Given name & surname
Kristian
“an anointed Christian”
Kristian is used as a given name and a surname. One Scandinavian interpretation is “an anointed Christian.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Scandinavian interpretation is “an anointed Christian.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Scandinavian.
How it developed
From Latin Christianus (“Christian; follower of Christ”), from Ancient Greek Χριστιανός (Khristianós, “Christian; follower of Christ”), from Ancient Greek Χριστός (Khristós, “Christ; the anointed one”).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1942. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kristian through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 27,634
- 20,814 boys · 6,820 girls
- Most popular year
- 1996
- 886 babies
- 2025
- 192
- #1,149 for boys · #11,464 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −34%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 92% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 184 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,149 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 32.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 614 in 1997. It also appeared in 8 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (28). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 22,646 as a first name in 2020; 166 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.
Kristian’s family of names
In Norwegian Bokmål usage, Kristian shares a linguistic root with the Icelandic form Kristján. In Swedish usage, Kristian has a related form in Christian. In Swedish usage, Kristian has a conventional equivalent in the English form Christian.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Kristian has relatives in 15 languages. Lines run from its Old Norse roots to each of them.
15 related names in 15 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 20
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 17
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Kristian
- Kristian KostovBulgarian and Russian singer, songwriter and modelborn 2000
- Kristian ThorstvedtNorwegian footballer (born 1999)
- Kristian BirkelandNorwegian scientist (1867–1917)
- GaahlNorwegian musicianborn 1975
- Kristian BlummenfeltNorwegian triathleteborn 1994
- Kris CommonsScottish association football player (born 1983)
- Kristian JensenDanish politicianborn 1971
- Kristian SbaragliItalian cyclistborn 1990
- Kristian NairnNorthern Irish actor and DJborn 1975
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Kristian, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kristopher
“a follower of Christ”
>99% boys
Igor
“a hero” · “Ing's soldier”
>99% boys
Dustin
“from the dusty area” · “a courageous warrior”
>99% boys
Corey
“from the hollow; of the churning waters”
96% boys · 4% girls
Ericson
“the son of Eric”
>99% boys
Joren
“one who works the earth; a farmer” · “farmer”
>99% boys
Ronak
“a powerful man”
84% boys · 16% girls
Kaj
“of the earth”
>99% boys