Chris
A diminutive of the male given names Christopher and Christian.
Every Chris since 1880 — 170,417 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Chris
Chris is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #646 in 2025 with 431 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 170,417 American babies have been named Chris — about 87% boys and 13% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1961, when 8,774 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Chris stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Chris year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 431 | #646 |
| 2024 | 7 | #12,434 | 424 | #651 |
| 2023 | 14 | #7,729 | 330 | #774 |
| 2022 | 6 | #13,974 | 408 | #668 |
| 2021 | 10 | #9,707 | 412 | #658 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,447 | 382 | #676 |
| 2019 | — | — | 490 | #570 |
| 2018 | 6 | #14,180 | 440 | #612 |
| 2017 | 5 | #16,396 | 459 | #595 |
| 2016 | 6 | #14,723 | 514 | #560 |
| 2015 | 8 | #12,078 | 569 | #506 |
| 2014 | 7 | #13,370 | 539 | #520 |
| 2013 | 11 | #9,747 | 624 | #455 |
| 2012 | 12 | #9,230 | 648 | #429 |
| 2011 | — | — | 581 | #460 |
| 2010 | 8 | #12,535 | 721 | #393 |
| 2009 | 10 | #10,858 | 861 | #358 |
| 2008 | 12 | #9,609 | 944 | #346 |
| 2007 | 16 | #7,811 | 909 | #349 |
| 2006 | 9 | #11,638 | 842 | #358 |
| 2005 | 9 | #11,106 | 723 | #396 |
| 2004 | 10 | #10,064 | 676 | #395 |
| 2003 | 14 | #7,678 | 678 | #388 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,128 | 692 | #378 |
| 2001 | 20 | #5,621 | 695 | #377 |
| 2000 | 20 | #5,533 | 651 | #391 |
| 1995 | 24 | #4,242 | 489 | #462 |
| 1990 | 30 | #3,538 | 489 | #448 |
| 1985 | 52 | #2,053 | 615 | #325 |
| 1980 | 104 | #1,250 | 991 | #234 |
| 1975 | 201 | #730 | 1,954 | #132 |
| 1970 | 458 | #460 | 4,460 | #63 |
| 1965 | 1,089 | #262 | 5,479 | #60 |
| 1960 | 1,509 | #219 | 6,494 | #63 |
| 1955 | 453 | #416 | 2,193 | #139 |
| 1950 | 219 | #562 | 1,249 | #178 |
| 1945 | 129 | #643 | 551 | #242 |
| 1940 | 32 | #1,318 | 317 | #314 |
| 1935 | 19 | #1,794 | 182 | #404 |
| 1930 | 14 | #2,326 | 172 | #452 |
| 1925 | 7 | #4,093 | 182 | #445 |
| 1920 | 11 | #2,931 | 180 | #452 |
| 1915 | — | — | 145 | #456 |
| 1910 | — | — | 32 | #493 |
| 1905 | — | — | 25 | #432 |
| 1900 | — | — | 45 | #313 |
| 1895 | — | — | 41 | #276 |
| 1890 | — | — | 32 | #302 |
| 1885 | — | — | 50 | #233 |
| 1880 | — | — | 49 | #236 |
Famous people named Chris
- Chris Hemsworth Actor · b. 1983
- Chris Isaak Musician · b. 1956
- Chris Rea Singer · b. 1951
- Chris Norman Singer · b. 1950
- Chris Cornell Singer · 1964–2017
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Chris mean?
A diminutive of the male given names Christopher and Christian.
How popular is the name Chris in 2025?
Chris ranked #646 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 431 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Chris?
170,417 babies have been named Chris in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Chris most popular?
Chris peaked in 1961, when 8,774 newborns received the name.
Is Chris a boy or girl name?
Chris is used for both: about 13% of babies named Chris have been girls and 87% boys.
Is the name Chris rising or falling?
Chris is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Chris?
Well-known people named Chris include Chris Hemsworth (actor), Chris Isaak (musician), Chris Rea (singer).