Christopher

Christopher meaning

Christopher is a Christian and international boy's name of Greek origin.

Christ-bearer; from Christos (Christ) and pherō (to carry)

Christopher comes from the Greek Christophoros, "Christ-bearer". It joins Christos, which Strong's Concordance gives as "anointed", the title of Jesus as the Messiah, with pherō, "to carry" or "to bear". The compound itself is not found in the Bible. It became a personal name through Saint Christopher, a legendary martyr of the early church who, in the best-known story, carries a child across a river and finds that he has carried Christ. He is the patron saint of travellers and, since the twentieth century, of motorists, though Britannica notes that there is no certainty he existed. Name lists give the same meaning, "bearer of Christ". In India the name is used in Christian families, often shortened to Chris.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, G5547 · entry Christos · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026

References: Strong's Greek 5547, Christos (Bible Hub) · Strong's Greek 5342, pherō (Bible Hub) · Britannica, St. Christopher

Famous namesakes

• Saint Christopher, patron saint of travellers

Popularity abroad

• #68 United States, boys 2025 (down 7 from 61 in 2024)
  US Social Security Administration
• #203 England and Wales, boys 2025
  Office for National Statistics

Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.

How the name is built

• Christos Χριστός: anointed; the Christ, the Messiah
  Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890) G5547
• Pherō φέρω: to carry, bear, bring
  Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890) G5342

Spellings

Christopher · Kristopher · Christoffer

Related names

Also meaning devotion

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