Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1982

Christen

Gender Unisex · 84% girls Rank 2025 #9,591 Trend ↓ Falling 41%
Rank 2025
#9,591
among girls · ↑862 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
20
named Christen
How common
1 in 160,727
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1982
601 babies
All-time total
13,706
#1,525 all-time among girls
First recorded
1910
in Social Security records

Christen popularity over time

13,706 babies have been named Christen since 1910, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s 76 11 87 9 – #1,931
1920s 143 6 149 15 +71% #1,937
1930s 71 – 71 7 -52% #2,220
1940s 43 6 49 5 -31% #3,262
1950s 96 101 197 20 +302% #2,605
1960s 510 136 646 65 +228% #952
1970s 1,824 349 2,173 217 +236% #605
1980s 4,749 428 5,177 518 +138% #405
1990s 2,739 446 3,185 319 -38% #646
2000s 899 391 1,290 129 -59% #1,358
2010s 303 225 528 53 -59% #3,461
2020s (to 2025) 68 86 154 26 -51% #6,695

The story of Christen

Christen is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #9,591 in 2025 with 10 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1910, 13,706 American babies have been named Christen, about 84% girls and 16% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1982, when 601 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

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 Christen stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Christen?

The median living Christen is about 39 years old; half are between 30 and 45. An estimated 13 thousand people named Christen are alive in the United States today.

median 39 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Christen 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 10 #9,591 10 #7,775
2024 9 #10,453 9 #8,444
2023 11 #9,112 14 #6,282
2022 11 #9,184 14 #6,211
2021 10 #9,708 17 #5,377
2020 17 #6,695 22 #4,447
2019 16 #7,097 13 #6,482
2018 19 #6,307 23 #4,386
2017 26 #5,082 16 #5,571
2016 40 #3,799 27 #3,900
2015 34 #4,243 26 #4,002
2014 31 #4,570 22 #4,417
2013 34 #4,267 21 #4,498
2012 25 #5,432 22 #4,417
2011 46 #3,461 25 #4,007
2010 32 #4,511 30 #3,550
2009 62 #2,831 23 #4,302
2008 50 #3,334 33 #3,354
2007 74 #2,517 36 #3,143
2006 73 #2,516 32 #3,319
2005 86 #2,144 38 #2,810
2004 86 #2,103 56 #2,104
2003 91 #1,989 43 #2,437
2002 113 #1,635 40 #2,475
2001 126 #1,490 41 #2,393
2000 138 #1,358 49 #2,055
1995 250 #795 31 #2,457
1990 343 #650 49 #1,664
1985 511 #432 49 #1,392
1980 478 #448 30 #1,860
1975 220 #679 44 #1,306
1970 137 #936 29 #1,583
1965 44 #1,694 21 #1,728
1960 16 #3,108 7 #3,389
1955 11 #3,609 10 #2,596
1950 – – 6 #3,377
1945 7 #3,722 – –
1940 8 #3,262 – –
1935 14 #2,220 – –
1930 12 #2,573 – –
1925 11 #2,971 – –
1920 14 #2,486 – –
1915 5 #4,401 – –
1910 5 #2,475 – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Christen

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Christen Købke Christen Købke Danish painter 1810–1848 · 19th century
  2. 2 Christen Sørensen Longomontanus Christen Sørensen Longomontanus Danish astronomer 1562–1647 · 16th century
  3. 3 Christen C. Raunkiær Christen C. Raunkiær Danish botanist (1860–1938) 19th century
  4. 4 Christen Andreas Fonnesbech Christen Andreas Fonnesbech Danish lawyer, landowner and politician (1817–1880) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Christen, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Christen?

The median living Christen is about 39 years old. Half of all living Christens are between 30 and 45 years old.

How many people named Christen are alive today?

An estimated 13 thousand people named Christen are alive in the United States, based on 13,706 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Christen in 2025?

Christen ranked #9,591 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 10 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Christen?

13,706 babies have been named Christen in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Christen most popular?

Christen peaked in 1982, when 601 newborns received the name.

Is Christen a boy or girl name?

Christen is used for both: about 84% of babies named Christen have been girls and 16% boys.

Is the name Christen rising or falling?

Christen is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Christen?

Well-known people named Christen include Christen Købke (painter), Christen Sørensen Longomontanus (astronomer), Christen C. Raunkiær (biologist).

Names like Christen

Names that sound and feel close to Christen: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Christen with similar names → More names starting with C →