Crist
From Greek meaning "anointed one, the messiah".
Name Census estimates that about 632 living Americans carry the first name Crist. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Crist today is around 42 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Crist births was 2000 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Crist. 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.
People living today
632
~ 1 in 542,333 Americans
Peak year
2000
16 babies that year
Average age
42
years old
2023 SSA rank
#11,092
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Crist: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Crist from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 98 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1950s peak, Crist remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Crist 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 Crist during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Crists live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York recorded the most babies named Crist, while New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 24 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Crist
The name Crist is derived from the Greek word "Christos", meaning "the anointed one". It is a reference to Jesus Christ, the central figure in Christianity. The name has its origins in the early days of Christianity and has been used for centuries by believers as a way to honor and pay tribute to the religious leader.
The earliest recorded use of the name Crist can be traced back to the early Middle Ages, when it began to appear in various historical records and texts. One of the earliest known examples is that of Crist of Bavaria, a Benedictine monk who lived in the 8th century and is known for his contributions to the spread of Christianity in the region.
Throughout history, the name Crist has been associated with various notable figures, including Crist Sanz, a 14th-century Spanish monk and writer who authored several religious texts. Another prominent bearer of the name was Crist Visscher, a 17th-century Dutch cartographer and engraver known for his intricate maps and prints.
In the realm of literature, the name Crist has been used by several authors and poets. One notable example is Crist de Geste, a 12th-century French poet and trouvère who wrote numerous chansons de geste, or epic poems, about the Crusades and other historical events.
The name Crist has also been carried by several religious leaders and figures throughout history. One such individual was Crist Uden, a 15th-century Dutch priest and theologian who played a significant role in the reform movements of the Catholic Church.
Another notable bearer of the name was Crist Schmid, an 18th-century German Catholic priest and author who wrote extensively on various theological and philosophical topics. His works were widely read and influential during his time.
While the name Crist has its roots in Christianity, it has been adopted and used by people of various faiths and cultural backgrounds over the centuries. However, its strong association with the figure of Jesus Christ has endured, making it a significant and meaningful name for many believers.
People
Crist + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Crist 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
Crist: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Crist?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 632 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Crist 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 542,333 US residents.
Is Crist a common name?
We classify Crist as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 847 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Crist most popular?
The single biggest year for Crist was 2000, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Crist is about 42 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Crist a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Crist 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.
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.