Christopher Name Meaning

Christopher is derived from the Greek name Christóforos, meaning “bearer of Christ.” This name is composed of two ideas: Christós ("Christ") and phero ("to bear, carry"). Christopher is also associated with Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers who, according to legend, carried Jesus Christ over a dangerous river.

How Popular Is the Name Christopher?

Christopher is one of the most popular names in existence. You can find it in various ethnolinguistic forms throughout the world. As an English first name, Christopher is a classic that has been used regularly since the 15th century. 

In the US, 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 featured in the Top 50 names in the US for boys, and in 2022, it ranked 56th among boy names.

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 include:

• Christian
• Christiano
• Cristian or Kristian
• Kristen

Other boy names starting with "C" include:

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

Common Nicknames for Christopher

Some popular nicknames for Christopher include:

• 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 and Chrises:

• Christopher Columbus, Italian explorer and navigator who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain
• Chris Evans, American actor who plays Steve Rogers in the Captain America movies
• Chris Hemsworth, Australian actor known as the title character in Thor movies
• Chris Isaak, American musician known for his songs “Wicked Game, ”Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing,” and “Somebody’s Crying”
  
• Christopher "Topher" 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
• Chris Martin, English singer, songwriter, lead singer, and co-founder of the alternative rock band Coldplay
• Chris Pratt, American actor who stars in The Guardians of the Galaxy movies
• Christopher Nolan, British-American film director, producer, and screenwriter known for directing the Batman movies starring Christian Bale
• Chris Reaves Messina, American blogger and speaker known as the inventor of the hashtag currently used on social media platforms
• Chris Rock, American comedian and creator of the show Everybody Hates Chris
  
• Sir Christopher Wren, acclaimed English architect known for designing St Paul’s Cathedral in London

Famous literary Christophers

Some famous authors or literary characters named Christoper include:

• Christopher Colfer, American actor, singer, and author who penned the popular The Land of Stories book series
• Christopher Marlowe, Elizabethan-era English playwright and poet who many think inspired William Shakespeare's work
  
• Christopher Paolini, American author best known for his literary series The Inheritance Cycle
• Christopher Robin, Main character in Winnie-the-Pooh stories and namesake of author A. A. Milne's son