounced KRIHS-uhn, with two syllables. It has eight letters, starts with C and ends in “-en”.
Middle names for Christen
A few middle names that flow with Christen: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Christen
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Lists that include Christen
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Christen mean?
Christen is an English and Greek name that means “follower of Christ; variant of Christian”.
What is the origin of the name Christen?
Christen has English and Greek roots. Christen is an old form of Christian, meaning follower of Christ, from the Greek Christianos.
Is Christen a popular name?
Not especially. Christen ranked #9,591 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Christen a boy or girl name?
Christen is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 59% of US babies named Christen were girls and 41% were boys.
How do you pronounce Christen?
Christen is usually pronounced KRIHS-uhn. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings