Christohpher
Bearer of Christ, a name of Greek origin meaning "Christ-bearer".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Christohpher. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Christohpher today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Christohpher births was 1972 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Christohpher. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Christohpher. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1972
7 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1986 SSA rank
#6,065
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Christohpher: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Christohpher from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 7 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Christohpher by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Christohpher during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Christohpher
The name Christopher has its origins in the Greek language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek words "Christos" meaning "Christ" and "phero" meaning "to bear." The name is a combination of these two words, translating to "Christ-bearer" or "one who carries Christ."
The name is closely associated with the Christian faith and is believed to have been first used in reference to St. Christopher, a legendary figure venerated as a martyr and a patron saint of travelers. According to tradition, St. Christopher carried a child across a river, who was later revealed to be the Christ Child, hence the name "Christ-bearer."
The earliest recorded instances of the name Christopher can be found in various early Christian texts and hagiographies (writings about the lives of saints). It gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in regions where Christianity had a strong influence, such as Europe and parts of the Middle East.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Christopher. One of the earliest examples is Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer who is credited with the European discovery of the Americas in 1492. Another famous Christopher is Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), an English playwright, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era, best known for his plays such as "Doctor Faustus" and "The Jew of Malta."
Christopher Wren (1632-1723) was an English architect whose most notable work is the design of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Christopher Eccleston (born 1964) is a British actor known for his roles in television series such as "Doctor Who" and films like "Shallow Grave" and "Gone in 60 Seconds."
Christopher Nolan (born 1970) is a renowned American-British filmmaker, known for his critically acclaimed movies like "Inception," "Interstellar," and "The Dark Knight" trilogy. Christopher Reeve (1952-2004) was an American actor best known for his portrayal of the iconic superhero Superman in several films.
The name Christopher has maintained its popularity throughout various cultures and time periods, often associated with qualities such as strength, perseverance, and faith. Its rich history and deep-rooted religious significance have contributed to its enduring appeal as a given name.
People
Christohpher + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Christohpher as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Christohpher: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Christohpher?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Christohpher going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Christohpher a common name?
We classify Christohpher as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Christohpher most popular?
The single biggest year for Christohpher was 1972, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Christohpher is about 48 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Christohpher in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Christohpher a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Christohpher in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Christohpher still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Christohpher in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Christohpher can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Christohpher?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Christohpher on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.