Christian (given name)

For other uses, see Christian and Christian (surname).
Christian
Gender mainly Male
Origin
Language(s) Ancient Greek and Latin, Hebrew
Word/name Christianus
Meaning "follower of Christ"
Other names
See also Christian (surname)
Look up Christian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Christian was a Baptismal name. It is now a given name born by males and females. The name is derived from the Latin "Christianus", meaning "follower of Christ". The word Christ being used to translate the Hebrew Messiah. It was commonly used as a Baptismal name and interchangeably as a given name. It has been used as a given name since the Middle Ages - especially amongst females. [1]

Today the name is popular in Europe, United States and other English-speaking countries. Today in Europe — though not the United States — it is almost exclusively used as a male name, but in the 17th and 18th centuries it was a popular female first name in Scotland.

Female variants of the name include Christine, Christina, Christiane, Cristiane, Kristen, Kristin, and Kirsten. Holders of the name Christian may go by the nicknames or shortened forms Chris, Chrissy, "Crix", or Xian.

In other languages

Males with the given name Christian

Females

Fictional characters

References

  1. ↑ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 55, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1.