Given name & surname
Kristy
“follower of Christ”
In English use, Kristy is a diminutive of Christina. One English interpretation is “follower of Christ.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Kristy is a diminutive of Christina. One English interpretation is “follower of Christ.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Kristy is a diminutive of Christina. Christina has been associated with Latin and Middle English naming traditions. Kristy is a variant of Kristie. An origin associated with Kristie is Scottish.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Kristy is a diminutive of Christina.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1941. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kristy through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 70,703
- 179 boys · 70,524 girls
- Most popular year
- 1978
- 5,352 babies
- 2025
- 25
- #5,166 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −54%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 25 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,166 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 53.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 5,332 in 1978. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 63,534 as a first name in 2020; 323 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.
Kristy’s family of names
In English usage, Kristy is a diminutive of Christina. Kristy has a related form in Kristina. Kristy has a related form in Kristie.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Christinafull form · English
- Kristinavariant · English
- Christievariant · English
- Kristievariant
- Kristyelikely variant
- Kristeelikely variant
- Kristtylikely variant
- Kristtielikely variant
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Across languages 23
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 Kristy
- Kristy SwansonAmerican actressborn 1969
- Kristy McNicholAmerican actressborn 1962
- Kristy WuAmerican actressborn 1982
- Kristy KowalAmerican swimmer, Olympic silver medalist, world champion, former world record-holderborn 1978
- Kristy WallaceAustralian basketball player (born 1996)
- Poison IvyAmerican guitaristborn 1953
- Kristy Lee CookAmerican musicianborn 1984
- Kristy YangHong Kong actressborn 1974
- Kristy PigeonUS tennis playerborn 1950
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kristy, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kristel
“follower of Christ”
>99% girls
Misty
“covered with dew; of the mists”
>99% girls
Christy
“follower of Christ” · “one who bears Christ inside”
1% boys · 99% girls
Kristen
“follower of Christ”
6% boys · 94% girls
Krista
“follower of Christ”
>99% girls
Amity
“a dear friendship”
>99% girls
Krystal
“resembling clear, sparkling, brilliant glass”
>99% girls
Chasity
“having purity; a woman of innocence”
>99% girls