Christian

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Christian

Gender: Masculine, Feminine
Language: English, French

Etymology:
Christian is an English vocabulary word for someone belonging to the Christian religion.

History:
Christian first appeared in England circa 1200, but it has traditionally never been popular there as a masculine name. Many girls were called Christian in everyday use (however, they were named Christiana in Latin records).

Chrestien (later becoming Chrétien) was also common in France of the Middle Ages.
The name also appeared as Christer, in Sweden in the 15th century.

Christian, as a masculine name (Christina having become the common feminine form) was revived in the 19th and 20th centuries in the English world, becoming quite popular. It was also became a popular 20th century name in France.

Pronunciation: CRIS-chen.

Diminutives:
English: Chris.
Spanish: Cris.

Alternates: Christiaan, Christianj, Kristjan.
Danish: Christer, Kristian.
English: Christean, Christen, Chrisiton, Chrystian, Criston, Khristian.
French: Chrétien, Christien, Cretien.
French (Medieval): Chrestien.
German (Low): Karsten.
Greek: Krischan.
Polish: Krystian, Krystyn, Krzysztyn.
Scandinavian: Kristian.
Scottish: Christie.
Spanish: Cristiano, Cristian.
Swedish: Christer, Kristian, Krister.
Ukrainian: Krystiyan.
Welsh: Crist.

Feminine: Christiana.

See also: Chris, Cristian.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Chrétien de Troyes (circa 1165- after 1180)
Prussian-American founder.
Christian Bérard (1902-1949)
French painter.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Christian Jensen Lofthuus (1750-1797)
Danish reformer.
Christian Jörgensen Thomsen (1788-1865)
Danish arcaeologist.

Miscellaneos:
Christian Herter (1840-1883)
German furniture maker.
Christian Dior (1905-1957)
French fashion designer.
Sir Christian Bonington (1934-)
English mountaineer.

Political Figures:
Christian Ditlev Frederik, Count Reventlow (1748-1827)
Danish official who abolished serfdom.
Christian Günther, Count Bernstorff (1769-1835)
Foreign Minister of Prussia.
Christian Magnus Falsen (1782-1830)
Author of the Norwegian Constitution.
Christiaan Rudolf de Wet (1854-1922)
Afrikaner statesman.

Religious Figures:
Christian Metz (1794-1867)
Prussian-American founder of the Amana Church Society.

Royalty:
Christian I (1426-1481)
King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Christian II (1481-1559)
King of Denmark and Norway.
Christian III (1503-1559)
King of Denmark and Norway.
Christian IV (1577-1648)
King of Denmark and Norway.
Christian V (1646-1699)
King of Denmark and Norway.
Christian VI (1699-1746)
King of Denmark and Norway.
Christian VII (1749-1808)
King of Denmark. Mentally unstable.
Christian VIII (1786-1848)
King of Denmark.
Christian IX (1818-1906)
King of Denmark.
Christian X (1870-1947)
King of Denmark during WWII.

Scientists:
Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695)
Dutch mathematician and astronomer.
Christian, Freiherr von Wolff (1679-1754)
Polish mathematician.
Christian Heinrich Pander (1794-1867)
Latvian anatomist.
Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg (1795-1876)
German naturalist.
Christian Johann Doppler (1803-1853)
Austrian physicist.
Christiaan Eijkman (1858-1930)
Dutch pathologist. Co-winner of the 1929 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
Christian Anfnsen (1916-1995)
American biochemist.
Christian de Duve (1917-)
English biochemist.
Christiaan Barnard (1922-)
South African heart surgeon.

Singers and Entertainers:
Christian Bale (1974-)
English actor.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census, for males:
0.197 % named Chris
0.065 % named Christian

Popularity of Christian:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 38th most popular.
1850: 67th most popular.
1875: 92nd most popular.
1900-1910: 297th most popular.
1910-1920: 434th most popular.
1920-1930: 602nd most popular.
1930-1940: 616th most popular.
1940-1950: 621st most popular.
1950-1960: 392nd most popular.
1960-1970: 253rd most popular.
1970-1980: 117th most popular.
1980-1990: 90th most popular.
1990: 57th most popular.
1991: 42nd most popular.
1992: 35th most popular.
1993: 33rd most popular.
1994: 32nd most popular.
1995: 27th most popular.
1996: 24th most popular.
1997: 25th most popular.
1998: 25th most popular.
1999: 24th most popular.
2000: 22nd most popular.
2001: 24th most popular.
2002: 23rd most popular.
2003: 24th most popular.

In France...
1900: 114th most popular.
1910: 132nd most popular.
1920: 76th most popular.
1930: 34th most popular.
1940: 23rd most popular.
1950: 7th most popular.
1960: 9th most popular.
1970: 33rd most popular.
1980: 99th most popular.
1990: 166th most popular.
1994: 179th most popular.
2000: N/A

Popularity of Kristian:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1970: N/A
1970-1980: 549th most popular.
1980-1990: 657th most popular.
1990: 540th most popular.
1991: 500th most popular.
1992: 427th most popular.
1993: 412th most popular.
1994: 420th most popular.
1995: 383rd most popular.
1996: 374th most popular.
1997: 387th most popular.
1998: 384th most popular.
1999: 410th most popular.
2000: 414th most popular.
2001: 420th most popular.
2002: 451st most popular.
2003: 436th most popular.

Popularity of Christion:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1998: 999th most popular.
1999: N/A

Popularity of Christian, for girls:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1970: N/A
1970-1980: 729th most popular.
1980-1990: 426th most popular.
1990: 329th most popular.
1991: 302nd most popular.
1992: 288th most popular.
1993: 312th most popular.
1994: 353rd most popular.
1995: 363rd most popular.
1996: 377th most popular.
1997: 421st most popular.
1998: 495th most popular.
1999: 542nd most popular.
2000: 580th most popular.
2001: 634th most popular.
2002: 789th most popular.
2003: 822nd most popular.