According to the Social Security Administration’s baby name database, Christopher spent 1967-2009 in the top 10 most common names and has consistently been in the top 50 along with the name Christian since then (“Popular”). However, while names like Christopher and Christian remain highly popular, Chris has hovered around the 300-600 mark since the 1990s and was most recently the 774th most popular name (“Popular”).

The name Chris has roots in ancient Greece as it originated from the Greek word “christophoros” which means Christ-Bearer (Alex). In ancient Greece, the name was given to many saints with the most popular example being Saint Christopher, known as the patron saint of travelers. With Christianity being the most popular religion around the world, Chris quickly became a popular name given by parents. 

I wasn’t surprised at all to know the meaning of my name and how it was linked to Christianity. After all, I grew up in church all of my life and the youth leaders occasionally mentioned the meaning and symbolism of my name. Searching up my name for this assignment did serve as a reminder that I should have stronger faith. I haven’t been to church since college, but I have taken the initiative to find a church here in Ann Arbor and am working to immerse myself back into the Christian community. 

Something interesting I found was the decline in the popularity of the name after decades of being in the top 10. After some research, I saw a correlation with the decline of Christianity. The PEW Research Center reported that from Americans who reported they were religious, 90% were Christians in 1972 while in 2021, only 63% were Christians (Nadeem). With “Chris” originating from Christianity, it is logical to see the name decline in popularity with the decline in Christianity over decades. Furthermore, with the attraction of more unique names to the new generation, the name will probably continue to decline in the future. 

My name holds common and unique traits, carrying both historical and personal significance. Researching the origins of the name and the significance it holds gave me a deeper appreciation of my name. With my name being so common, I always had a neutral opinion on it growing up but after seeing how unique it actually is along with its origins, I have newfound admiration for my name Chris.

Works Cited

Alex, Angela. “Chris Name Meaning, Origin, History, and Popularity.” Edited by Srija  Chanda Burman, MomJunction, 7 May 2024, www.momjunction.com/baby-names/chris/#origin-meaning-and-history-of-chris.

Nadeem, Reem. “1. How U.S. Religious Composition Has Changed in Recent Decades.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 13 Sept. 2022, www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/how-u-s-religious-composition-has-changed-in-recent-decades/. 

“Popularity of name Chris.” U.S. Social Security Administration Baby Name Database, U.S. Social Security Administration, n.d., ssa.gov/oact/babynames, Accessed 9 Feb. 2025. 

“Popularity of name Christian.” U.S. Social Security Administration Baby Name Database, U.S. Social Security Administration, n.d., ssa.gov/oact/babynames, Accessed 9 Feb. 2025. 

“Popularity of name Christopher.” U.S. Social Security Administration Baby Name Database, U.S. Social Security Administration, n.d., ssa.gov/oact/babynames, Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.