Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Christian
BoyLatin, English· “follower of Christ”
- Meaning
- follower of Christ
- Origin
- Latin, English
- Pronunciation
- KRIHS-chuhn
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #96
- US babies 2025
- 3,641
- Best rank
- #21 (2006)
- Peak year
- 2000
Meaning and origin of Christian
Christian is a Latin and English name that means “follower of Christ”.
Christian comes from the Latin Christianus, "follower of Christ", and has been used as a given name since the Middle Ages. It is especially associated with Denmark, where ten kings named Christian have reigned, and it is common throughout Scandinavia and Germany. In English literature, Christian is the hero of John Bunyan's allegory The Pilgrim's Progress, published in 1678. Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish writer of fairy tales, carried it as his middle name. The name feels warm, steady and international. Chris and Christy are nicknames, and Kristian and Christiana are related forms.
Popularity over time
Christian has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 146 different years. Its best national rank was #21 in 2006, and the most babies received it in 2000, when 16,059 were named Christian. In 2025, 3,641 babies were named Christian, and it ranked #96 nationally. That is 56% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #508 in 1920, #412 in 1950, #118 in 1980, #22 in 2000, #29 in 2010, and #96 in 2025. Of the 453,968 US boys named Christian since records began, 31% were born in the 2000s, its biggest decade. The 1990s come next, with 126,065 babies. Since 2010, 110,495 more have been named Christian.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Dylan, Samuel, Cameron, Hunter, and Carlos.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Christian ranked highest in Mississippi, Georgia, and Texas.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | #47 | 45 |
| Georgia | #64 | 159 |
| Texas | #68 | 560 |
| New Jersey | #71 | 124 |
| Connecticut | #72 | 50 |
Gender, sound and spelling
About 99% of US babies named Christian over the last 20 years were boys, with a small share of girls.
Christian is usually pronounced KRIHS-chuhn, with two syllables. It has nine letters, starts with C and ends in “-an”.
Middle names for Christian
A few middle names that flow with Christian: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Christian
Similar names
Sebastian Boy
suh-BAS-chuhn
“from Sebaste; venerable” · Latin
#16
Duncan Boy
DUHNG-kuhn
“brown or dark warrior” · Scottish
#1,124
Ethan Boy
EE-thuhn
“firm, enduring, strong” · Hebrew
#24
Roman Boy
ROH-muhn
“Roman, citizen of Rome” · Latin
#42
Rowan Unisex
ROH-uhn
“little red one; rowan tree” · Irish
#59
Victor Boy
VIHK-tur
“conqueror” · Latin
#211
Arthur Boy
AHR-thur
“uncertain; possibly 'bear'” · Welsh
#87
Henry Boy
HEHN-ree
“ruler of the home” · Germanic
#5
Lincoln Boy
LING-kuhn
“lake colony” · English
#69
Tristan Boy
TRIS-tihn
“uncertain; from Celtic Drust” · French
#309
Silas Boy
SY-luhs
“of the forest” · Latin
#71
Bennett Boy
BEH-niht
“blessed” · English
#40
Lists that include Christian
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Christian mean?
Christian is a Latin and English name that means “follower of Christ”.
What is the origin of the name Christian?
Christian has Latin and English roots. Christian comes from the Latin Christianus, "follower of Christ", and has been used as a given name since the Middle Ages.
Is Christian a popular name?
Yes. Christian ranked #96 in the US in 2025, which makes it one of the 100 most popular names.
Is Christian a boy or girl name?
Christian is mainly a boy's name. About 99% of US babies named Christian over the last 20 years were boys, with a small share of girls.
How do you pronounce Christian?
Christian is usually pronounced KRIHS-chuhn. 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