Find out how popular the first name Chris has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Chris by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Chris is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 95% of people named Chris being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 329 male babies and 14 female babies born with the name Chris.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 14 baby girls were named Chris in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Chris

Chris is a feminine and masculine given name derived from the ancient Greek name Χριστός (Christós), which means "the anointed one." It was a descriptive title given to Jesus Christ, as Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah. The name's origins can be traced back to the early days of Christianity in the 1st century AD.

The name Chris gained popularity as a shortened form of the names Christopher and Christian, which were widely used throughout Europe during the Middle Ages. It was particularly common in regions with strong Christian influences, such as Italy, Spain, and France.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Chris can be found in the Bible, where it appears as a title for Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, the name is mentioned multiple times, particularly in the Gospels and the Book of Acts.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Chris or its variants. One of the most famous is St. Christopher, a 3rd-century Christian martyr who is the patron saint of travelers and is often depicted carrying the Christ child across a river.

Another historical figure with the name Chris was Chris the Hermit, a 6th-century Byzantine monk who lived a life of solitude and is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

In the realm of arts and literature, Chris Marlowe, an English playwright and poet born in 1564, is renowned for his works such as "Doctor Faustus" and "The Jew of Malta."

In the world of science, Chris Galilei, an Italian astronomer born in 1564, made significant contributions to the scientific revolution with his pioneering work on the laws of motion and the use of the telescope.

Lastly, Chris Columbus, the Italian explorer born in 1451, is famous for his voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, which led to the European exploration and colonization of the Americas.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Chris was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Chris, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!