Christopher: Name Meaning, Origin, & Popularity

Boy name origins & meanings

What does Christopher mean and stand for?

Meaning:

Greek: Bearer of Christ
Latin: Christ-Bearer

Gender: Male

Syllables: 3

Pronunciation: The name Christopher is pronounced kris-toh-fer

The name Christopher has its roots in Greek and Latin, meaning "Bearer of Christ" or "Christ-Bearer." This denotes someone who carries or upholds the teachings and spirit of Christ, reflecting the name's deep religious heritage. Historically, Saint Christopher is revered as a martyr and is considered the patron saint of travelers

Boy name variations

Family name origins & meanings

English: from a medieval personal name which ostensibly means "bearer of Christ", Latin Christopherus, Greek Khristophoros, from Khristos "Christ." Compare Christian + -pher-, -phor- ‘carry’. This was borne by a rather obscure 3rd-century martyred saint. His name was relatively common among early Christians, who desired to bear Christ metaphorically with them in their daily lives. Subsequently, the name was explained by a folk etymology according to which the saint carried the infant Christ across a ford and so became the patron saint of travelers. In this guise, he was enormously popular in the Middle Ages, and many inns were named with the sign of St. Christopher. In some instances, the surname may have derived originally from the residence at or association with such an inn. As an American family name, Christopher has absorbed cognates from other continental European languages. (For forms, see Hanks and Hodges 1988.)

Famous people with this first name

Chris Hemsworth

Chris Pratt

Chris Noth

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Chris O'Donnell

Donny Osmond

Kenny Rogers

Christopher in Pop Culture

Do you know these fictional characters that share this first name?

Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh - A gentle and imaginative boy who is best friends with Winnie the Pooh and the rest of the characters in the Hundred Acre Wood.
Christopher Moltisanti from The Sopranos - An ambitious but troubled mobster working his way up in Tony Soprano's crime family.
Christopher Turk from Scrubs - An affable surgeon with a comedic outlook on life, best friend to J.D.
Christopher "Chris" Griffin from Family Guy - The dim-witted, overweight teenage son of Peter and Lois Griffin.
Christopher "Kit" Walker from American Horror Story: Asylum - A man wrongfully imprisoned in an asylum, accused of being a prolific serial killer.

Popularity of the Name Christopher

According to the Social Security Administration, the name Christopher has remained a strong presence in the US baby name rankings, consistently appearing in the top 100 for several decades. While it has seen some fluctuation in popularity over the years, it has been a stalwart of American naming conventions since the 20th century.

Christopher was originally used figuratively to represent the bearing of Christ in one's heart. It was eventually used as a name for Saint Christopher, a martyr who became the patron saint of travelers in the third century. The saint was named after the giant Christopher, who carried Christ across the river when he was a child. This ancient connection imbues the name with a sense of adventure and protection.

In more recent times, notable figures with the name include actors Christopher Reeve, known for his iconic role as Superman, and Christopher Walken, renowned for his distinctive voice and extensive filmography. The literary world has given us Christopher Marlowe, a contemporary of Shakespeare, and Christopher Tolkien, who edited and published much of his father J.R.R. Tolkien's posthumously published work.