Chris
Chris was the 646th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 431 babies. Its best year was 1966, when it ranked 55th; the most babies were born in 1961 (7,203). Over the last ten years it has moved down 140 places. More babies were named Chris in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Meaning short for Christopher, Christian or Christina · Greek, Latin, English
Say it KRIS /krɪs/
- Rank in 2025
- #646 boys, up 30 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 431boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19617,203 babies
- Total since 1880
- 170,417babies recorded
What does the name Chris mean?
Chris is a short form of Christopher and, less often, Christian, and for girls of Christina and similar names, as Wiktionary notes. DMNES explains Christopher as Greek Christos, Christ, plus pherein, to bear: "Christ-bearer." Christian and Christina come from the Latin word for a Christian. Wiktionary also records Dutch Chris as a shortening of Christiaan. Chris has been used in the US since 1880.
Χριστός (Ancient Greek, “Christ”)φέρειν (Ancient Greek, “to bear”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Christopher, Christian, Christina, Kris, Topher.
See also: Greek names, names that mean God.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Chris' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Christopher', DMNES (Durham University)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Christian', DMNES (Durham University)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Chris popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | #646 | — | 431 |
| 2020 | #10,447 | #676 | 9 | 382 |
| 2010 | #12,535 | #393 | 8 | 721 |
| 2000 | #5,533 | #391 | 20 | 651 |
| 1990 | #3,538 | #448 | 30 | 489 |
| 1980 | #1,250 | #234 | 104 | 991 |
| 1970 | #460 | #63 | 458 | 4,460 |
| 1960 | #219 | #63 | 1,509 | 6,494 |
| 1950 | #562 | #178 | 219 | 1,249 |
| 1940 | #1,318 | #314 | 32 | 317 |
| 1930 | #2,326 | #452 | 14 | 172 |
| 1920 | #2,931 | #452 | 11 | 180 |
| 1910 | — | #493 | — | 32 |
| 1900 | — | #313 | — | 45 |
| 1890 | — | #302 | — | 32 |
| 1880 | — | #236 | — | 49 |
How popular is Chris, counting every spelling?
Chris is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #583 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #646 for Chris on its own. Together these spellings went to 497 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris | 431 | #646 | 2,005 |
| Kris | 37 | #3,218 | 190 |
| Cris | 14 | #6,196 | 88 |
| Chriss | 5 | #12,399 | 37 |
| Khris | 5 | #13,051 | 37 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Chris?
431 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Chris (0.12 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Chris born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 19 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Chris.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Chris?
About 115,200 people born in the US named Chris are alive today, with a median age of 59; half are between 48 and 65. That makes Chris a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Chris by state
How common Chris was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Florida (2.3×), Massachusetts (1.9×), New York (1.8×), New Jersey (1.7×), Maryland (1.6×). In 20 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Chris: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Chris, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Chris · Sibling names for Chris
Chris is also a nickname for Christopher, Christian, Christina and Christine.
Questions about the name Chris
What does Chris mean?
Chris means “short for Christopher, Christian or Christina” (Greek, Latin, English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Chris?
Chris was the 646th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 431 babies. Its best year was 1966, when it ranked 55th; the most babies were born in 1961 (7,203). Over the last ten years it has moved down 140 places. More babies were named Chris in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Is Chris a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Chris in the US.
Where is Chris most popular?
In 2021–2025, Chris was most common in Florida (0.53 per 1,000 boys), followed by Massachusetts and New York.