Given name & surname
Christoph
“one who bears Christ inside”
In German use, Christoph has a related form in Christopher. One Greek interpretation is “one who bears Christ inside.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Christoph has a related form in Christopher. One Greek interpretation is “one who bears Christ inside.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In German use, Christoph has a related form in Christopher. An origin associated with Christopher is Greek.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1952. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Christoph through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,192
- 1,192 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1969
- 32 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #6,525 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −28%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 13 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,525 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 27.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,188 as a first name in 2020; 805 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.
Christoph’s family of names
In East Central German usage, Christoph has a diminutive in CHRIST. Christoph shares a linguistic root with Christopher. In German usage, Christoph has a related form in Chris.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Christoph has relatives in 13 languages.
30 related names in 13 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 22
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Christophervariant · German, English
- Chrisvariant · German
- Christdiminutive · gmw-ecg
- Kristoffvariant · German
- Christofvariant · German
- Kristofvariant · German
- Christophevariant · German, French
- Christoffervariant · German
Show 14 moreShow fewer
- Stoffelpet form
- Kristoffyvariant · German
- Kristoffivariant · German
- Kristofivariant · German
- Christophorusvariant · German
- Christophivariant · German
- Christopherusvariant · German
- Christophesvariant · German
- Christophersvariant · German
- Christoflevariant · German
- Christofivariant · German
- Christoffelsvariant · German
- Christoffelvariant · German, Dutch
- Christofelvariant · German
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 21
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Christoph
- Christoph Willibald Gluckopera composer (1714–1787)
- Christoph WaltzAustrian and German actorborn 1956
- Christoph Martin WielandGerman poet and writer (1733–1813)
- Christoph SchönbornAustrian Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vienna and Cardinal of the roman catholic churchborn 1945
- Christoph KramerGerman association football playerborn 1991
- Christoph MetzelderGerman footballer (born 1980)
- Christoph BaumgartnerAustrian association football player (born 1999)
- Christoph SchneiderGerman drummerborn 1966
- Christoph ScheinerGerman jesuit and astronomer (1573-1650)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Christoph, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Christos
“a dedicated and faithful woman”
>99% boys
Clifton
“cliff”
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Boris
“a warrior; having battle glory”
>99% boys
Bryon
Bryon is a masculine given name from Irish.
>99% boys
Shelton
“from the farm on the ledge”
>99% boys
Luigi
“loud; famous” · “battle”
>99% boys
Tito
“of the giants” · “a great defender”
>99% boys
Toussaint
“all saints”
>99% boys