Cristoval
A Hispanic masculine name meaning "bearer of Christ" or "Christ bearer".
Name Census estimates that about 414 living Americans carry the first name Cristoval. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cristoval today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cristoval births was 2001 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cristoval. 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
414
~ 1 in 827,909 Americans
Peak year
2001
22 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2020 SSA rank
#12,417
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Cristoval: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cristoval from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 127 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cristoval 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 Cristoval during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cristovals live
Origin
Meaning and history of Cristoval
Cristoval is a masculine given name with roots in the Spanish and Portuguese languages. The name is derived from the Late Latin name Christophorus, which itself is a combination of the Greek words "Christos" (meaning "Christ") and "phoros" (meaning "bearer" or "carrier").
The name Cristoval gained prominence during the Middle Ages, particularly in regions with strong Christian influence, such as the Iberian Peninsula and parts of Latin America. It was often associated with the legend of St. Christopher, who was believed to have carried the Christ child across a river, earning him the title "Christ-bearer."
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Cristoval can be found in the 12th-century Spanish epic poem "El Cantar de Mio Cid," where a character named Cristoval is mentioned. The name also appears in various medieval religious texts and chronicles, further solidifying its association with Christian tradition.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Cristoval. One of the most famous is Cristoval Colon, better known as Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and initiated the Spanish colonization of the Americas.
Another prominent figure was Cristoval de Vaca (c. 1490-1558), a Spanish explorer and chronicler who is known for his expeditions in what is now the southwestern United States and his accounts of interactions with Native American tribes.
In the realm of art, Cristoval de Villalpando (c. 1649-1714) was a renowned Mexican painter and architect who contributed significantly to the Baroque style in New Spain (now Mexico).
Cristoval Balenciaga (1895-1972) was a Spanish fashion designer who founded the iconic Balenciaga fashion house and is considered one of the masters of 20th-century couture.
Additionally, Cristoval Rojas (1857-1890) was a Venezuelan poet and writer who is regarded as a significant figure in the country's literary tradition.
While the name Cristoval has evolved over time and across different cultures, it remains deeply rooted in its religious and historical origins, serving as a testament to the enduring influence of Christian tradition and the cultural exchange between Spain, Portugal, and the Americas.
People
Cristoval + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cristoval 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
Cristoval: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cristoval?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 414 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cristoval 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 827,909 US residents.
Is Cristoval a common name?
We classify Cristoval as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 437 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cristoval most popular?
The single biggest year for Cristoval was 2001, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cristoval is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cristoval a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cristoval 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.