Chris
Short form of Christopher and Christine, both built on the Greek Christos, meaning anointed, the title given to Jesus.
Chris in 2025
Chris was given to 431 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 1,306th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 7,692 babies born.
The history of Chris
Chris reached its highest point in 1961, when 8,774 babies were given the name, ranking 102nd that year.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 170,417 babies have been named Chris. Half of them were born before 1964, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Baby Boomers.
Chris by decade
| Decade | Babies named Chris | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 503 | 418 |
| 1890s | 396 | 629 |
| 1900s | 339 | 814 |
| 1910s | 1,124 | 882 |
| 1920s | 1,795 | 902 |
| 1930s | 2,102 | 730 |
| 1940s | 8,742 | 334 |
| 1950s | 32,265 | 124 |
| 1960s | 67,612 | 102 |
| 1970s | 27,154 | 138 |
| 1980s | 7,103 | 460 |
| 1990s | 5,395 | 821 |
| 2000s | 7,806 | 694 |
| 2010s | 5,648 | 821 |
| 2020s | 2,433 | 1,306 |
Where Chris is heading
Chris has fallen 25% over the past decade, from 577 babies in 2015 to 431 in 2025.
That is less than 5% of its 1961 peak — Chris is now a rare name in the United States.
Names like Chris
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Chris.