Christopher is the English version of a Europe-wide name derived from the Greek name Χριστόφορος (Christophoros or Christoforos). The constituent parts are Χριστός (Christós), "Christ" or "Anointed", and φέρειν (phérein), "to bear"; hence the "Christ-bearer". As a given name, 'Christopher' has been in use since the 10th century. In English, Christopher may be abbreviated as "Chris", "Topher", and sometimes "Kit". It was frequently the most popular male first name in the United Kingdom, having been in the top twenty in England and Wales from the 1940s until 1995, although it has since dropped out of the top 100. Within the United Kingdom, the name is most common in England and not so common in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.

People with the given name

Antiquity and Middle Ages

Modern

People with the surname

Fictional characters

Cognates in other languages