Christopher

Christopher comes from the Late Greek name Χριστόφορος (Christophoros), meaning “bearing Christ,” from Χριστός (Christos) and φέρω (phero), “to bear” or “to carry.” Early Christians used it metaphorically for those who carried Christ in their hearts, and in the Middle Ages this led to legends of Saint Christopher carrying the young Jesus across a river; he later became the patron saint of travellers. The name has been in general use in English since the 15th century and became especially popular in the second half of the 20th century, reaching the top of the charts in England and Wales in the 1980s and nearly so in the United States. In Denmark, it was borne by three kings, usually spelled Christoffer, including Christopher of Bavaria, who also ruled Norway and Sweden. Notable bearers include Christopher Columbus, Christopher Marlowe, Christopher Wren, and the fictional Christopher Robin from A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh books.

Christopher has unusual staying power. It appears in the US records as early as 1880 and still ranks #68 for boys in 2025. Its highest annual birth count came in 1984, with 60,021 births.