Crit
Diminutive form of the Greek name Kriton, meaning "to judge or decide".
Name Census estimates that about 26 living Americans carry the first name Crit. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Crit today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Crit births was 1935 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Crit. 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 Crit is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Crits were born before 1962.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Crit. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
26
~ 1 in 13,182,859 Americans
Peak year
1935
12 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1959 SSA rank
#3,087
Tracked since 1894
Popularity
Crit: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Crit from the 1890s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 36 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Crit remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Crit 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 Crit during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Crits live
Origin
Meaning and history of Crit
The name Crit is believed to have its origins in the ancient Greek language, emerging sometime around the 5th century BC. It is thought to be derived from the Greek word "kritikos," which means "to judge or discern." This linguistic connection suggests that the name Crit may have initially been associated with individuals who possessed strong analytical abilities or held positions of authority in making critical judgments.
During the classical period of ancient Greek civilization, the name Crit is recorded in several historical texts and inscriptions. One notable individual bearing this name was Crit of Naxos, a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher and follower of the teachings of Pythagoras. He is mentioned in the writings of Diogenes Laertius, an influential biographer of ancient Greek philosophers.
In the realm of religion, the name Crit is also found in early Christian texts. Crit of Chalcedon was a 4th-century bishop who played a significant role in the Council of Chalcedon, a pivotal event in the formation of Christian doctrine. His name appears in various records and accounts related to this important ecclesiastical council.
As the centuries passed, the name Crit continued to be used, albeit less frequently, across different regions and cultures influenced by the Greek language and traditions. One notable figure was Crit Pürohit, a 16th-century Indian scholar and astrologer who served as a court advisor to the Mughal Emperor Akbar. His contributions to the field of astrology and his writings on the subject have left a lasting legacy.
In more recent history, the name Crit has been associated with several individuals who have made their mark in various fields. Crit Royle (1877-1956) was a British actor and playwright who gained recognition for his contributions to the theater during the early 20th century. Crit Luallen (born 1945) is an American politician and former Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, known for her dedication to public service.
Another notable figure was Crit Chittwood (1917-1988), an American race car driver and mechanic who achieved success in the early days of NASCAR. His daring driving skills and innovative mechanical expertise earned him a place in the annals of motorsports history.
While the name Crit may not be as common today as it once was, its rich historical roots and associations with individuals who have made significant contributions across various domains serve as a testament to its enduring legacy.
People
Crit + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Crit 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
Crit: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Crit?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 26 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Crit 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 13,182,859 US residents.
Is Crit a common name?
We classify Crit as "Very Rare". It ranks above 44.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 111 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Crit most popular?
The single biggest year for Crit was 1935, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Crit is about 74 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 Crit in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Crit a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Crit 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 Crit still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Crit 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 Crit 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 common is the name Crit?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.