Cristina
A feminine name of Spanish/Portuguese origin meaning "a Christian woman".
Name Census estimates that about 48,575 living Americans carry the first name Cristina. It is a predominantly female name (99.5% of registrations). The average person named Cristina today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cristina births was 1990 (1,780 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cristina. 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
- • Although Cristina is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 270 boys registered with the name since 1880.
People living today
49K
~ 1 in 7,056 Americans
Peak year
1990
1,780 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
2000 SSA rank
#1,381
Tracked since 1906
Gender
Gender distribution for Cristina
Out of the 52,569 babies given the name Cristina since 1880, 99.5% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Cristina as a male name
- Ranked #8,356 in 2000
- 7 male births in 2000
- Peak: 1987 (23 births)
Cristina as a female name
- Ranked #1,381 in 2024
- 163 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1990 (1,762 births)
Popularity
Cristina: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cristina from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 15,174 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cristina 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 Cristina during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cristinas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 45 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Cristina, while New Hampshire, Delaware, Alaska recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 1,086 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cristina
The name Cristina has its roots in ancient Greek, derived from the name Christos, meaning "anointed one". It later spread to ancient Rome, where it became associated with early Christianity. The earliest recorded use of the name Cristina can be traced back to the 4th century AD, when it was given to a Christian saint and martyr.
In the Middle Ages, the name Cristina gained popularity across Europe as a variation of the name Christina. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Cristina of Markyate, an English nun and anchoress who lived in the 12th century. During the Renaissance period, the name became more widespread, particularly in Italy and Spain.
One of the most notable historical figures with the name Cristina was Queen Christina of Sweden, who reigned from 1632 to 1654. Known for her intelligence and unconventional lifestyle, she abdicated her throne to convert to Catholicism and pursue her interests in the arts and sciences.
In the 17th century, Cristina Trivulzio Belgiojoso was an Italian noblewoman and patriot who played a significant role in the Italian unification movement. She fought alongside Giuseppe Garibaldi and worked to unite the Italian states under a single flag.
In the realm of literature, Cristina Rossetti, an English poet and writer, is celebrated for her remarkable contributions to Victorian-era poetry. Born in 1830, her works often explored themes of religion, nature, and love, earning her a place among the most influential poets of her time.
Another notable figure was Cristina Ayala, a Paraguayan writer and feminist activist who lived from 1888 to 1936. She advocated for women's rights and education, and her literary works shed light on the struggles and experiences of women in her country.
In more recent history, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the former President of Argentina, held office from 2007 to 2015. She was the first woman elected as president of her country and played a significant role in shaping Argentina's economic and social policies during her tenure.
People
Cristina + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cristina 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
Cristina: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cristina?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 48,575 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cristina 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 7,056 US residents.
Is Cristina a common name?
We classify Cristina as "Uncommon". It ranks above 99.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 52,569 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cristina most popular?
The single biggest year for Cristina was 1990, when 1,780 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cristina is about 37 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cristina a female name?
Yes, 99.5% of people registered as Cristina in the SSA data are female. 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.