Christel
Christel was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1978, when it ranked 763rd with 202 babies. More babies were named Christel in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Crystal) crystal (word name) · English, Greek
- Rank in 2025
- Not rankedgirls
- Babies in 2025
- 0girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1978202 babies
- Total since 1880
- 3,712babies recorded
What does the name Christel mean?
Christel is a spelling of Crystal, pronounced the same way, so it shares Crystal's meaning and origin.
Crystal is the English word for clear quartz or fine glass, used as a given name since the late 19th century. The word comes through Old French and Latin from Greek krystallos 'ice, rock crystal', from kryos 'icy cold', because rock crystal was thought to be permanently frozen ice. It was very popular in the US in the 1970s and 1980s. Wiktionary lists it as a girls' name from English.
κρύσταλλος (krystallos) (Ancient Greek, “ice, rock crystal”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Krystal, Chrystal, Crista.
See also: English names, names that mean jewel.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Crystal', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'crystal' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (our computation), SSA (public domain)
Christel popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2020 | #15,629 | 5 |
| 2010 | #8,359 | 14 |
| 2000 | #7,251 | 14 |
| 1990 | #3,170 | 35 |
| 1980 | #1,352 | 93 |
| 1970 | #974 | 129 |
| 1960 | #1,618 | 48 |
| 1950 | #3,713 | 9 |
| 1940 | #2,448 | 12 |
| 1930 | #4,120 | 6 |
| 1920 | #5,108 | 5 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Christel, counting every spelling?
Christel is a spelling of Crystal, a name family that ranked #761 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together. Together these spellings went to 362 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal | 202 | #1,145 | 1,130 |
| Krystal | 88 | #2,135 | 538 |
| Cristal | 37 | #3,922 | 246 |
| Kristal | 14 | #7,698 | 75 |
| Christal | 13 | #7,974 | 59 |
| Chrystal | 8 | #11,151 | 44 |
| Christel | — | — | 39 |
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 old are people named Christel?
About 3,300 people born in the US named Christel are alive today, with a median age of 50; half are between 43 and 56. That makes Christel mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
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.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Christel: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Christel, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Christel
What does Christel mean?
Christel is a spelling of Crystal, which means “crystal (word name)” (English, Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Christel?
Christel was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1978, when it ranked 763rd with 202 babies. More babies were named Christel in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Is Christel a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Christel in the US.