Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1968

Christiaan

Meaning Spelling variant of Christian Gender Boy Rank 2025 #9,895

Spelling variant of Christian.

Rank 2025
#9,895
among boys · ↑196 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
7
named Christiaan
How common
1 in 244,011
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1968
43 babies
All-time total
886
#5,546 all-time among boys
First recorded
1964
in Social Security records

Christiaan popularity over time

886 babies have been named Christiaan since 1964, 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
0.010.020.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1968Boys

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 Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s 82 8 – #1,149
1970s 233 23 +184% #1,263
1980s 135 14 -42% #2,237
1990s 193 19 +43% #2,555
2000s 148 15 -23% #4,078
2010s 74 7 -50% #6,680
2020s (to 2025) 21 4 -53% #9,895

The story of Christiaan

Christiaan is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,895 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1964, 886 American babies have been named Christiaan. Its peak came in 1968, when 43 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 Christiaan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Christiaan?

The median living Christiaan is about 35 years old; half are between 24 and 49. An estimated 800 people named Christiaan are alive in the United States today.

median 35 020406080100

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

Christiaan year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 7 #9,895
2024 7 #10,091
2023 7 #9,938
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 6 #11,036
2018 – –
2017 7 #9,884
2016 8 #9,010
2015 8 #8,899
2014 7 #9,829
2013 12 #6,680
2012 9 #8,279
2011 7 #9,809
2010 10 #7,688
2009 11 #7,308
2008 17 #5,290
2007 19 #4,838
2006 9 #8,107
2005 22 #4,078
2004 7 #9,110
2003 18 #4,449
2002 13 #5,453
2001 17 #4,512
2000 15 #4,820
1995 19 #3,449
1990 14 #4,007
1985 24 #2,237
1980 13 #3,285
1975 23 #2,014
1970 43 #1,263
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Christiaan

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

  1. 1 Christiaan Huygens Christiaan Huygens Dutch mathematician and physicist (1629–1695) 17th century
  2. 2 Christiaan Barnard Christiaan Barnard South African cardiac surgeon (1922–2001) Contemporary
  3. 3 Christiaan de Wet Christiaan de Wet Boer general (1854–1922) 19th century
  4. 4 Christiaan Eijkman Christiaan Eijkman Dutch physician (1858–1930) 19th century
  5. 5 Christiaan Hendrik Persoon Christiaan Hendrik Persoon German mycologist (1761–1836) 18th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Christiaan?

The median living Christiaan is about 35 years old. Half of all living Christiaans are between 24 and 49 years old.

How many people named Christiaan are alive today?

An estimated 800 people named Christiaan are alive in the United States, based on 886 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Christiaan mean?

Spelling variant of Christian.

How popular is the name Christiaan in 2025?

Christiaan ranked #9,895 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Christiaan?

886 babies have been named Christiaan in the United States since 1964, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Christiaan most popular?

Christiaan peaked in 1968, when 43 newborns received the name.

Is Christiaan a boy or girl name?

Christiaan is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Christiaan rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Christiaan?

Well-known people named Christiaan include Christiaan Huygens (physicist), Christiaan Barnard (physician), Christiaan de Wet (politician).

Names like Christiaan

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

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