Christophel
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "he who bears Christ".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Christophel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Christophel today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Christophel births was 1955 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Christophel. 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
- • The typical person named Christophel is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Christophels were born before 1967.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Christophel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1955
9 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
1955 SSA rank
#2,799
Tracked since 1955
Popularity
Christophel: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Christophel 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 Christophel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 9 | 0 | 9 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Christophel
The name Christophel is a variant spelling of the more common name Christopher, which has its origins in the Greek language. The name Christopher is derived from the Greek words "Christos" meaning "Christ" and "phero" meaning "to bear" or "to carry." The name can be translated to mean "Christ-bearer" or "one who carries Christ."
The earliest recorded use of the name Christopher can be traced back to the 3rd century AD, when it was borne by a Christian martyr who lived during the reign of the Roman Emperor Decius. According to legend, this Christopher was a man of great stature who carried travelers across a raging river, only to discover later that the child he had carried was the Christ Child himself.
One of the earliest notable figures with the name Christophel was Christophel Beretrecht, a German theologian and reformer who lived in the 15th century (c. 1430-1500). He played a significant role in the early stages of the Protestant Reformation and was a supporter of Martin Luther's teachings.
In the 16th century, Christophel Plantin (c. 1520-1589) was a renowned printer and publisher from the Southern Netherlands. He established one of the most famous printing houses of the Renaissance period, known as the Plantin Press, which produced books in various languages, including Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
Another notable figure with the name Christophel was Christophel Milländer (c. 1540-1603), a German Protestant theologian and philosopher. He was a prominent figure in the development of Lutheran orthodoxy and played a role in the formation of the Formula of Concord, a key document in Lutheran theology.
In the 17th century, Christophel Ritz (c. 1625-1699) was a German architect and sculptor who worked in the Baroque style. He designed several churches and palaces in Germany and is known for his elaborate and ornate architectural designs.
The name Christophel, while not as common as Christopher, has a rich history and has been borne by several notable figures throughout the centuries. Its roots in the Greek language and its association with the legend of the Christ-bearer have contributed to its enduring popularity as a name choice.
People
Christophel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Christophel 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
Christophel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Christophel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Christophel 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Christophel a common name?
We classify Christophel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 9 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Christophel most popular?
The single biggest year for Christophel was 1955, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Christophel is about 69 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 Christophel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Christophel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Christophel 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 Christophel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Christophel 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 Christophel 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 Americans are named Christophel?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Christophel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.