Cristoffer
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "bearer of Christ".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Cristoffer. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cristoffer today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cristoffer births was 1988 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cristoffer. 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 Cristoffer. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1988
5 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
1988 SSA rank
#7,500
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Cristoffer: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Cristoffer 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 Cristoffer during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Cristoffer
The name Cristoffer has its origins in the Late Greek language, coming from the elements "Christos" meaning "anointed" and "phero" meaning "to bear or carry". It is derived from the same root as the name Christopher, with the spelling variation using "offe" instead of "ophe". This name was widely adopted across Europe during the Middle Ages, particularly in Scandinavia and Germanic regions.
The earliest known record of the name Cristoffer dates back to the 4th century AD, appearing in the writings of early Christian scholars and scribes. It was a popular name among early Christians, who associated it with the figure of Saint Christopher, a legendary martyr and patron saint of travellers.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Cristoffer was Cristoffer Valkendorff (1525-1601), a Danish statesman and diplomat who served as the Chancellor of Denmark under King Frederick II. Another prominent figure was Cristoffer Giedroyć (1560-1638), a Lithuanian nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
In the 17th century, Cristoffer Hansteen (1784-1873) was a renowned Norwegian astronomer, mathematician, and physicist who made important contributions to the study of terrestrial magnetism. Around the same time, Cristoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg (1783-1853) was a highly influential Danish painter and a leading figure in the Golden Age of Danish art.
In more recent history, Cristoffer Idun Jacobsen (1940-2012) was a Norwegian actor and director who had a prolific career in both film and theatre. He was known for his roles in several acclaimed Norwegian films and TV series.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Cristoffer, a name with deep roots in Late Greek and Christian traditions, and a rich cultural legacy across various European regions.
People
Cristoffer + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cristoffer 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
Cristoffer: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cristoffer?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cristoffer 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Cristoffer a common name?
We classify Cristoffer as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cristoffer most popular?
The single biggest year for Cristoffer was 1988, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cristoffer is about 37 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 Cristoffer in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cristoffer a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cristoffer 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 Cristoffer still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cristoffer 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 Cristoffer 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 are called Cristoffer?
Want to know how many people share the name Cristoffer? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.