Given name & surname
Christa
“follower of Christ”
In German use, Christa is a short form of Christina. One English interpretation is “follower of Christ.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Christa is a short form of Christina. One English interpretation is “follower of Christ.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In German use, Christa is a short form of Christina. Christina has been associated with Latin and Middle English naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Christa is used as a shortened form of Christine. Christa is used as a shortened form of Christina.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Christa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 32,870
- 27 boys · 32,843 girls
- Most popular year
- 1986
- 1,518 babies
- 2025
- 17
- #6,598 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −50%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 17 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 6,598 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 49.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,513 in 1986. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 32,795 as a first name in 2020; 177 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Christa’s family of names
Christa is a short form of Christine. In German usage, Christa has a later derivative in Krista. Christa has a related form in Christina.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Christa has relatives in 9 languages.
7 related names in 9 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Christa
- Christa WolfGerman novelist and essayist (1929–2011)
- NicoGerman singer and actress (1938–1988)
- Christa LudwigGerman mezzo-soprano (1928-2021)
- Christa B. AllenAmerican actress (born 1991)
- Christa Luding-RothenburgerGerman cyclist and speed skaterborn 1959
- Christa DeguchiJapanese Canadian judokaborn 1995
- Christa MillerAmerican actressborn 1964
- Christa StubnickEast German sprinter (1933-2021)
- Christa SchroederSecretary to Adolf Hitler (1908-1984)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Christa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Crystal
“resembling clear, sparkling, brilliant glass”
>99% girls
Christiana
“follower of Christ”
>99% girls
Krystal
“resembling clear, sparkling, brilliant glass”
>99% girls
Vanna
“golden-haired woman”
>99% girls
Kristina
“follower of Christ”
>99% girls
Trisha
“of noble descent”
>99% girls
Erica
“ever the ruler”
>99% girls
Misha
“who is like God?”
20% boys · 80% girls