Christian
From Middle English Cristien, from Old French chrestien, from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Ancient Greek Χρῑστιᾱνός (Khrīstiānós), from Χρῑστός (Khrīstós, “Christ, anointed…
Every Christian since 1880 — 473,843 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Christian
Christian is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #96 in 2025 with 3,641 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 473,843 American babies have been named Christian. Its peak came in 1996, when 16,544 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Christian stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Christian 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 | 27 | #4,901 | 3,641 | #96 |
| 2024 | 32 | #4,407 | 4,272 | #77 |
| 2023 | 39 | #3,851 | 4,158 | #77 |
| 2022 | 50 | #3,230 | 4,486 | #73 |
| 2021 | 48 | #3,309 | 4,636 | #71 |
| 2020 | 48 | #3,234 | 5,104 | #62 |
| 2019 | 72 | #2,458 | 5,781 | #57 |
| 2018 | 83 | #2,225 | 6,582 | #54 |
| 2017 | 91 | #2,115 | 7,025 | #52 |
| 2016 | 104 | #1,933 | 7,674 | #46 |
| 2015 | 125 | #1,698 | 8,220 | #43 |
| 2014 | 134 | #1,606 | 8,480 | #42 |
| 2013 | 135 | #1,588 | 9,352 | #35 |
| 2012 | 141 | #1,554 | 9,640 | #33 |
| 2011 | 167 | #1,376 | 10,334 | #30 |
| 2010 | 157 | #1,445 | 11,110 | #29 |
| 2009 | 188 | #1,289 | 12,657 | #23 |
| 2008 | 197 | #1,266 | 13,069 | #23 |
| 2007 | 217 | #1,173 | 14,063 | #22 |
| 2006 | 240 | #1,064 | 14,487 | #21 |
| 2005 | 219 | #1,088 | 14,210 | #22 |
| 2004 | 304 | #822 | 13,926 | #24 |
| 2003 | 299 | #822 | 13,908 | #25 |
| 2002 | 310 | #773 | 14,597 | #24 |
| 2001 | 400 | #625 | 15,457 | #24 |
| 2000 | 452 | #577 | 16,059 | #22 |
| 1995 | 738 | #356 | 13,813 | #28 |
| 1990 | 863 | #316 | 6,786 | #60 |
| 1985 | 538 | #414 | 2,915 | #101 |
| 1980 | 358 | #528 | 2,318 | #118 |
| 1975 | 197 | #738 | 2,463 | #103 |
| 1970 | 195 | #755 | 2,623 | #127 |
| 1965 | 36 | #1,916 | 730 | #275 |
| 1960 | 18 | #2,915 | 662 | #301 |
| 1955 | 10 | #3,823 | 350 | #385 |
| 1950 | 9 | #3,714 | 268 | #412 |
| 1945 | 5 | #4,668 | 141 | #503 |
| 1940 | — | — | 99 | #598 |
| 1935 | — | — | 71 | #725 |
| 1930 | — | — | 94 | #632 |
| 1925 | — | — | 105 | #612 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,036 | 143 | #508 |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,495 | 151 | #445 |
| 1910 | — | — | 40 | #432 |
| 1905 | — | — | 26 | #422 |
| 1900 | — | — | 35 | #377 |
| 1895 | — | — | 53 | #245 |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,367 | 49 | #238 |
| 1885 | — | — | 55 | #218 |
| 1880 | — | — | 43 | #253 |
Famous people named Christian
- Christian Dior Fashion designer · 1905–1957
- Christian VII of Denmark Politician · 1749–1808
- Christian IV of Denmark Politician · 1577–1648
- Christian Doppler Physicist · 1803–1853
- Christian IX of Denmark Politician · 1818–1906
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Christian mean?
From Middle English Cristien, from Old French chrestien, from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Ancient Greek Χρῑστιᾱνός (Khrīstiānós), from Χρῑστός (Khrīstós, “Christ, anointed [one]”) + Latin suffix -ānus.
How popular is the name Christian in 2025?
Christian ranked #96 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,641 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Christian?
473,843 babies have been named Christian in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Christian most popular?
Christian peaked in 1996, when 16,544 newborns received the name.
Is Christian a boy or girl name?
Christian is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Christian rising or falling?
Christian is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Christian?
Well-known people named Christian include Christian Dior (fashion designer), Christian VII of Denmark (politician), Christian IV of Denmark (politician).